Unsolicited Testimonials  (2002 - 2021)


"I received my lifters a few days ago and cannot believe the difference in performance of my 8 ft Zodiac.  They do everything you say, easy installation, and best of all I can now cruise in the boat and not get wet."

Jerry Chierchio  -  6/19/02
Matawan, NJ

"Just got back from 2 weeks in the San Juans, thanks to your Lifters it was great, we were planing instantly, before installing them my wife wasn't too impressed with the boat. I had to take them off and on to show everyone the difference, it's incredible. Being able to quickly "tune" the ride according to load was wonderful too.  I don't think I'd keep my 11.6 RIS inflatable if it wasn't for your Lifters. Thanks for a great performing product."

Rob Cochran  -  9/09/02
Kent, WA

"The Lifters seem to work quite well; my 10.5' Avon inflatable (S340) planes easily with two people on board with a 1972 Merc 9.8hp engine, seemingly with plenty of headroom on power.  That's exactly what I had in mind.".....   "I was very positively impressed with the quality of craftsmanship of all the pieceparts associated with these lifters; they seem well thought out and well executed."

Richard Ranlet  -  9/12/02
North Kingstown, RI

"I purchased the lifters November 2002.  Used them this July on my 285 Zodiac Cadet Fast Roller.  They definitely improve the performance and friendliness of the inflatable.  I am running an 8 HP Honda on this inflatable.  Without the lifters and 2 persons on board there was a lot of redistribution of weight required toward the front of the boat to be able to plane.  With the lifters installed, the boat achieves a plane almost immediately.  There is no sinking of the back end of the boat.  Intermediate speeds are easy to maintain even when the boat is not on a full plane. The lifters even when submerged act to provide a smooth level condition."......  "They are easy to snap in and remove when inflating and deflating.  I would definitely recommend them for improving the performance of an inflatable."

Peter Neihsl  -  7/18/03
Township, MI

"Just wanted to pass along a thumbs up on your planing system for inflatable boats.  This product works as advertised.  I was using a 15 horse outboard, with a hydro foil, on a ten foot inflatable.  This combo still gave me incredible bow rise on take off.  When I saw your product, I was skeptical but thought I would give it a try.  Once installed, which is very easy, I removed the hydro foil unit from the outboard and ran only with your product. This made a huge difference not only in performance, but I now have very little bow rise on take off.  At half throttle, I get about the same speed as full throttle before installing this planing system.  I come up on plane sooner and achieve a much smoother ride once at speed.  Great job on this product!"

Karl Miller  -  7/21/03
Sacramento, CA

"I had to let you know how impressed I am with your product…I installed them yesterday and am truly amazed at how effective they are  - they virtually eliminated the stern drag I’ve been battling with my Zodiac – there’s no delay getting the boat to plane and almost no bow rise at all – I hoped they’d be good but they’ve exceeded my expectations – they really are great!  And, they were very easy to install to boot – it took me about 40 minutes by myself – start to finish!”

James A. Rokeby  –  8/29/04
Kitchener, Ontario
Canada

"At long last I got to use the LIFTERS.  They are everything you advertise and more.  My Maxxon cs330 10' 10" hp inflatable now handles like a dream.  With the Honda 9.9 it gets up on the plane quickly and stability in rough water is outstanding.  Thanks for making an OK boat into a great boat.  Everyone who has seen it go - comes back for another look."

Tom Maxon  -  9/01/04
Loleta, CA

"I've just fitted a pair of your lifters to my 11' Avon Supersport inflatable with 4hp Yamaha.  I wasn't really expecting anything radical but I was surprised.  With enough kit for two nights camping at the front and just me at the back, the max speed without lifters was 6 mph and with lifters 9.5.  Without the camping kit and just me in the boat the max speed without lifters was 5.5 mph (The boat wasn't balanced) but the max speed was a fraction over 11 mph with Lifters.  The speeds were taken using my Garmin GPS.  The ride was also more comfortable as the bow didn't rise as much."

