Homemade whale tail ?

[bbenkaz]

I have a 12' MirroCraft alum boat. I am thinking that I would like to get this baby on plane with my 10HP motor. I have a bunch of 1/8" alum plate and was thinking maybe I could make myself a whaletail. Anybody know the best way to do it or has anyone done it or had experience with a homemade one?

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

extend the gas line and put the tank and everything else you can forward, big dog, concrete block, sand bags, hooters girl. it'll do a lot better than what your talking about. i know i had a 14' with a 15hp.

 

[Solittle]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

TSD nails it again - My 1975 9.9 longshaft (on a short shaft transom) will get the wife & I on plane in our 13' tinny & we are not peanuts.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

kaz...no...

daddy..why not just say no..no way..

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

because, in a fun way, i told him how to solve his problem.

 

[bbenkaz]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

I like the Hooters girl idea but my wife may not approve. Do Whale tails not work as advertised? I had already thought of putting everything up front, like the gas tank and trolling motor battery but if I am by myself when I get to where I am going and go up front to fish there will be no weight in the backd

 

[OhioLowell]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

Now there's an excuse to buy more tackle! "But honey I have to have all this stuff to hold the back of the boat in the water!" lol

Once you get to where you're going just move your new GIANT tackle box to the stren. Problem solved!



Lowell

 

[iwombat]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

I'm tellin' ya. Those hooters girls can come in real handy. It's a good idea to always keep a spare in the hold.

 

[tashasdaddy]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

this is how i solve my problem, cost about $400. i bought a remote control on ebay, and a ez guide stick steering system, mounted it on the middle seat of my 14 ft Lonestar, 1956 15 hp rude. made a great boat for just me. i ended up mounting the trolling motor with a tiller extension, and i didn't have to move out of the middle seat. i could just turn around and give the motor a yank and off i'd go. trolling motor battery under front seat. it made a really fun boat. sometimes i'd say i was going fishing just to go ride in it.

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

What year and make of your 10hp ?

If its a gut-less thingy..then Id say go for the Hooters girl..( hey hun..but..but..she isnt afraid of worms..and she can tie a bowline .. well..mebbe dont tell wife that your hooter girl knows how to tie knots heheh )

 

[Yacht Dr.]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

PS. no..your whale tail will not work m8. there is not enough speed involved to create lift off a wing ( not only that..but such a high mount off the transom would be a hamper on the casting off transom )

Peace YD

 

[bbenkaz]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

Ok fine I will go get a hooter's girl

 

[thurps]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

I'm making one for my 13' whaler because I would like to plane at a lower speed. I made mine out of .160" x 15"W x 13"L marine aluminum. About 3" on the outside edges were bent down approx. 30 deg.. My brakes tapered inward toward the back one inch just because I thought it looked good. I should have it bolted on today and give it a sea trial this weekend. I'll play with the trim and give you a report.

 

[thurps]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

Yacht Dr probably right on your setup but wow, what a difference one made on mine. Runs like a rocket with the tilt pin one back from center with no proposing or squirrellyness. Moving the pin back to center it rides over waves and wakes without launching and taking my breath away upon impact but with a loss of top end. It will definitely plane at a lower speed without dropping off which makes it a lot more comfortable on the open ocean.

 

[Nova II 260]

Re: Homemade whale tail ?

I prefer to use 300+ lbs. of weight added to the stern for planing ballast.