So those hydrofoil thingies........Just bolt it on or try to fine tune it?

[RaisedByWolves]

I just installed a SE 200 hydrofoil on my 14' Mirrocraft and Im wondering if anyone has tried "Tuning" one of these for the best possible ride?

The boat rides and handles much better with this on but it is not quite perfect as I still get a bit of porpoising. In the package along with the bolts they give you 4 rubber washers, two thick and two thin and the packaging says to put the thin ones in front and thick ones in the rear which I did.

First Im wondering if these are even necessary and second, has anyone ever tried adding stacked washers (SS) to get the ride they wanted and if so what did it take and what were you looking to gain?

Also does anyone know why they want this to ride higher in the back than in the front?

Seems bassakwards to my way of thinking.

 

[Scott Danforth]

if they worked, they would come standard from the manufacturer.

generally they cause more problems then they solve.

 

[MTboatguy]

Hell I know I have 4 of them things floating around here that I have taken off of boats that eventually I am going to throw away, so anybody wants one..

 

[jimmbo]

Hell I know I have 4 of them things floating around here that I have taken off of boats that eventually I am going to throw away, so anybody wants one..

You could have a Competition to see who can throw them the furthest. Held out on the water of course!

 

[RaisedByWolves]

if they worked, they would come standard from the manufacturer.

generally they cause more problems then they solve.

You do understand that they are an application specific device, correct?

So how would the engine manufacturer know the application in advance?

What problems do they cause?

 

[Scott Danforth]

I understand the only three things they do is lighten your wallet, add drag to the boat, and cauae weak spots in your AV plate that eventually breaks.

the proper prop, and proper triming will do so much more

 

[fishrdan]

I don't know about tuning your foil, I just have mine bolted on, but it's a different manufacturer. For the porpoising, try trimming the outboard in and/or re-distributing some weight forward.

I have a StingRay Jr foil on my 14' jon boat and love it! It came with a used outboard I bought, and I had been running it for a couple of months without issues, then decided to take off that useless thing... Boat was sluggish out of the hole and performance was much worse, so when I returned home, the useless thing went back onto the outboard.

I don't think hydrofoils are right for many applications, and the problems it solves could be resolved better ways (tabs, prop, trim, weight distribution, etc), but for some rigs it's the right solution.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

Yeah, I’m hitting top speed in ten seconds or less(my “one Mississippi’s are slow) and top speed @28.7 did not change. I can see a big difference in how much spray comes off of the chines and the cavitation plate rides higher also.

My pin is already in the hole closest the hull and will be perfect with a passenger, but with just me in choppy water, while much better, still gets a lil bouncy heading into the wind.

For a small light boat I honestly can’t see a downside, especially if there is a weight distribution issue like you will normally run into if flying solo.

 

[Sea Rider]

Perfect motor/transom height match, prop and motor in top shape and correct trim and deck weight distribution is all you need for any combo to perform top, if with a maximed prop much better. For instance, a doel fin attached to any AV plate will achieve extra water drag and slow combo and rpm down if both does not ride parallel to water level once combo is on plane. Asside, are huge garbage collectors when on their way. Now that know what is really needed, use mines as paper weights LOL!!

Happy Boating

 

[JimS123]

I've run a DoelFin on every boat I've ever run since about 1985. Faster speed, lower planing speed, better fuel economy and no adverse change to the top speed. In 35 years i have never picked up any flotsam on the fin, and all my anti-ventilation plates are still intact. I laugh at the people who nix them. They need to be set up correctly to perform, and too few know how. (of course, I know how to read the directions.....LOL.)

IMHO, the stingrays, whaletails and others are merely copies of the original, and are not designed for optimum performance. They merely avoided patent infringement.

When I order a new boat, I also order a bunch of needed accessories. The DoelFin is #1 on the list.

Do as you like, follow what the naysayers tell you, or whatever. Your choice.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I've run a DoelFin on every boat I've ever run since about 1985. Faster speed, lower planing speed, better fuel economy and no adverse change to the top speed. In 35 years i have never picked up any flotsam on the fin, and all my anti-ventilation plates are still intact. I laugh at the people who nix them. They need to be set up correctly to perform, and too few know how. (of course, I know how to read the directions.....LOL.)

IMHO, the stingrays, whaletails and others are merely copies of the original, and are not designed for optimum performance. They merely avoided patent infringement.

When I order a new boat, I also order a bunch of needed accessories. The DoelFin is #1 on the list.

Do as you like, follow what the naysayers tell you, or whatever. Your choice.

I had the original DoleFin back in the day and liked it. This was on a 12' boat with a 9.9 that wouldn't get out of its own way and handled like poop before installing it. It seriously felt like I was under water before it eventually got on plane without the foil on it..

I had ordered one for this boat, but it never showed up so I went with the SE Sport which out of all of the designs I liked the look of best. I build and engineer machinery for a living and doing that gives you some insight as to how things work and whether an item is a good or bad idea.


The problem I was having were slight cavitation getting out of the hole and pounding at top speed in choppy water and the boat pounding and not feeling locked in at all in turns.


Everything was set up as best as I could get them before adding it, you're always going to go after free first, right?

Starting out setting it up correctly with the cav plate level with the bottom of the hull really isnt rocker surgery, but with 300lbs of me and another 150lbs of motor and fuel all the way in the back of the boat.......

 

[Sea Rider]

If you love spot on hole shots, all you need is to prop right the motor to run at their max wot rpm range factory statred as loaded, if fixed loaded much better. The extra faster wot revs achieved at hole shot will plane the combo much easier and faster. At my Boating Club due to my insistence few boaters have gone for a prop maximization from factory delivered ones or current installed props, the ones that don't, have installed doel fins on motors that are actually running min to middle wot rpm range and don't know a thing about it.