John Moffat  -  1/29/05
Glasgow, Scotland

"I rarely feel compelled to take the time to write to a vendor to let them know that their product has exceeded my expectations simply because it so seldom happens. Your Lifters are wonderful, they work, are well made and your service is great.  I installed the Lifters on an Achilles 11.5 foot, high pressure air floor inflatable with a 15hp Yamaha 2 stroke engine.  I just finished a 3 week sailing vacation on the great lakes where I towed the Achilles inflatable for approximately 600 miles behind my 30 foot sailboat in all kinds of weather.  I towed the inflatable with the Lifters on at all times and could not believe the difference in how much better it towed.  Unlike a lot of people who have the room on the mother ship to store the gas tank,  I have to leave the gas tank in the inflatable and I use the tie downs that Achilles provides near the transom of the inflatable to secure the gas tank. This combination and location of the tank is probably the worst for towing efficiently.  Prior to the Lifters my inflatable towed bow up / stern down and I lost a full knot of speed in most conditions. The Lifters have changed everything for the better, the inflatable now tows in an efficient and controlled 'flat' position and I see an improvement of a full 1/2 to 3/4 knot of hull speed while towing. For sailors that is considerable and for power boats less drag means less fuel!"
 
Ian Bashaw  -  8/12/05
Milford, NJ

 "When I first purchased and installed the lifters, I immediately recognized their performance benefits.  But it wasn't until I was without them for a week, that I realized how valuable they are!  I would encourage any current users to take them off for a day (if they could make it that long) to fully appreciate their benefits.
    I live on my 45' Ketch on a mooring in San Diego Bay.  My inflatable is a 2000 Achilles 10' 2" sport with an inflatable keel and a 2005 9.8 Electric start Tohatsu.  I pay for a side tie for it in a marina approximately 2 miles away from my boat where I keep my vehicle, shower, etc.  I use the Achilles daily, in all weather and sea conditions.
    Prior to installing the Lifters, I had the group 24 battery and 3.5 gal fuel tank awkwardly mounted as close to the bow as possible and still had to lunge my 220 lbs forward, and with the tips of my fingers, try to maintain control of the throttle and tiller, while plowing through the water at a 40 degree angle waiting for the 10 seconds or so to get on plane (Electric 4 strokes are heavy!).  Now, I have the battery and fuel tank neatly mounted behind the seat where I can remain seated while I get on plane with minimal bow rise.

Other noticeable advantages for me are:

                        I can plane with 4- 6 gal water jugs (only 2 prior.....100lb increase)
                        I can stay on plane with only 1/4 throttle (3/4 before...fuel savings!!!!)
                        At 5mph, I make much less wake with little bow rise
                        Less noise and turbulence in the water behind the boat at slow speeds
                        No longer get "pooped" when throttling down quickly (stern doesn't sink)
                        No porposing at planning speeds
                        and last but not least, (maybe least) people think they look cool!!

To sum it up, I think your Lifters are great."

Hugh Reilly  -  4/20/06
San Diego, CA

"I ordered a set of lifters (for my 10.5' Zodiac RIB w/a 9.8 Tohatsu 4 stroke) on Sunday 4/22/07.  They got here on Wednesday (thank you very much!).  I installed them today (took about 1/2 an hour -- very simple! thanks again!).  HOLY **** !!!!!!  THESE THINGS ARE GREAT!!!  Everything people said in their testimonials is actually true!!"

Mike Schunk  -  4/28/07
Commencement Bay
Tacoma, WA

"I own an 8.5 foot RIB with a 6 HP Mercury 2 stroke outboard. I carry the dingy on a davit system on the swim platform of my Sundancer and total weight is a concern. I don't want too heavy of a load because it is hard to launch and retrieve, but I do want performance out of the dingy. I now have the light weight in a dingy I wanted AND the performance.
 
