Surf Tabs / Trim Tabs on OG X-Star PS205V
 

After dealing with a crappy surf wave on my 2001 X-Star (Unless I had 6 large friends in the boat) Most of the time its just me, my wife and 4 kids, 3 of which are skinny girls and 1 skinny boy, I decided to do something about it. I've searched the internet high and low and have yet to find any other surf tabs on this boat, so I felt it my duty to humanity to give it a try.

I picked up a used system off of ebay for $225. There is enough room to use plates that are 12" wide. I would have liked longer plates, but the one I got are only 8" deep. (If these don't do the job there is an 11" set I can pick up for $90).

So here are the install pics.

-A couple on notes.
The system came with square control switches that I didn't like so I ordered the round one. It was larger than the old clarion remote (didn't mind pulling it as its been sitting un-used for years, but I made it work. Also the controls are backwards, the starboard switches control the port tab, so I'll switch that.

Please don't mind the dirt, the boat has been sitting for the winter and these projects help me to get it cleaned up and ready.

Current ballast setup: (2) 540lb V-Drive bags, (1) 400lb belly bag, 200lbs of sand bags under the front seats. So around 1,800lbs of ballast. I've surfed this hull with just one 540lb bag in the past with just one person in the boat, sometimes the distribution gets off I guess.

Last note, I haven't had a chance to try this out yet. Need to find a second/ or third in the San Luis Obispo/ Lake Nacimiento area if anyone wants to give it a go!

Let me know what you think:)

Other thoughts, next time I would go with the Lenco Electric tabs, they seem much faster than these hydraulic ones.

Also had to move the swim platform back by 1.5" to make room for the hoses. I looked at raising it an inch by putting some square aluminum tubing under the platform/ and I may if it drags but moving it forward was easier.

Making a fake gate or wakeshaper would work too

What's the theory with surf tabs? Do you cause the boat to list more with less weight?

Most of the surf systems are to allow you to weight both sides equally and keep the boat level (no list) and put out a good surf wave. This is for convenience of switching sides. When you want the best wave possible for a given side you would list it still.

Then how does the tab delay the wave convergence? I get the surf gate concept & the flow & NSS, this one doesn't make sense to my slow mind

This is more akin to a Gen 1 Mastercraft surf system. I don't think it would allow even weighting, rather it would assist a listed boat in wave shaping.

Here is a 2010 Mastercraft marketing video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1Q_MLRO1M

Here is the Centurion version ...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoPzyK73gXY

It is specifically to allow level (even) loading for when you don't want to list the boat. The Quick surf tabs are not used when listing the boat.

That system is a bit different though. The tabs extend MUCH further on the Centurion allowing delayed convergence to be achieved. A standard trim tab cannot do that.

You're going to be underwhelmed.

Can you fit a bigger bag in the rear locker? What about a bag under (or on) the surf side seat?

You should also look into a ghetto gate to supplement the delayed convergence you're wanting. Your tabs will help, just not sure they will be enough.

So....


why not just add sacks?



....i dont understand......

^^^^^ This is kind of what I was alluding to. I agree with beaverandboats.

Your ballast setup is marginal for what I'd consider a workable surf setup. 750 in the surfside locker would be a minimum to add to what you have now. then throw the 540 that was in the surfside locker before on the surfside seat. Then get back to us and tell us what your wave is like.

Sorry for the delay in getting back to this post. Yes I agree that more weight is needed with this set up. However, I was able to take the boat out and give it a try and I was actually impressed by the results. The wave is smaller than I'd like, but the tabs help to shape and lengthen the wave. I was able to surf much further back than normal.

"Why not just add more weight?": My main motivation for this experiment is that I'm regular, but my wife is goofy, draining and filling bags with the mayfair 750's is not a fast thing, my hope was to be able to weight the boat evenly and use the tabs to adjust, as well as cleaning up the goofy (starboard) side for my wife. Unfortunately we were too busy having fun to take a ton of pictures, but here's one of my friend who is a novice. For reference, he is 6'3"

I know that the wake doesn't look great, but then again, the boat is weighted evenly, with just the tabs to create the delayed convergence.

I'd say it looks ok considering its evenly weighted and they're really just generic trim tabs. Did you ever consider installing the tabs in a upright, vertical position like on a Malibu? They'd probably look goofy, but they might have more of an effect that way. I'll also echo what others have said about needing more weight. A 205 is never gonna have a great surf wave, but if you ballast the crap out of it, it can be ok.