Volvo QL Trim Tabs

[ScarabChris]

Good info Flot, thanks.

[Flot]

They are also EXTREMELY sensitive and when you take your finger off the button, the tab continues to move

Osprey I re-read this and had to elaborate. Anyone who tries to use these like normal tabs and is unhappy with their operation needs to go back and RTFM. For everyone's education, here is the control panel:

You have 4 buttons, with amber LEDs along the sides that indicate what position your tabs are at. In the normal (retracted) case, two green leds show in the upper corners. As you want to adjust trim, you simply press one of the buttons once for each increment of 1/8 tab you want to deploy. So 3 presses on the top button (bow down) = both tabs are deployed to the #3 position. Ditto on the bottom. If you have a side-to-side leveling issue, the two marked buttons to the left and right indicate "lower port side" "lower starboard side" - all of the buttons correspond to exactly what you intend to do and the tab controller will compensate automatically and semi-intelligently, again always giving you a readout of what position the tabs are in.

When I say semi-intelligently, I believe it attempts to keep your current bow attitude along with your port/starboard trim adjustments. So if I am at 50% trim and I indicate I want to raise the port side a bit, first press it will deploy the port side tab 1 notch. If I recall correctly, second press it will actually lower the starboard side 1 notch instead, rather than raising the port side twice and throwing your bow attitude even further out of whack.

If you were to attempt to use them like hydraulic tabs - it would be like holding down the 5 button on your cell phone because you wanted to dial 555. It just wouldn't work properly. I much prefer this system to traditional hydraulic tabs where I was always wondering how far down they were, how much tab was left, if they were travelling at the same speed etc.

[peterbo3]

This pic shows the mounting plates on the transom of my alloy boat. The Tabs are screwed into the plate & sealed with 4200. No transom penetration. The wiring is fed though the hole in the center of the mounting plate & then into an alloy tube which is welded to the inside of the transom. The tube is bought up through the sealed deck which maintains hull integrity.

QL Tabs fitted. Over a year of service with no problems. Instant response but I will admit that I did over adjust once early on & the boat tilted big time. Made me read the manual again with more attention paid to details.

[welder]

Pete, great shots of Drumbeat. She is looking good. :]

[B-Faithful]

I have never owned lencos but have Volvo QL tabs on my current boat and love them compared to the bennetts on my previous boats (both Pro-lines BTW). They are not a "hold the button" tab at all. You press it once and the indicator tells you exactly the position the tab is in. They auto retract, are all composite, and dont extend out creating something to snag a line on or have a kid hurt themselves on while swimming. They are also very quick to respond which is a plus in my book. My builder switched from Bennetts on their boats up to 36' and has been more than pleased with their performance and reliability. I have been pleased with them for the 6 months and a hair over 100 hours I have run them.

[Chisox]

I have never owned lencos but have Volvo QL tabs on my current boat and love them compared to the bennetts on my previous boats (both Pro-lines BTW). They are not a "hold the button" tab at all. You press it once and the indicator tells you exactly the position the tab is in. They auto retract, are all composite, and dont extend out creating something to snag a line on or have a kid hurt themselves on while swimming. They are also very quick to respond which is a plus in my book. My builder switched from Bennetts on their boats up to 36' and has been more than pleased with their performance and reliability. I have been pleased with them for the 6 months and a hair over 100 hours I have run them.

I'd say that is an excellent testimony.

What I said earlier, I still stand behind it. Lets face it, we all suffer issues with certain products that the rest of the world finds great.

Go figure...

[Mersiles]

This pic shows the mounting plates on the transom of my alloy boat. The Tabs are screwed into the plate & sealed with 4200. No transom penetration. The wiring is fed though the hole in the center of the mounting plate & then into an alloy tube which is welded to the inside of the transom. The tube is bought up through the sealed deck which maintains hull integrity.

QL Tabs fitted. Over a year of service with no problems. Instant response but I will admit that I did over adjust once early on & the boat tilted big time. Made me read the manual again with more attention paid to details.

Sorry to disctract from the tab debate; Peterbo, can you tell me what the two large openings are at the "V" of the transome? Right where the skeg of your Suzi would be. I also see what looks like a tow eye. What is that for?

And don't try to tell me it because "the water swirls the other way around in Brissie" I am a native Queenslander myslef so I know when someone is taking the piss.

[peterbo3]

The bracket is a mounting point for a transducer. In this case, a "through hull" model. Could not see the sense in cutting holes in a perfectly good alloy hull to insert a piece of plastic. It works well, perfect bottom picture up to 22 knots, bottom trace & depth up to 30 knots.

The tubes are for water ballast. They fill when the boat is at rest & drain as soon as power is applied. Moderates the rock 'n roll that comes with 23 deg deadrise.

[Mersiles]

Makes sense, nice setup Pete.

[RowRow]

I have the QL tabs on my 19 mako and they work great. I Could not mount traditional trim tabs where they needed to go due to the locations of the scuppers and a swim platform. They are very responsive and can really hold the bow down, like it has been said you just tap the button, no need tp hold them down. They are almost too responsive for a 19 foot boat you really know if you drop one side to much. I think they would work great on a larger boat. Another good point is that with the kit you get the tabs and controls with indicators and auto retract for much less than other brands.