I have a 2000 16’ Hells Bay whipray. The trim tabs flare down about 1.5-2 inches below the hull which seems silly for a boat designed to have a shallow draft. I find that in skinny water sometimes even if the boat floats the tabs drag through the mud/grass which makes it more difficult to pole and very difficult to spin quickly. I was looking at pics of whips from different years and I see some that flare up, some that are flat, and a few that have one or two flares down on each tab. I was told that they did that to help reduce slide on turns. I am willing to slow down on a turn to reduce slide if it gets me more draft. Does anyone have any knowledge or experience on this? Thanks in advance!
Welcome aboard. A picture would help a lot, by flare are you talking about the sides being bent up or down at 90 degrees? Do you tab up when you are setting up to pole?
Thanks! I will edit original post in a second to add pics. Yes, the sides flaring/bent up 90 degrees. I do tab up when I pole, but the flare is still below the bottom.
Wow, that’s a lot. I don’t know how these are mounted, does it look like you could flip them over and give them a try?
That is what I thought. I’ve never seen tabs like that. The edges are always up.
@BONEFISHORBUST - are those original or were they added later? Do you have any name on the actuator?
@Smackdaddy53 may have come across these.
And if they original and intended to be that way, maybe @Chris_Morejohn knows the background.
Yes, I think so. But it looks like they used 5200 to adhere it to the back of the boat in addition to the screws. I am reluctant to try to remove them due to the 5200 as I have no experience doing that, but I know it can be done. I also thought about popping the hinge pin, disconnecting the actuator at the tab, flipping, and reinserting the pin (or having a new one made). Or, having a metal guy cut off the flares and finish off the edges so they aren’t sharp.
Years ago I spoke with a guide friend in Islamorada who said they were experimenting with different ways to get bite and prevent sliding on turns which was confirmed (theoretically) in conversations with two of the skiff restoration places that HB works with in Titusville and New Smyrna. I looked at a number of older whiprays ('98-'04) (for sale images on line) and saw that most had upward flares, one had one downward flare on the outside of each tab, and one was like this. I think the newer models and the later whip classics flare up, but not sure. I also don’t know if they added strakes to the bottom of the hull on the later model whips.
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Oh, and yes, I believe these are original. I was second owner (I think, maybe third) and I bought it in '09. They are Lenco tabs. I stopped by Lenco about 10 years ago with the boat and they were so surprised to see that they brought some of their staff out to look at them. They were kind enough to re-weld a failing weld on the tab.
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Maybe @Chris_Morejohn can shed some light on this?
I live on a small island in BC Canada so 3 hour time difference.
They are original. Flip had the idea to add fins on the tabs to help in high speed turns. We bolted on some fins and they seemed to help. The sliding issue was because so many guys just ran wide open in tight turns not realizing if you backed off on the throttle just as you were to make the turn the hull would dig enough and in that split second you gave it full throttle again you could practically turn on a dime. Forme it was always nerve wracking doing test runs with a possible client that would take off with the throttle right down and then use both hands to steer the skiff. Hang on !
I had to reach across Jack Nicolas’s arms when we did the test ride as he drove that way. I always said think of the Whipray as a stick shift race car.
So….we got lenko to make us those tabs and quickly discontinued them because of what you experienced. The tabs will come off but most likely you will need to buy a new tab unless the pins will come out and the new tab will fit the transom plate. They can be cut off with a metal grinder disc. Do it on someone es
Es driveway because of the rust….
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Thanks, Chris, and super great to hear from you on this! What do you think of having a metal guy cut the flares off and making them flat? I see a lot with the upward flares but haven’t seen many flat tabs.
Welcome aboard @BONEFISHORBUST Glad to have you.
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Voice of experience? 
The right metal guy can make them any angle you want…
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Good point! Is there a benefit to having the upward flare?
Just cut em off. Any metal shop can do in no time.
When you see tabs that have a slight bend it’s for stiffness, same as bunt upwards.
I feel there is not that much strain on tabs with these light boats so no worries about just a flat tan.
I use a trim plate on my outboards cavitation plate bolted on. I use plexiglass,or fiberglass, 1/4” ply, plastic with no breaking issues, just need to have the outboard really tightened onto the transom…. Learned this through experience.. plop in the water
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Thanks! Great forum!
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Welcome to the New site i see you had the same topic on MS under “Matthew Sexton”, kinda scratching my head about the 1 post as you joined in Nov 17 2024 you’ve been awful quiet 
got any pictures of the boat we love skiff porn 
again Welcome! Your on the correct site now 
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Yeah, didn’t really engage there. Wasn’t sure where to go for this info. Posted there then coconutgrove suggested this site so I joined and posted
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I’m very curious about this, too. I have a ‘98 whipray and my original Lenco’s are flared down.
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