It took me about 30 minutes to install the lifters. It took longer for me to find and charge the batteries for my cordless drill for the installation than to do the actual installation. The template was self explanatory and the instructions were simple to follow.
 
I launched my boat and saw an immediate improvement. I was up on plane much quicker than before and I could ease back down on the throttle and stay up on plane. I was never really able to get up on plane with more than one passenger before, now it is no problem for two passengers.
 
I planned to sell this inflatable and purchase another larger boat with a bigger motor to achieve the performance I am now getting. I spent $139 on the lifters and saved $3,000 to $4000 I was planning to spend for another dingy. Thank you very much, my compliments to the inventor."

Douglas Thompson  -  7/17/07
Bettendorf, IA

"Received my Lifters last Friday and immediately put them on my 10 1/2 Ft. RIB inflatable.   I have  a Honda 4 stroke 15 outboard and was seriously considering upgrading to a larger engine as I  use my RIB boat to tow my children on a wakeboard and also use the boat with my Wife and 2 children to fish.  Previously my boat would not get on plane with my whole family onboard unless I was extremely lucky.    Now It gets on plane with no problem.    I yesterday had all my ski equipment a cooler and total of 5 people on the boat and was easily able to get on plane.    I went trolling myself in the Ocean over the last weekend and trolled for I would think 3 hours.  The boat now will plane out at quite a bit slower speed so the engine is hardly working.   I refueled on the way home and I burned less than 1 gallon.

Thanks for your wonderful product"

Gary A. Marcinkoski  -  7/24/07
Lake Worth, Florida

"My sons 12 Zodiac had problems with transom torque with 25hp motor (yes, rated for 25) & lots of splash.  Tabs corrected all of this & because it eliminated the transom torque we were able to trim up & now went from 30 to just over 40 mph- what a rocket!  Boat handles much better now at all speed ranges & planes instantly & level.  Best thing we have done to the Zodiac yet!

Thanks,
Paul VanderZwet

PS; My 14yr old son installed the tabs on his own."

Paul VanderZwet  -  8/02/07
Enniskillen, Ontario
Canada

"I love your product  -  it does everything you say it does (I have an 11 foot Novurania RIB, with a 40 hp Honda on it).  Prior to installation of your product, I used to ride nose-high most of the time.  Now she planes at 5 knots."

Ken DiFonzo  -  8/10/07
Newport Beach, CA

"These have done an amazing job for my 11 foot Saturn inflatable.  I have an 8 hp long shaft engine and without the lifters the boat would be too unstable and dangerous due to the long shaft causing the bow to rise too much getting to a plane.  The lifters counter the problem of the long shaft and the boat rides great. 
 
1/2 throttle is the sweet spot by myself (with only an 8hp) and I can keep the boat planing efficiently at low speeds.  I can get planing with three light-normal weight adults on board. 
 
Sometimes I wonder why these aren't provided as standard accessories for all inflatables."

Jospeh Albert  -  9/01/07
Toronto, Ontario
Canada



"I have installed the lifters I purchased from you recently on my Bombard (Zodiac) AX500 semi rigid 10ft inflatable. They work great and were easy to install. On this dinghy the transom bottom is actually one inch above the fiber glass rigid planing surface to accommodate the hinging of the transom to fold. So I used the template to line up level with the planing surface. I am using a new 9.9hp 2 stoke Johnson which is the maximum hp for the dinghy and a very high torque lightweight motor compared to four strokes. Before installing the lifters the boat did not perform well due to the boat not getting onto the plane easily. It was also impossible to plane at medium and slow speeds and when decelerating from high speed quickly it was impossibly to prevent being pooped. After installing the lifters all the problems were solved.The adjustments of the lifters is great and allowed for an optimum position to be found. Too much lift slows the high speed down and is not efficient since the wake is not clean and the bow is pushing too much water sideways. I was concerned that the turning ability of the boat may be adversely affected but fortunately that is not the case and the boat turns very tightly at full throttle quite safely. All in all there has been a dramatic improvement in the performance. Also when the boat is carrying extra passengers and weight the performance is greatly improved. I would certainly recommend this product after my experience."

