Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

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Merc4ever

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Feb 14, 2009
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I removed my whale tail type plastic stabilzer that's been on my mercruiser since the last owner to check out how she'd run without.

To my suprise I picked up a whopping 10 mph on the top!

Could this device really help my mileage that much getting onto a plain when it drags me down this much at the top end?

If they're so good why don't the major motor manufactures have the motors molded into this shape?
 

Gary H NC

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Dec 1, 2005
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8,972
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

If it slowed you down that much it was drinking more fuel too.
Think of the stress that is not on the drive now..good thing.
The foils work for some boats but not all...
 

Splat

Lieutenant
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Jul 20, 2008
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1,366
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

No offense but your preaching to thw choir here. The general consensus is they are bad for performance as well as cause undue stress on the leg of the motor. Also they can make handeling down right dangeroue when taking on waves parallel.

They do have their place, but in general people on these forums recommend smart tabs or adjustable tabs to help improve lower planing speeds, porposing, and bow rise.

As much as I hate fins, 10 mph sounds like an aweful lot of top end to loose. Are you sure you are trimmed correctly?

Bill
 

Silvertip

Supreme Mariner
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Sep 22, 2003
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Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

If the motor is tucked in rather straight down or in the begining stages of trimming up, it can cause tremendous drag.
 

Merc4ever

Petty Officer 1st Class
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Feb 14, 2009
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232
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

I guess in some boats they have their place but in mine at WOT it was like draging a big shovel blade behind the boat. I once had a small aluminum boat in which the big tail worked wonders when I was solo. It kept the bow down and made it possible to ride fast. Normally that would be impossible in the lightweight tiller steer.
 

IVAZ

Master Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
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816
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

My previous boat had one. I took it off and gained a consistant 4mph. Turning improved dramatically and no longer felt dangerous.
Some of the guys here are running them on smaller boats with outboard motors and like them. My boat was i/o and it was much happier with the fin off. I cant say they dont have their place but I find it difficult to imagine a $20 piece of plastic being that good.
 

Jeff-in-PA

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Dec 27, 2008
Messages
402
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

My previous boat had one. I took it off and gained a consistant 4mph. Turning improved dramatically and no longer felt dangerous.
Some of the guys here are running them on smaller boats with outboard motors and like them. My boat was i/o and it was much happier with the fin off. I cant say they dont have their place but I find it difficult to imagine a $20 piece of plastic being that good.

I have one on my 18' Celebrity I/O with a 4.3L V-6. It really was a big help with my boat but I did lose 3 or 4 mph on top end.

The best improvements were in stability in "rocking" waves and the biggest was in the holeshot pulling up a waterskier. Cut the "up" time easily in half.

YMMV

Jeff
 

southtexas

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 8, 2009
Messages
137
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

The Nauticus Smart Tabs will help get/keep your back end out of the water and give you more speed, stability, faster plane, handling, etc. Best $100 I spent on my boat.
 

dontask

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Apr 5, 2009
Messages
177
Re: Whale tail stabilizer slowing me down

Think of the vertical loads its putting on the pivot/steer assembly that was not designed for it. Excess/premature wear? Seems like attending "outboard trimming 101 class" would be a better payoff.
 

tobqluu

Cadet
Joined
Jun 4, 2019
Messages
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I have one on now, about the take it off! I losing 10mph WOT too. I will test it this weekend and see if it will pick up 10mph without it.
 

southkogs

Moderator
Staff member
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Jul 7, 2010
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14,785
Meanwhile in 2019 ...

tobqluu, please take a few minutes to read our FORUM RULES regardin' posting in old topics.

Closing this one up.
 
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