Slower speeds allow better reaction time. That depends on how rough and your heading relative to the waves. ... Never trim the boat fully down in a following sea! Use the trim tabs carefully. Slow down. My main Question is on the Trim. Too much down tab can force the bow into oncoming waves, while no tabs allow the hull to plane as designed. As the trim tabs are lowered, you will notice that the hull of your boat will start to ride flatter with the increased wetted surface area. What is the best setting for your trim? With all the wind lately I relized that I am not that good at driving in rough water so I thought I would get your advise on this. Going down wind at speed you want the trim high to make sure the bow can't get 'stuffed' under the wave in front - into the wind at speed you may have to trim in to stop the boat 'flying' and to let the sharp fore-foot of the hull take the initial impact on waves. You are right about adjusting for speed and smooth water. When you use the two of them together, each controlling their part of the trimming process, you … This can be dangerous, ... and instantly you get sprayed by the cold lake water. Boating Advice: Trimming your boat (Part 1) Trim your boat for improved ... and that the boat is sitting evenly in the water. I only use my trim tabs to level the ride or if unusually heavy in the back when launching out of the hole, otherwise they are up. There is no concrete rule about how trim a boat or adjust your trim tabs in any given situation. All the way down or 25% up or 50% up or … Use trim tabs to trim the hull of the boat — both up and down and from side to side. Keep an eye on the radar or satellite weather. Adjust the throttle to ascend/descend waves to avoid taking on water. Hope this helps and I am sure others will chime in also. For rough water I trim up until it starts to bounce up/down then I trim down until it stops. With trim tabs you can now angle the boat AWAY from the wind and tilt that side up higher than the downwind side! How to Properly use Trim Tabs Wednesday March 18th, 2015. Remember to use the power trim to adjust the prop path parallel to the water flow. Trim tabs are lowered in order to bring your bow down when operating at a slower speed in rough waters.