Gordon Andrew  -  6/24/08
New Hamburg, Ontario
Canada


"I installed your "Lifters" planing system on my Zodiac 310 RIB Yachtline series with a 15 HP Merc 4 stroke. Simple easy to follow instructions with all the mounting hardware included. It took me 1/2 hour to install from on the trailer to back in the water. WOW... what a difference. The boat planes at 1/4 throttle with little or no bow rise. The boat is a lot more stable on plane and for the first time my Zodiac feels safe. My wife even likes the boat now. Thank you again for bringing a great product at a fair price to the market place."

Mark R. Raiche  -  6/29/08
Minneapolis, MN


"I would like to say how impressed I am with your Lifters SB1.  Previously, I installed a set of stainless steel trim tabs on a used inflatable, but subsequently sold that boat.  I wasn't very impressed with the performance.  Recently, I purchased a new Zodiac 310 Yachtline mated with a Mercury 15 hp 4-stroke outboard.  First, I used the boat without Lifters.  The performance was less than expected, but after installing your Lifters, I could hardly believe the difference!  The 310 performs flawlessly, plus it's very fast and extremely stable.  I couldn't be happier.  Thank-you for an excellent product."

JP DesCamp  -  10/05/08
Kalamazoo, MI


"I am very impressed with the stability and raw performance of your product. My top end speed went from 23mph to 31mph which is just awesome for an 11footer! Thanks again, Kevin."

Kevin D. Shaw  -  7/17/09
Toronto, ON
Canada


"I just purchased a set of the Lifters trim tabs from Maxi Marine.  I have a 12' RIB with a 40 hp motor and this system really surpassed my expectations.  I had to adjust the system to it's lowest setting due to the bow plunging, but once that was done, WOW!  Customer service was great and walked me through the process.
 
I usually launch my boat out of Marina Del Rey, CA and today the conditions were very challenging, approximately 2-3 ft. chop.  These Lifters gave my boat such a cushioned ride and increased the speed that I could run in the chop. 
 
My top end stayed about the same, but the ride, comfort and performance improvement was more than I hoped.
I don't normally write testimonials but all I can say is if you have a RIB, especially if your boat in saltwater like me, amazing.
 
I replaced the Nauticus Smart Tabs with these Lifters and I am glad that I did.
 
Thanks Maxi Marine, your product and customer service is awesome."

Derek Brown  -  08/22/09
Los Angeles, CA


"You guys are great! Thanks for great customer Service and making a great product at a fair price.  With the difference the lifters make you could charge double and still have them move out the door.  Getting on plane takes 1-2 seconds as opposed to the 8-10 seconds it used to take.  I have an 11.5' Zodiac with a 20hp 2 stroke.  Before the lifters, the bow would angle up to around 45 degrees before getting on plane.  The lifters have almost eliminated the bow rise on take off!  I use my boat for scuba diving in the Great Lakes and often have to battle waves and wake from other boats.  I have noticed a great improvement in the stability of the boat when planing across chop at full throttle due to the bow not bouncing up with each wave.  Thanks again."

Matthew Hunt  -  08/29/09
Battle Creek, MI


"Further to my inquiries below, I thought I would let you know the outcome. I have fitted the lifters to the 15hp position and tried the inflatable with my 4hp and I have to say the results were amazing. With tree adults on board we had a severe digging in of tubes at the rear no matter what angle the outboard was set to but. The difference with the lifters was quite dramatic in that the rear tubes were raised by approx 3inches producing a flatter and drier ride, and this was at a speed of around 6knots with no more than one third throttle position. I am looking forward to buying the 15hp I have promised myself and the performance I believe I will get from the lifters. Superb product, extremely effective, easy to install, easy to fit when required, takes little space when folded away, what more can I say, other than I wished I had these available years ago on other inflatables that I have owned.

