Hydrofoil on i/o

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HT32BSX115

Supreme Mariner
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Totally and utterly against such a thing...but it is good for staying on the plane at lower speed if you are into wake boarding. Only slight advantage I’ve seen.
I have "Tabs" on my boat too but they're not all that "Smart" I guess. They're Bennett Sport Tabs. And completely adjustable.

I will say that they do whatever you want them to as far as controlling roll (with that slightly over-weight person on the wrong side of the boat)

They'll also help reduce the bow-rise when trying to go slow and just below the point where the hull planes, for wake-boarding.

If they're down for high speed running, they just add additional drag, slow the top speed and require you to compensate by pushing the right arm further into the "gas-burn zone", and trimming the drive out slightly.......... Not much advantage there.

Smart Tabs are not adjustable (on-the-fly that is) so they're always like dragging anchors....

If you have hydraulic trim (drive-trim) I don't see much advantage in spring-loaded boards hanging off the back of the boat pushing on the water all the time.
 
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QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
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Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
I have "Tabs" on my boat too but they're not all that "Smart" I guess. They're Bennett Sport Tabs. And completely adjustable.

I will say that they do whatever you want them to as far as controlling roll (with that slightly over-weight person on the wrong side of the boat)

They'll also help reduce the bow-rise when trying to go slow and just below the point where the hull planes, for wake-boarding.

If they're down for high speed running, they just add additional drag, slow the top speed and require you to compensate by pushing the right arm further into the "gas-burn zone", and trimming the drive out slightly.......... Not much advantage there.

Smart Tabs are not adjustable (on-the-fly that is) so they're always like dragging anchors....

If you have hydraulic trim (drive-trim) I don't see much advantage in spring-loaded boards hanging off the back of the boat pushing on the water all the time.

Hi
totally agree with you on this case. Bennet and such adjustable tabs are great things on cruisers. Especially us ones with not ideal seating and heavy bias to the rear with fuel etc.
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
I have "Tabs" on my boat too but they're not all that "Smart" I guess. They're Bennett Sport Tabs. And completely adjustable.

I will say that they do whatever you want them to as far as controlling roll (with that slightly over-weight person on the wrong side of the boat)

They'll also help reduce the bow-rise when trying to go slow and just below the point where the hull planes, for wake-boarding.

If they're down for high speed running, they just add additional drag, slow the top speed and require you to compensate by pushing the right arm further into the "gas-burn zone", and trimming the drive out slightly.......... Not much advantage there.

Smart Tabs are not adjustable (on-the-fly that is) so they're always like dragging anchors....

If you have hydraulic trim (drive-trim) I don't see much advantage in spring-loaded boards hanging off the back of the boat pushing on the water all the time.

Hi
totally agree with you on this case. Bennet and such adjustable tabs are great things on cruisers. Especially us ones with not ideal seating and heavy bias to the rear with fuel etc.
Ive had these very tabs on a bayliner and a sealine.
Just maybe the smart pressure operated tabs, I’m not such a big fan on.
Never needed them on sealine, being such a powerful and well balanced U.K. sea boat, bayliner...used them all the time.
 

Scott06

Vice Admiral
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
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5,542
A 4 blade that creates stern lift I've been on a plane in my last two boats in the upper teens by gps. This was with Michigan vortex aluminum and two different merc stainless 4 blades vensura and revolution 4
 

JGJR

Cadet
Joined
Aug 29, 2019
Messages
21
Well, an update. Installed the smart tabs, removed hydrofoil. AMAZING difference. Much less bow rise, nearly eliminated the wander, planing speed down to about 15 mph. I've had the boat out twice since the install, and early this morning the wind was up, making the lagoon choppy. Felt like I added about 6 feet of hull, much more manageable across confused waves and large wakes from the numerous big (to me) cruisers I encountered. It really does feel like shocks in the back. I imagine, were I more experienced at this, the improvement would not have been as striking, but I'm very happy with the results.

As to the top speed with the 23p, I haven't had it repaired yet and only had it on for the first run, and I didn't bother with top speed as I was just getting the feel of the boat.
 

Chris51280

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 24, 2018
Messages
897
Mine is pretty banged up too. Will hopefully try it out and see if it is worth fixing before winter. Not sure if west marine fixes props
 

Davetowz

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Sep 19, 2012
Messages
227
Whale tails are bs solutions looking for problems. Auto tabs or real tabs are are true good solution.
 

mickyryan

Rear Admiral
Joined
Apr 18, 2016
Messages
4,210
I have a hydrofoil and trim tabs , trim tabs are for one problem and the foil is for another, on a boat that you cannot control weight or pull, trim tabs are great for leveling port to starboard, on a heavy boat with low hp the hydrofoil does lift stern getting on plane a little bit quicker, as Scott eluded to, your top end will lose about 3 mph , my Trophy with a 3.0 struggled to get on plane at 17 mph because of the Weight of the boat , ls conversion solved that issue :) next issue you talked about i had as well , wandering, i found smaller diameter props made my boat pull and wander , soon as i went to a larger diameter prop both of those problems disappeared, I am no prop expert but i had tried 7 dif props and found a 16x16 gave my boat best all around performance. again my boat is 5700 without anyone on it and a full 60 gallons of fuel.
 
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