Hydrofoils good or bad?

John_S

Rear Admiral
Joined
Jun 21, 2004
Messages
4,269
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

Some people are happy with them, but many have high-speed handling issues. Many threads on subject. Look into smart tabs as a very good replacement for the foil.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

i have 2 set in my shed, waiting to give them to someone i don't like.

they put the stress of lifting the stern in the wrong place, increasing stress on the transom of the boat.
 

sickwilly

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
1,089
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

You are in an easy place to find out -- you already have the holes in your cavitation plate. Just on bolt it and run a comparison test and find out.

I like mine a lot.

But I have to admit, these smart tabs people's constant drum beat has me considering them as a future project some day. They are like the Chinese water torture I used to put on my parents when I wanted something:

smart tabs

drip

tabs

drip

tabs

drip

tabs

repeat a thousand times :eek:
 

dvan1901

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Mar 26, 2006
Messages
503
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

I had one on my 19' bow rider and I eventually took it off and I think it handles a lot better. The initial bow rise is more, by like two seconds, but it does better in rougher water now and I think I have a better top end speed.
 

Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

This will also sound like an echo -- fins are a tool. Use the tool wrong and you'll have bad results. Using the tool correctly will result in good things. The fin all by itself probably won't do much and will probably hurt performance. The fin is a tool. It allows you to do other things to increase efficiency. It won't do it magically all by itself. Regardless of what the ad says.

We used our own design fin on outboard drag boats and had great results. We never found them to create any more stress or drag. We do know that all the boats we had them on were quicker, faster and handled better. Even if the boat had tabs in addition to the fin.

The fin we used is probably much larger than what you're used to seeing. We had a lot of square inches. The smaller ones today are OK but only if they're used properly.
 

nlain

Commander
Joined
Nov 17, 2005
Messages
2,445
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

My vote is Smart Tabs, I have them and like them, had a foil on another boat, never really liked it.
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

That's the first time I have seen Dhadley's comment which has me thinking some . . . With that said my signature used to be: Friends don't let friends use hydrofoils.

Oh and I always add (and must or John might have a heart attack) that Smart Tabs are great, but don't forget that there are also helm adjustable tabs for those of us who like to fiddle with stuff ;)
 

Jdeagro

iboats.com Partner
Joined
Jul 30, 2003
Messages
1,682
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

Hi Dale;

Glad you got in on this.

To Charley;

You will not hear me say much good about hydrofoils as a simple "slap it on and go" product and that is not because we make Smart Tabs. As Dale said they are or should be used as a tool to accomplish specific results in combination with other items, adjustments etc. Hydrofoil technology is valid and proven, but to gain the results you are looking for, you need to design it into the overall picture. If not you will get improvements in one area and deterioration in another. Why? Because the devise is fixed, rigid, non adjustable. When Dale raced the combination of the hydrofoil, the prop, the engine height etc. where all part of the whole picture.

For the everyday boater who is looking for overall improvements in planing, ride, handling, speed, and fuel economy trim tabs are a better solution. Why?
Because they are adjustable. They change the shape of the hull as required, and the hull dictates the overall performance even more than the power plant.

If you only want to help get the boat up on plain, the hydrofoil will be of some assistance, but you will compromise other areas of performance.

Dale is absolutely correct, hydrofoils are a tool that will help you achieve specific results when used in conjunction with other items.
 

tashasdaddy

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Nov 11, 2005
Messages
51,019
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

John, i just save this for futher post. hope i can quote you.
 

MikDee

Banned
Joined
Jun 6, 2007
Messages
4,745
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

Well, after taking the Doel fin off my 19' outboard ski boat that it came with, due to the general advice here against them, I noticed my boat leans quite a bit more in the turns, almost to the gunwales, and when fully trimmed out, it has a tendency to lift completely out of the water, & pounds more, running dead ahead at higher speeds in a chop, or rougher water, and although the hull design is made to get up on plane quick, it is quicker still with the fin. Yes, I think it's a bit faster at top end, but not that much that it matters, considering the benefits. I'm actually thinking of putting the fin back on, because I actually like what it does.
 

Jack Daniels

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Messages
266
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

WIth my boat when i first accelerate my nose comes up quite a bit. I was hoping that a cheaper hydrofoil would solve the problem. I get on plane fast enough so really dont need it for that, i just want to keep the nose down and stablize the boat a little. Is the cheaper hydrofoil the way to go or should i get the more expensive trim tabs. Thanks
 

Marcq

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Jul 30, 2007
Messages
241
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

How about Permatrim Hydrofoils? I have heard good reviews about them

Marc..
 

Dhadley

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Feb 4, 2001
Messages
16,978
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

Hey John! Good to "see" you again.......

Just remember that each boat & motor combo is or at least has the potiental to be different. I really like John's tabs because they constantly adjust (by pressure) automatically.

As for tools, remember not all tools are created equal. Not all tools do the same job. A hammer and a saw are needed to build a house but they do very different things and in the end they allow you to accomplish a specific thing.
 

dcg9381

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Messages
308
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

IT goes something like this:

hydrofoil < Smart Tabs < Real Trim tabs (bennett or electric)

Once you've gone up a notch, you'll never go back..
 

QC

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 22, 2005
Messages
22,783
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

What he said ^^^^

Although I now hold out the possibility that a combo might be cool. I could really see that if I could "adjust" the foil right off when I wanted . . .
 

ondarvr

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
11,527
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

To answer your exact question, yes, but anything you bolt on or take off your boat "may" hurt the performance, even very good products, just moving stuff around in the boat may help or hurt the performance. They (fins) don't work for most of what's claimed on the pakage if you just bolt it on and head for the lake, but they can help do certain things. If you do take the time to set them up correctly they still won't do most of whats claimed though, and they only help if you actually need one. Most people expect them to do the same thing as tabs, but for less money, but they really do different things.
 

sickwilly

Lieutenant Junior Grade
Joined
Jul 9, 2007
Messages
1,089
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

I just have to say, in all the hydrofoil tabs debate threads I have read -- and it's been quite a few -- John's post above was the most informative one yet!

Good stuff! :cool:
 

dcg9381

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Aug 26, 2007
Messages
308
Re: Hydrofoils good or bad?

What he said ^^^^

Although I now hold out the possibility that a combo might be cool. I could really see that if I could "adjust" the foil right off when I wanted . . .

I've run a combo of a hydrofoil and Bennett trim tabs before on a 21' Statos BR. The hydrofoil didn't do much in that case.
 
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