Hydrofoil Stabilizer Snake Oil Or Da Bomb?

[BassnChris]

I saw the  hydrofoil stabilizer mentioned in another current post.

 

I was wondering do these really work/help or are they snake oil?

 

I have a 2001 Pro Craft 185 pro with 150HP Mercury and I would like to get on plane a little quicker.

 

Just wondering.......Bass Pro have some that are not too expensive but would hate to waste $40-$50 on snake oil when I could use it on alot of other fishig stuff.

[BKeith]

When the motor height is right, Hydrofoils with help a lot getting a boat out of the hole.  The ones I like are the SE Sport.  Those whale tail things will sometimes bite the water in a turns.  If the motor is too low, they can create extra drag when up and on plane.  Properly installed, and set, they work great.

[Teal]

I have one on my javelin with johnson200. The SE 300 boat gets out of the hole...Keith is absolutely correct .. All u can do is try and see

[Wayne P.]

I used the Attwood on one of my boats that had the OMC GT. I got it for quick planning in shallow water.

[South FLA]

Most likely it will help with hole shot (getting on plane quicker) and porpoising at close to planing speeds if you have that issue.   At all depends on your boat setup (engine setback, inches below or above pad, trim/tilt settings etc). If you really want to come out of the hole quickly, have you considered a slightly lower pitch prop or 4 blade prop, it will help more than a hydrofoil?

[wnybassman]

Years ago I had an old Stratos Fish-n-Ski with a hydrofoil that had a porpoising problem, but without the hydrofoil it was a porpoising nightmare.  It helped that situation tremendously and gave a little better hole shot as well.  It also cut top speed down several miles per hour.   I would agree with South FLA though, a 4 blade prop (if you don't already have one) should take care of the problem.  They get a lot more bite in the water whether just taking off, or in really rough water.  You also lose a few miles per hour off the top speed though, but a good trade-off IMO.

[BKeith]

If it help with porposing and cut speed, the motor was set too low.  About the only time they will have any affect of porposing is then coming off plane.  They can help stop that bad bounce some boats get just as the boat start droping down in the water, coming off full plane.  When up on plane at cruising speed it should be above the water line.  I run an SE 300 on my high performance motors to prevent prop blowout coming out the hole on a boat that runs 80 mph and it does not slow top end down any.   I've got friends that run them on 90 mph boats, and they wouldn't have it if it slowed them down. 

 

The are nothing more than a jack/lifting device.  When the motor is trimed all the way in, as the boat starts gaining speed moving forward, water pressure starts lifting on the hydrofoil, the more speed, the more lift.  However once the boat lays over, with the motor trimed out, if the engine height is set right, the hydrofoil is lifted above the water line and the water is just hitting the bottom of it.  It does not have full contact with the water to provide anykind of lift or drag.

 

You will see a lot of drag racers running them because it helps the boat come out flatter and get it layed over quicker, they dang sure wouldn't use one if it slowed them down.  Now, theres are not going to be those big, wide things you see on most boats.  Their's are almost flat and ony 6"-8" wide normally.

[BassnChris]

Already have the 4 blad prop.................think I will give it a shot...........not worried about the drag...if it even does cause the drag because I never run at full speed.

 

Thanks for all the input folks.......looks like some good ponits.

[Brian Needham]

its a crap shoot at best.

 

IMO, get your set up right, correct prop, or your prop worked in general......that's where most issues come from.

[NBR]

I have an aluminum plate version called the "Edge". I believe it helps my hole shot a lot. No data to prove that.

[zip pow]

Be careful coming off plane one side may catch water before the other does when I got my boat and test drove it. It made a hard left and I about messed my pants up

[BKeith]

Some things to consider anytime you want to improve a boats performance and hole shot.

 

Getting the motor proped so it will turn max rated RPM with normal load improves speed and if RPM is several hundred below max, the right prop will improve hole shot.  A small motor will be helped by going one size smaller so the rpm will exeed max and just watch the tach so you don't over rev it with a lite load

NEVER go to a larger prop than you can turn a max RPM.  People think going to a bigger prop will give them more speed, usually it's just the opposite, all it does is places a heavier load on the motor which is harmful to the motor.  It also kills holeshot

A good stainless prop always outperforms an aluminum prop with more speed and better hole shot.

Proper engine height and setback improves speed, and handling

 

If hole shot is the main issue, a four blade stainless prop helps but does cost you a few mph and cost several hundred dollars

A hydrofoil on a properly adjusted engine cost less that $100 and give a better whole shot than the four blade prop.

Put a proper size four blade stainless and a hydrofoil on and it will greatly improve hole shot.

[J Francho]

I got a Bob's Hydrofoil on my Sporty.  Hops on plane at about 16-17 mph and in like two seconds.  Not bad for a 21' boat.

 

[South FLA]

I got a Bob's Hydrofoil on my Sporty.  Hops on plane at about 16-17 mph and in like two seconds.  Not bad for a 21' boat.

 

That is the same one I have on my Bullet with Merc. Works great for it, but it is tailored to higher performance lower units I believe,

[james 14]

I have a Doel-Fin I can send you if you want. I'll ship it to you for $20. I used it once and pulled it off my motor when I realized I wouldn't be able to get my setup correct to make it useful. It's not doing me any good just sitting in my garage.

[Bigwrench]

I installed one on my old Ranger and loved it ! Ain't put one on this one cause it gets out the hole Fast ,fast,fast !