northwest wind
Member
Thinking of installing this system on my boat and looking for real world feedback. Does anyone have this system if so do you like it?
Zip wake trim system
- Thread starter northwest wind
- Start date
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
I had the ZipWake system on my last boat—-26 foot Seasport with twin DF200’s. I now have a 28 foot Seasport that has old-school trim tabs and I REALLY MISS the Zipwakes
They are as advertised though I’m guessing it’s important to match the ZipWake system appropriately for the boat you have
A few years ago I took a chance and did an evening run from Rivers Inlet to Port Hardy. It was blowing when I left Rivers and by the time I got to Cape Caution there were 3-4 meter swells. Not breaking, but big water with steep faces. I left the Zipwakes in full auto mode just to see how they would handle big water (and at times, unpredictable water due to the shallows)…..I probably could have read a newspaper while laying that nav line down…zero stress, boat was in full control with those Zipwakes
I researched pulling my tabs on the larger SEasport and mounting Zipwakes but it would be major surgery to get it done
They are as advertised though I’m guessing it’s important to match the ZipWake system appropriately for the boat you have
A few years ago I took a chance and did an evening run from Rivers Inlet to Port Hardy. It was blowing when I left Rivers and by the time I got to Cape Caution there were 3-4 meter swells. Not breaking, but big water with steep faces. I left the Zipwakes in full auto mode just to see how they would handle big water (and at times, unpredictable water due to the shallows)…..I probably could have read a newspaper while laying that nav line down…zero stress, boat was in full control with those Zipwakes
I researched pulling my tabs on the larger SEasport and mounting Zipwakes but it would be major surgery to get it done
northwest wind
Member
Thanks for the real use review I’ve watched all the YouTube videos on them and they seem too good to be true
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
These seems like an interesting, new product - but wow - the cost $3-4K in USD!!
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Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
When the vertical bars are lowered methinks you do not want to run over any debris in the water by accident (wood, kelp etc.,) or you may brake them off! At least trim tabs are at an angle where debris may just bounce off.
northwest wind
Member
Thanks for the feedback. My reasoning to get the zip wake system is mostly because my boat is very sensitive to any waves or wake coming at the side of my boat. This condition makes me adjust Bennett tabs constantly and drives me insane. From what I’ve heard the system should work good for that.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
There is almost no reveal on the stabilizers —- just a very small move up or down of the two “interceptors” results in fairly dramatic changes of boat attitude (pitch/yaw, bow down/bow up etc)
I never worried about debris and I boated in high wood areas. I’m guessing at full reveal, maybe 1” of each ZipWake interceptor is lowered out of the retainers? Here’s a visual of the amount of reveal
Also, the placement on the chine part of my boat’s transom wouldn’t be a location you’d associate with being prone to getting damaged by passing debris
That technology has been around for a bit but unfortunately, retro-fitting an existing boat that was already outfitted with old-school tabs might not be cost effective due to the removal of the tabs, pump and plumbing, then having to fish wires up to the dash for the Zipwakes. Lots of glass work etc
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northwest wind
Member
I’m not overly worried about log strikes they only stick down an inch. Guys have multiple transducers sticking down farther than that and it’s not the norm for them getting hit. There’s also a high pressure of water in front of the interceptor that might push debris away from it. My boat also runs almost perfect with zero trim tab deployed which is the problem with my boat. Very sensitive to side to side movement.
Gong Show
Well-Known Member
So, ailerons are primarily required for you, not flaps.
Your boat needing zero trim in flat is not a problem that is necessarily related to the sensitivity to cross waves.
Be happy you have one problem to solve and not two. These are the right tools for your job.
Kiwi Canuck
Active Member
I have a set of 300S's I'm in the process of installing on my Stabicraft 2050 Supercab, I bought them from AB Marine Services in Europe on sale and landed them in Canada for just under $3K CAD, all in shipping, taxes and duty, right now they will be about $3,600 CAD all in unless they drop the price again. (I bought in Feb on super sale)
I've spoken at length to the Stabicraft Founder Paul Adams who also owns StabiX and they install Zip Wakes on all the new StabiX's, he fully endorses them.
ab-marineservice.com
ab-marineservice.com
David.
I've spoken at length to the Stabicraft Founder Paul Adams who also owns StabiX and they install Zip Wakes on all the new StabiX's, he fully endorses them.
Zipwake Trim Tabs - AB Marine service
Why the dynamic Trim Tabs from Zipwake? At higher speeds, it is important that the boat sails as calmly as possible. Because of the speed, a decision on the route to follow or, for example, to swerve, must be taken under time pressure. After all, the goal or obstacle is fast approaching. Calm...
ab-marineservice.com
Zipwake S-series (boats up to 5.00m) - AB Marine service
ab-marineservice.com
David.
northwest wind
Member
I’m having a little trouble deciding what size to put on. My boat it’s 26’ 9’6” wide they say you can’t go to big so I was looking at S750 or S600. Maybe S450 would be good.
Sharphooks
Well-Known Member
Some boats are very dependent on tabs of some sort….others not so much. On my current boat, after I bellied up to the bar with wallet in hand the builder told me the tabs were superfluous….I wouldn’t need to use them at all. Meanwhile, after two seasons of use it’s clear to me that if those tabs ever had mechanical issues (Bennetts) , I’d be dead in the water. So how do I reconcile that tab comment the builder made and how the boat actually handles? As soon as I took ownership I added a Yamaha T25, which I’m guessing completely changed the handling characteristics of the boat. That’s my assumption anyway.
Long story short, I am on the tabs non-stop. If I didn’t use them, it would take me forever to get up on step with way too much fuel burn and once I’m on step, if I didn’t use them again I’d be stuck at .8 miles per gallon instead of the 1.4 I get using the tabs
Because of the constant usage, I would love to have an auto system like ZipWakes . In my experience, their auto function can fine tune way better than I can manually. But yes, there is a price to pay for that convenience
InterMechanico
Well-Known Member
Re an auto tab system, I installed the Bennett Bolt tab system on my boat with the Autotrim Pro controller. I have favourite presets for slight chop and rough conditions.
AutoTrim Pro (ELECTRIC & HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS) – Bennett Marine
bennetttrimtabs.com
I was told the same thing about tabs being unnecessary, and I do often keep them fully retracted. However, when I need them they are invaluable.
Kiwi Canuck
Active Member
I just watched this video as I hadn't seen it before, a side by side comparison with two identical boats, one with standard trim tabs and the other upgraded to Zipwakes.
Whole in the Water
Well-Known Member
Looks like a good performing system - too bad they are so expensive.
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