A very pleased Englishman"

Phil Roberts  -  10/12/09
Sheffield, South Yorkshire
United Kingdom

"Gentlemen

After selling my 32' boat because yearly cost were getting to much.  I got a 12' inflatable, trailer and 15hp motor,  from day one I was not happy because the boat would not plane down.  When I put a 5hp motor on the boat so my Daughter could use it alone, it moved almost the same.  Even the 10hp was the same hardly no difference in speed with all three motors.  My wife lets me know every day how I wasted money on something I will never use.  She was probably correct with the way it was running.  The dealer who wanted to sell me a 20hp motor, the max for boat @ $2,999.00.  Of course my Wife said NO WAY !!!!  I was weary of your product because I have been beat before and because all of the letters you put in ad had the same font.  With nothing else to do I ordered your lifters and put them on the boat.  Within feet of leaving the dock with my daughter the boat planed down and the speed was fast. Your lifters are great!!!   Thank you!  I have been stopped on the Hudson and asked how I got the boat to plane"

B. Butler Jr  -  5/20/10
Stony Point, NY


"I bought your product.. and it works great.. It helps plane my Rendova 10ft (30hp) inflatable at slower speeds.. thank you" 

Paul Stein  -  6/6/10
New York, NY

"Hi there from sunny Australia,

Have installed your Lifters SB1 on my Quicksilver Airdeck 310 with 2 stroke 5hp Mercury. Initially I installed them at the default settings, took it out on the local Lake, and unfortunately, that setting was out by some degree. The boat suffering severe bow - down attitude. However, after adjusting the Lifters and taking my boat out on the open ocean this morning, I am pleased to report a maximum speed of 24 klms/hr or close to 13 knots with a 15 knot breeze on the quarter. The other amazing fact is that I was able to hold plane at about 4 knots, and not once on a 4 mile journey back to the Harbor did I fall off plane. Quite an amazing effort for such a little motor pushing something like 200kgs or more than 500lbs of boat motor and gear, don't you think?. So, wrapping this up, your product is brilliant! and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone. Well done Maxi.


Yours Sincerely,"

Bruce Walker  -  9/24/10
Wollongong, NSW Australia


"Love these things!!!!!.... My inflatable planes instantly and just glides like never before.... Worth every penny...my 15hp Evinrude feels like a 25 easy."

Trevor Quincey  - 11/02/11
Yakima, WA


"I purchased and installed the Lifters on my 9 foot Avon RIB without a problem and in under an hour.  The Lifters made a tremendous difference in the performance of my RIB, simply amazing.  I can't tell you how happy I was when I began to speed up without the bow rising and having to shift my body forward to help get the boat on plane.  Anyone who owns a small inflatable and cruises it by themselves should seriously consider purchasing and installing a pair of lifters, without a doubt."

Peter Pomponio
  - 11/08/11
Apollo Beach, FL


"I just sent this e-mail to a boating blog I follow.

These Lifters have made all the difference in the world.  Until now I was very displeased with my purchase.  The performance was simply unacceptable.  I know you did your best by changing the prop, installing a transom wedge, and putting on two different sets of hydrofoils on the motor.  These make it an entirely different boat.  Top speed with two people is now nineteen knots in rough water and it would go faster except the motor is RPM limiting.  Before it was too scary to go that fast because of the bow pitching up in rough seas.  But most impressive is when accelerating.  In fact I have to trim the motor out.  The boat simply rises out of the water without any significant bow lift.  They snap off easily so I can use the stern tie-down eyes to secure the boat.  They appear to be well thought out and engineered.

You are welcome to give me a call to discuss the installation and performance or drop bye to see them.

