Doel Fins

A

Alistair

Cadet

Joined

Nov 8, 2003

Messages

6

• Nov 12, 2003

• #1

Has anyone got experience of using doel fins on outboards. What if any improvement is to be found in the boats performance?<br /><br />I use my boat on a river where the speed limit is 5mph. Would a doel fin be any good?

 

W

walleyehed

Admiral

Joined

Jun 29, 2003

Messages

6,767

• Nov 12, 2003

• #2

Re: Doel Fins

Search "HYDROFOILS", or "FINS".<br />should be a load of info there....

 

C

crazy charlie

Vice Admiral

Joined

May 22, 2003

Messages

5,383

• Nov 12, 2003

• #3

Re: Doel Fins

Unless you are planning on breaking the speed limit there is no doubt,you should leave the $ 25.99 right where it is in your wallet.The benefit at 5mph up to planing speed is ZERO.Charlie

 

W

walleyehed

Admiral

Joined

Jun 29, 2003

Messages

6,767

• Nov 12, 2003

• #4

Re: Doel Fins

Alistair, I missed the 5MPH part of your post..........C.Charlie has the correct response........

 

C

catfish1

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Jul 23, 2003

Messages

683

• Nov 12, 2003

• #5

Re: Doel Fins

edit: brain freeze! i did the same thing walleyehed did i guess, sorry.

 

H

Hooty

Rear Admiral

Joined

Oct 2, 2001

Messages

4,496

• Nov 12, 2003

• #6

Re: Doel Fins

5 MILES PER HOUR! <br /><br />I'd change rivers. <br /><br />c/6<br />Hooty

 

C

catfish1

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Jul 23, 2003

Messages

683

• Nov 12, 2003

• #7

Re: Doel Fins

i just re-read the original post. 5mph? i'm with hooty, i'd find a different river.<br />crazy charlie is right, the foil wont benefit you at all! smart tabs however would allow you to cruise at low speed and stay straight with little to no steering corrections. is that worth $150-$200? i dont know.

 

W

walleyehed

Admiral

Joined

Jun 29, 2003

Messages

6,767

• Nov 12, 2003

• #8

Re: Doel Fins

Catfish , Buddy, nautijohn owes you lots-o-money

 

S

steelespike

Supreme Mariner

Joined

Apr 26, 2002

Messages

19,069

• Nov 12, 2003

• #9

Re: Doel Fins

What are you trying to accomplish or what problem<br />are you trying to solve with the fin?<br /> I agree with all fin is a waste of time at that speed.Maybe there is something else to help<br /> if you have a proplem.

 

C

catfish1

Senior Chief Petty Officer

Joined

Jul 23, 2003

Messages

683

• Nov 12, 2003

• #10

Re: Doel Fins

kenney, i'm just a happy user! you ought to get a set and try em, you cant appreciate the difference they make until you've tried them. all i can say is, i'll never go back to a foil! <br />the price was'nt bad either

 

D

deofc

Seaman

Joined

Nov 8, 2003

Messages

61

• Nov 16, 2003

• #11

Re: Doel Fins

Using the fins or trim tabs my depend on the size of your boat and motor. I have a older (78) 15 1/2 center console with a 70 HP Johnson -- bought used. It was hard to get the boat to plane. I put the fins on and it planes much quicker and at slower speeds. Reaches full plane at about 3/4 throttle and holds plane better. Used to (before fins)take full throttle and would lose plane quickly with any decrease in speed. Definetly worth $25.

 

W

walleyehed

Admiral

Joined

Jun 29, 2003

Messages

6,767

• Nov 16, 2003

• #12

Re: Doel Fins

Alistair, everyone but C.C. missed the MAX-5MPH.........It doesn't matter what you put on there, it'll never even begin to plane at 5mph....it's just a bulldozer in the water at that speed, and you'll have to live with it....

 

C

Capt Ken

Commander

Joined

Jul 30, 2002

Messages

2,269

• Nov 16, 2003

• #13

Re: Doel Fins

Yes, but it might improve his 0-5 mph time. Never know when it may come in handy.

 

C

Capt Ken

Commander

Joined

Jul 30, 2002

Messages

2,269

• Nov 16, 2003

• #14

Re: Doel Fins

Just to add a funny addition to using fins. Several years ago, I had a customer come in with a 20 center console with a 200 Mercury that complained that it only plowed water, wouldn't plane. I checked, rechecked, and triple checked everything. Couldn't figure why it wouldn't plane. Test run the ****ens out of it. One day, laying under the boat, checking the straightness of the hull, I looked up at the fin mounted on the lower unit. On the bottom was printed, This End Up. It was a two piece fin and had turned the motor into a submarine.

 

F

Forktail

Ensign

Joined

Feb 11, 2002

Messages

977

• Nov 16, 2003

• #15

Re: Doel Fins

I hate to throw a wrench in it guys, but some of the rivers I navigate run 10-12 mph. So heading up river at a speed of 5 mph would put you above 15 mph. Many boats can get on step at that speed. A hydrofoil/fin would help it get up and stay up. JMO.

 

W

walleyehed

Admiral

Joined

Jun 29, 2003

Messages

6,767

• Nov 16, 2003

• #16

Re: Doel Fins

Guess you'd be breakin' the speed limit going back, if thats the case.........

 

rickdb1boat

Supreme Mariner

Joined

Jan 23, 2002

Messages

11,195

• Nov 16, 2003

• #17

Re: Doel Fins

Naw, just throw it in reverse and go 10 MPH backward.

 

F

Forktail

Ensign

Joined

Feb 11, 2002

Messages

977

• Nov 16, 2003

• #18

Re: Doel Fins

I knew that would throw a wrench in it! <br /><br />That's why they have hp limits on rivers here instead of speed limits. <br /><br />A 5 mph speed limit? That's rediculous. Nothing personal, but the UK sounds like California!