Happy Boating

 

[JimS123]

If you love spot on hole shots, all you need is to prop right the motor to run at their max wot rpm range factory statred as loaded, if fixed loaded much better. The extra faster wot revs achieved at hole shot will plane the combo much easier and faster. At my Boating Club due to my insistence few boaters have gone for a prop maximization from factory delivered ones or current installed props, the ones that don't, have installed doel fins on motors that are actually running min to middle wot rpm range and don't know a thing about it.

Happy Boating

You are spot on about propeller optimization. But it takes time, data collection and sometimes extra $ for props that you tried and didn't like. In my neighborhood, dealers that let you try before buy are few and far between.

Its having to think and collect data is why not so many people bother with it and just leave on the prop that it came with.

In my case, I have a custom pitched prop that really fine tune dialed it all in. THEN, I put on the Doelfin. Whooly Moley, now that's the cats Meow, as they say.

 

[Sea Rider]

Jim,

A prop maximization is the last thing I like doing. Too many things are checked, modified, adjusted before that. Usually play with 3 blade alum OEM props in 2-1 or 1/2 less pitch sizes for motor to rev to their max wot rpm range as fixed loaded as possible. Ideal if running underpowerd or portable clamped motors on heavy or large applications.

As an example, with a underpowered 9.9 motor for that size boat, Raised by Wolves should have installed as a starter a less pitch prop from current factory delivered one than going straight for doel fins. He's still in time to boat right and better his boating experience.

In my boating experience down here all sits their motor on transom and voila, if the motor can push the boat will be fine, doesn't matter if badly trimmed, if lugging the motor, having prop aeration issues, or producing huge high water wakes, you name it. Suffer when seeing these guys passing by...

Touche Jim, both are perfectionist boaters one with doesl fins, the other without...LOl!!

Happy Boating

 

[Grub54891]

Every boat or motor I've ever owned that came with a dolphin, I've fine tuned perfectly! The trick is to unbolt it and toss it in the dumpster.

 

[QBhoy]

I have a collection of these terrible things. It’s the first thing I take off should I buy an engine with them fitted. They are at best fitted to counter a poorly set up or underpowered engine....and at worse for no reason at all other than some idiot suggested it. The decades of experience gathered by the manufacturers would have them as part of the original casting if they were of any hydrodynamic advantage.
The worst case I’ve seen was recently. I bought an old 17 ft boat just to get the engine off it for my own project classic boat...this 17ft boat had a mercury V6 150 outboard on it...with these damn things fitted. Why in the world would this need those. Honestly.

 

[JimS123]

All products, not just boat parts, are consumer driven. When a product has no value, it doesn't last long in the marketplace.

Cruise down any river and look at the boats on the lifts. Or, go to a busy launch ramp and view the boats. Isn't it amazing the high percentage of fins.

I agree that they are not right for every craft. My only negative experience was with a boat that was OVERpowered. Boy, I got the fin off quick.

The fact that Mr Doelscher invented the thing over 35 years ago, and they are still being sold, speaks volumes. Nevertheless, everyone should follow the consensus, or make up their own mind.

 

[RaisedByWolves]

I have a collection of these terrible things. It’s the first thing I take off should I buy an engine with them fitted. They are at best fitted to counter a poorly set up or underpowered engine....and at worse for no reason at all other than some idiot suggested it. The decades of experience gathered by the manufacturers would have them as part of the original casting if they were of any hydrodynamic advantage.
The worst case I’ve seen was recently. I bought an old 17 ft boat just to get the engine off it for my own project classic boat...this 17ft boat had a mercury V6 150 outboard on it...with these damn things fitted. Why in the world would this need those. Honestly.

Again, why would the MFG add this without knowing the specific application? Its like saying that all cars should have rear wings and front spoilers due to the fact that dragsters have them and they are useful in that application, is it not?

A 17' boat with a 150 on it speaks volumes about whomever put that hot mess together and mentioning it had a foil on it helps your argument none as the whole works was cobbled together.

I do find it humorous that everyone who claims they are worthless or worse keeps the many many ones they have taken off.

Everyone keeps them for what?

 

[RaisedByWolves]

All products, not just boat parts, are consumer driven. When a product has no value, it doesn't last long in the marketplace.

Cruise down any river and look at the boats on the lifts. Or, go to a busy launch ramp and view the boats. Isn't it amazing the high percentage of fins.

I agree that they are not right for every craft. My only negative experience was with a boat that was OVERpowered. Boy, I got the fin off quick.

The fact that Mr Doelscher invented the thing over 35 years ago, and they are still being sold, speaks volumes. Nevertheless, everyone should follow the consensus, or make up their own mind.

I feel the "Consensus" is a big part if the main argument against.

Seems to be a bit of an echo chamber effect going, which is sad really because people should be helping others with less knowledge rather than stroking their own egos.

I made some adjustments since last time out and Ill report back with the outcome.

 

[QBhoy]

Again, why would the MFG add this without knowing the specific application? Its like saying that all cars should have rear wings and front spoilers due to the fact that dragsters have them and they are useful in that application, is it not?

A 17' boat with a 150 on it speaks volumes about whomever put that hot mess together and mentioning it had a foil on it helps your argument none as the whole works was cobbled together.

I do find it humorous that everyone who claims they are worthless or worse keeps the many many ones they have taken off.

Everyone keeps them for what?

There are plenty of boats capable of taking a 150 at 17ft. Just that it didn’t need the fins.