An alternative to trim tabs is a motor mounted Doel fin or hdydrafoil. I had a Stingray fin on my 18' Klamath and it definitely got out of the hole flatter, on step quicker, and improved the handling in rough water. I tested the boat with it installed and then removed and went back on and stayed there for good.
A Dole fin will help but it's not going to make up for a lack of thrust if the engine is bogging down. If your boat won't get on step will only three people on board then something is wrong and the prop is a very likely suspect.
Did the dealer or Smokercraft mention the prop or suggest trying a different one?
What rpm does the engine run at when it is on step?
Does it run at the max rpm the motor is rated for?
If it doesn't achieve max rpm you'll lose both top end speed and power.
I tried four different props on my boat/motor. A 13" pitch, 15", 17", and finally settled on a custom 14" pitch that I cupped. It was the perfect prop for both speed and carrying a heavy load. FWIW, I had 40hp Evinrude 2 stroke on it.
And like JJ mentioned ... "The prop pitch and motor depth is critical to proper overall function."