Regards,"

Tom Collins  -  06/17/13
Granada Hills, CA


"
Hello Maxi Marine,

Two years ago, I ordered and received from you the Lifters SB1 for my Zodiac RIB.  First of all I want to say what a Brilliant Product these Lifters are.  I Have only a 6 HP Mercury Outboard, and the differences in Speed, and Smoothness, and low Fuel consumption are fantastic.  One would never think  that your devises could make such a positive difference.

Kind Regards"

Dieter Dormann  -  08/28/14
Staffordshire, United Kingdom


"Good morning

I finally installed the Lifters on my 10.5 foot RIB.  Simply put, they work as advertised.  I'm very please
with the product and service.  I recommend there Lifters if you want better performance across the RPM band for your boat.

Steve Buck"

Steve Buck  -  04/25/16
Compton, CA


"Just installed the lifters on my 9ft inflatable with my 3.3 Mercury, and tested it on the water.  Wow big improvement, according to my GPS went from 8.3 mph to 11.8 mph, and took most of the porpoising out in a chop.  Well made product, great customer service, ez to install , and very reasonably priced.  Drew T."


Drew L. Tarleteton  -  08/10/16
Vancouver, WA



"
Hi,

I have an AB Navigo 9VS RIB with a 15HP Yamaha 4stroke and Eurohelm console.  The boat always planed great with someone in the front but not when one or two people were seated on the Eurohelm only. I tried dumb tabs, smart tabs, and a Doel fin in various combinations without success.  I then ordered your lifters and removed everything else.  The boat now comes up on plane with both my wife and I seated comfortably on the Eurohelm seat.  It also handles great and fuel economy has improved significantly.

Thank-you for a great product!

..... Steve"



Steve VanGorden
  -  04/20
/17
Key Largo, FL



"
Maximarine,

I installed your “Lifter” trim tabs on my AB10 dinghy with a 20hp Tohatsu. Before installing the “Lifters” severe hobby horsing would set in by 15mph. I was not able to apply full throttle without things getting really squirly. With your “Lifters” there is little bow rise and it is completely rock solid at a top speed of 26 mph. 

Wow!

Regards,
"


Charley Eddy
  -  01/23
/18
Los Gatos, CA



"
To this point, I have never submitted a product review but am compelled to do so after purchasing and installing the Maxi Marine Trim Tabs.

I have a 12’ Caribe rigid inflatable with a 40HP Evinrude Etec engine.  I bought the lifters mostly because the bow would rise at least 30 degrees, with the boat becoming extremely unstable during acceleration.

The installation was very straight-forward.  I proceeded deliberately, took my time, and got it done in one morning.  I ended up using a sabre saw to cut “half-moons” out of the end of the inside of the lifters to correct for (maximum turn) prop interference.

My first test run was thrilling as it seemed like I was driving a new boat!  There was almost no bow rise upon full acceleration and the inflatable was instantly on plane.  An unexpected bonus was a huge increase in high-speed horizontal and vertical stability! Almost like the boat was riding on rails or in a groove.  I have probably lost one knot of top speed but it was an easy sacrifice for the many benefits this product provides.

At slow, no-wake speed, the lifters keep the bow down and in the water; even against a 5 knot current. This was a huge improvement in slow-speed handling and a significant help in maximizing visibility over the bow.

It has taken a bit of experimentation to get the lifters adjusted properly but I settled on using the forward-most setting on the trim tabs themselves (maximum downward angle) but used the bottom hole when connecting the supports to the hull.  For me, this provided the best trade-off between high speed cruising and no-wake meandering.  The settings likely will be different for every boat.

I can’t say enough about this great product which is responsible for a huge performance improvement with a negligible cash expenditure!

-jim"



Jim Hillmann  -  08/14/18
Portland, OR




"I just thought I'd add my voice to the others who have praised your lifters. They definitely improved the performance of my 12 foot (9.8 HP) inflatable roundabout, which now gets on plane in about 6 seconds.  A very worthwhile investment.

Bernard Fagan"



Bernard Fagan  -  04/19/21
Silver Spring, MD




home