Prop area

[keithkz]

Is something missing here near the prop where this open hole is at? I'm on using my cell phone so please look at the 2 photos I just uploaded if I can't get them attached to this post.

 

[cwag911]

I thiink there should be a trimtab mounted there. Fixed the pic for ya.

 

[BigKahuna]

Yeah I was also thinking trim tab or a place to mount a sacrificial zinc anode............

 

[Geoffrey & Brenda]

X3 on the trim tab!

 

[mtudb24]

Yes on trim tab. Leads to my next question, why don't the new mercury outboards have them anymore?

 

[keithkz]

So should I have one on mine? What does it do?

 

[cwag911]

If you're holding the steering wheel straight, at speed, and the boat is drifting either left or right, the trimtab can compensate for that. It's like a little rudder. If you don't have a problem, don't worry about it.

 

[kaydano]

I think the reason for what Carl mentioned is prop walk. Right? So the trim tab compensates for the torque the motor has, even when going straight. Ever held a spinning gyroscope? Ha ha ha. I haven't thought about one of those in a while.

 

[RiverBill]

The Volvo Penta SX drives on poonton boats don't have them.

RiverBill

 

[mtudb24]

My optimax 150 and my cousins 200 optimax don't have them. I never noticed it until this thread was brought up. Wonder why? My last outboards all had them.

Hmmmm