Mercruiser Alpha - Recommend me a hydrofoil stabilizer fin

Scorpion8

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Bondo

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Re: Mercruiser Alpha - Recommend me a hydrofoil stabilizer fin

do they recommend a hydrofoil for use on the outdrive?

Ayuh,... If they Did, the plate would be stock, OEM...
 

TilliamWe

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Re: Mercruiser Alpha - Recommend me a hydrofoil stabilizer fin

Ayuh,... If they Did, the plate would be stock, OEM...

Hydrofoils help some people with underpowered boats, but they also can create handling problems. Waste of time and money in my opinion. Both Mercruiser and Volvo Penta (and OMC when they were in business) make putdrives without them, so that tells me they aren't necessary.
 

firecapt13

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Re: Mercruiser Alpha - Recommend me a hydrofoil stabilizer fin

I put the Nautics Smart tabs on my boat. It made a world of difference in handling.
 

Scorpion8

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Re: Mercruiser Alpha - Recommend me a hydrofoil stabilizer fin

Hydrofoils help some people with underpowered boats, but they also can create handling problems. Waste of time and money in my opinion. Both Mercruiser and Volvo Penta (and OMC when they were in business) make putdrives without them, so that tells me they aren't necessary.

Never had a handling problem when I installed one on my Johnson 55 on a Bayrunner 16ft. It helped the boat plane-out a lot faster than without it. And that engine was dead-mid-range for that boat, not underpowered.

I put the Nautics Smart tabs on my boat. It made a world of difference in handling.

I'll look into those. Thanks.
 
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