Remove the Whale Tail!

southkogs

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I'm looking at removing the hydrofoil from my stern drive (it was on there when I bought the boat). But, I'm unsure of how to treat the remaining holes where the cavitation plate was drilled to attached the foils.

Do I need to worry about the holes?

Thanks in advance for the advice.
 

jigngrub

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

They shouldn't be a problem, but if you're concerned you can fill them with a marine epoxy or just stick some short bolts in the holes with nyloc nuts.
 

njrextreme

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

Try it with it off before you fill the holes. You may not like the way it performs.
 

5150abf

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

I have used JB Weld, just put some tape on the bottom of the holes and fill them up, once it dries you can sand and paint it and noone will ever know they were there.
 

Fireman431

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

I say put one padlock thru each hole and tell everyone that's the only way you could keep the lower unit together! :D
 

oldfordcrap

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

hi just wondering why you want to remove the tail i have had them on many boats and have never had a negitive effect in any way. if you remove jb weld is cheap and will last !
 

NHGuy

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

I have seen removed whaletail drives with the holes left open, I'm a freshwater guy. Never made any difference on our lake.
 

Randy J

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

that be like taking tits off a woman appreantly they where there for a reason huh ??? lolo
 

southkogs

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

hi just wondering why you want to remove the tail i have had them on many boats and have never had a negitive effect in any way. if you remove jb weld is cheap and will last !

I actually don't know if it's having a negative effect or not on my boat. This is the second year I've owned this boat and the original drive is giving me shift problems - can't figure it out even with all the help from the forum and the local OMC mechanic. I grabbed a spare drive this year off CL, and turns out that the lower actually works (I thought I was just getting a parts drive - score!!) so I'm switching to the reserve lower. That unit had a broken hydrofoil on it, so I'm removing it all together. We'll see what the effect is.
 

southkogs

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

Thanks for the advice everyone - I'll be in freshwater only, so we'll take the first couple of "dunks" with holes and then fill them in afterwards. Any other opinions are welcome!
 

Gun Dog

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

Hey Mod, you pull my post but leave #9. I found my more tasteful. I understand keep it family but words!
 
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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

I'm not a fan of the whale tails. They put undo stress on the outdrive and can break the casing. It happened to me and cost me $300 to have it welded. The welder told it's VERY common for him to have to weld these up from the whale tails.
 

JimS123

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

I'm not a fan of the whale tails. They put undo stress on the outdrive and can break the casing. It happened to me and cost me $300 to have it welded. The welder told it's VERY common for him to have to weld these up from the whale tails.

IMHO Whale Tale brand hydrofoils are not the best on the market. If you're referring to a Hydrofoil in the generic sense, they don't cause any damage to the lower unit of the motor at all, unless they are loose, installed improperly, or you hit something. Remember that they stick out further than the motor itself.

Sunday I saw a guy actually using his Stngray Hydrofoil as a step to get in the boat. And I bet that guy easily went 300 pounds! Now when he takes it in to get it repaired, I bet his welder guy will spread the same story.
 

H20Rat

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

Sunday I saw a guy actually using his Stngray Hydrofoil as a step to get in the boat. And I bet that guy easily went 300 pounds! Now when he takes it in to get it repaired, I bet his welder guy will spread the same story.

A whale tail at a steep angle while getting on plane is going to exert at least 300 pounds of force to a very small area on the anti-vent plate. At least with a guy stepping on it, if he steps on the area where it overlaps the anti-vent plate it is spreading out the load some.
 

shrew

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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

IMHO Whale Tale brand hydrofoils are not the best on the market. If you're referring to a Hydrofoil in the generic sense, they don't cause any damage to the lower unit of the motor at all, unless they are loose, installed improperly, or you hit something. Remember that they stick out further than the motor itself.

I'm not sure I agree with that statement at all.

A boat comes on plane as a result of hydraulic lift on the hull. These hydrofoils are creating additional lift on the drive and transom assembly. No, you're not placing the entire boat on the drive, however you are adding a significant amount of weight and force on the drive and transom assembly than was intended by design. Allow the hull to lift teh boat. Even trim tabs will give additional lift and transfer it across the transom, not the drive and assembly.
 
Joined
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Messages
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Re: Remove the Whale Tail!

IMHO Whale Tale brand hydrofoils are not the best on the market. If you're referring to a Hydrofoil in the generic sense, they don't cause any damage to the lower unit of the motor at all, unless they are loose, installed improperly, or you hit something. Remember that they stick out further than the motor itself.

Sunday I saw a guy actually using his Stngray Hydrofoil as a step to get in the boat. And I bet that guy easily went 300 pounds! Now when he takes it in to get it repaired, I bet his welder guy will spread the same story.

I disagree. You could see on mine that the fin on my old boat had UPWARD pressure applied to it, not down and it snapped off an entire corner of the outdrive's fin. It was'nt from hitting something, just undo stress. IF and I mean IF they worked as well as everyone thinks, the OEM would make a simple casting change to the out drive casing and add the tail. NONE that I'm aware of have.

Honestly, IMHO they're snake oil.
 
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