Bennett AutoTrim Pro for Hydraulic Trim Tabs

The Bennett AutoTrim Pro for Hydraulic Trim Tabs (model AP000A1HA, 12V) is the upgraded keypad helm control for Bennett hydraulic trim tab systems that adds automatic trim leveling on top of the standard manual control. AutoTrim Pro auto-levels the pitch and roll of the boat by sensing vessel attitude and adjusting trim tabs to keep the boat at the desired running angle, automatically compensating for changes in vessel speed, sea conditions, and weight distribution. Manual control with automatic override remains fully available. Tab position indication via LEDs lets you see exactly where the tabs are at any moment. The all-in-one keypad combines what older Bennett control architectures spread across two or three pieces of hardware.

What automatic trim tab control actually does for the boat. The boat's running attitude (the pitch angle of the bow up or down, and the roll angle of one side higher than the other) changes constantly as you accelerate, slow down, encounter chop, and shift passenger or cargo weight around the cockpit. Without automatic trim, you constantly fiddle with the tab controls to keep the bow attitude clean and the boat level. AutoTrim Pro senses these attitude changes and adjusts the tabs continuously to maintain the running attitude you set, just like cruise control maintains a set vehicle speed regardless of grade or wind. The result: the boat runs at the right attitude all the time without the operator constantly trimming.

Stored running attitudes. AutoTrim Pro stores two favorite running attitudes in memory: one for cruising at moderate speed (the typical comfortable trim setting), one for higher-speed open-water running (the trim setting that minimizes drag at speed). Press the relevant memory button and AutoTrim Pro automatically adjusts the tabs to the stored setting. Useful for boaters who run two or three distinct speed regimes regularly: a slow inshore cruise to the fishing grounds, then high-speed open-water transit to a different spot, then back to slow speed for fishing. Each speed regime gets its own optimal trim setting, recalled with one button press.

Manual control with automatic override is the safety feature that distinguishes serious autotrim systems from simpler ones. Push any of the manual trim tab buttons (bow up, bow down, port down, starboard down) and AutoTrim Pro immediately yields control to your manual input. After you release the button, AutoTrim Pro can be set to either resume automatic control from the new tab position or to remain in manual mode until you re-engage automatic. Configurable based on whether you want auto-resume or full-manual takeover after manual input.

OEM customizable response time. Different boats need different trim tab response speeds. A small fast bass boat needs aggressive quick trim corrections to keep up with rapidly-changing attitude. A larger heavier cruiser needs slower, smoother trim adjustments to avoid hunting around the setpoint. AutoTrim Pro lets you configure the response time to match your boat's hull type, engine power, actuator type, and tab size. Set once during install or initial setup and the system thereafter responds appropriately to your specific boat.

Trim tab position indication via LEDs. A column of LEDs shows the current position of each tab from fully retracted at the top to fully deployed at the bottom. Glance at the keypad and you know exactly where each tab is without needing to deploy or retract to confirm. LED intensity is adjustable so the indication is bright enough to read in daylight but doesn't blind the helm at night.

One-touch manual Full Up and Full Down buttons. Push the dedicated Full Down button to deploy both tabs fully (useful for hole-shot acceleration or to drop the bow quickly when the boat porpoises). Push the dedicated Full Up button to retract both tabs fully (useful for running in a following sea where you want the bow to ride high, or for coming into the beach where you want maximum prop clearance). One-touch shortcuts for the two most-used trim positions.

Automatic tab retraction at ignition off is the small feature that prevents the most common trim tab embarrassment. Most boats arrive at the dock with the tabs still partially deployed from the run home, and many owners don't think to retract the tabs before tying up. Tabs left deployed at the dock are the leading cause of trim tab damage from impact with the dock, the trailer, and other boats. AutoTrim Pro retracts both tabs to the fully-up position when you turn the ignition off, every time, without you having to think about it.

Compatibility. Designed for Bennett hydraulic trim tab systems specifically (the AP000A1HA part number is the Bennett Hydraulic variant). For Bennett electric trim tab (BOLT) systems, Bennett makes a separate AutoTrim Pro Electric variant with different connectors. AutoTrim Pro is also compatible with most non-Bennett hydraulic trim tab systems, though install adaptation may be required for non-standard systems. Confirm compatibility with your specific trim tab system before ordering if your boat doesn't have a Bennett system.

What's in the box. The ATP Display (the helm-mount keypad with the buttons and LEDs), a 25-foot helm keypad wire extension (so the keypad can be mounted at the helm with the control box mounted lower in the boat), the ATP Hydraulic Control Box (the brain of the system that interfaces between the keypad, the position sensors, and the hydraulic pump), the pump extension cable, the port and starboard sensor extension cables, and the auto-leveling pitch and roll sensor for measuring boat attitude. Plus mounting hardware and the install instructions.

Installation. Replace the existing Bennett rocker switch helm control with the AutoTrim Pro keypad. Mount the ATP Hydraulic Control Box in a sheltered location below deck. Run the position sensor cables to the existing trim tab actuator position sensors (or install new sensors if your existing tabs don't have them). Mount the auto-leveling pitch and roll sensor on the boat's centerline at a stable location. Wire 12V power to the control box. Total install time is typically a half-day for someone with reasonable mechanical and electrical skill, longer if your existing tab system needs the position sensors added.

What this isn't. It is not for Bennett electric BOLT trim tab systems (different variant required). It is not a complete trim tab system (you need the trim tab actuators, hydraulic pump, and tabs separately if you're doing a fresh install). It is not the basic Bennett rocker switch (that's the cost-effective Bennett control option for buyers who don't need the auto-trim and position indication features). For Bennett hydraulic trim tab owners who want the best Bennett helm control with automatic leveling, AutoTrim Pro is the right upgrade.