doel fin

[tonyhemm]

Hello folks I have noticed a lot of comments about doelfins but I have a 17ft procraft bass boat without tilt an trim and a 85 hp Johnson outboard will a doelfin help me get up on plane better I seem to plane at about 4500 rpm , I have been told by other guys I can lower my rpm by adding the doelfin but this is my first large boat and motor , any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[kfa4303]

Re: doel fin

Hi tony. Welcome to iboats. I'm right up the road in Tallahassee. You'll get lots of mixed reviews on dole fins, but generally speaking they're a bit of a gimmick. Because they're attached to the anti-vent plate, which should break the surface of the water while on plane, it is effectively useless, particularly on larger boats. However, some folks with very small boat and motors <10hp, seem to notice that they help with preventing stern squat and aiding in getting on plane. Plus, if they were as great as they claimed, major manufacturers would build them standard on their motos, but of course none of them do. Rather than bolting something to the motor, I would suggest some adjustable trim tabs (aka "smart" tabs). They're very useful and quite popular down here in our neck of the woods where folks like to run skinny. There are many brands, but LENCO is probably the most popular. You can also simpler, less expensive versions called "dumb" tabs, which are simply bits of aluminum angle. Here are some pics.

Adjustable Smart Tabs:
Lenco Trim Tab Installation - The Hull Truth - Boating and Fishing Forum

Fixed "dumb" tabs:

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: doel fin

Look up "Nauticus" smart tabs, they make specific tabs for bass boats. The doel-fins are useless imo. The tabs will help you in a lot of performance areas, not just while getting on a plane

 

[tonyhemm]

Re: doel fin

thanks for the reply guys , trim tabs are a little outta my budget this year , just thought the doelfin may be a more affordable answer

 

[kfa4303]

Re: doel fin

If money is an issue, look into the fixed tabs. You can actually make them yourself out of a couple pieces of aluminum angle and some stainless hardware. Here's a pic of a manually adjustable set, which is a nice combo of the two styles. You can adjust them to the place you need them, then leave them put.

 

[chriscraft254]

Re: doel fin

Forget the fixed tabs, there useless. Look up the "Nauticus smart tabs", they are almost as cheap as the doel fins. There self adjusting and take about 30 minutes to install. Trust me when I say they will be worth every penny you put into them!!

 

[alldodge]

Re: doel fin

Hello folks I have noticed a lot of comments about doelfins but I have a 17ft procraft bass boat without tilt an trim and a 85 hp Johnson outboard will a doelfin help me get up on plane better I seem to plane at about 4500 rpm , I have been told by other guys I can lower my rpm by adding the doelfin but this is my first large boat and motor , any help would be greatly appreciated

I love my Sting Ray fin. I installed it right after the boat went out of warrenty and it's great. Planes faster and at lower RPM. It is on my 23 foot Rinker and works great. You have a smaller boat so I don't know how it will work for you but I loose some top end but hole shot and lower planning is good.

Sting Ray Speed XP1 Hydrofoil Stabilizer

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: doel fin

I have a 17ft procraft bass boat without tilt an trim and a 85 hp Johnson outboard

It seems to me that's kind of marginally powered with an 85, plus not having tilt/trim is a serious handicap. I haven't seen where anyone has really picked up on this point, but IMO a fin would be of questionable help because of not having tilt/trim. The position you'd need your engine for running on plane would actually have (IMO) the opposite to the desired effect with a fin installed. For a fin to help get you on plane it needs to be angled so that it's deflecting water downward, in other words the engine needs to be tilted in. Where you're going to have the engine adjusted for running on plane would more than likely be tilted out somewhat, with the result being that a fin would be pushing the stern deeper and lifting the bow when you're trying to take off.

So while it's my opinion that fins are very useful in certain circumstances, I don't believe one would do you any good here. Any of the trim tab options should help because they'll deflect water downward and help lift the stern, but at some point if you can swing it an engine upgrade would be a huge help.

 

[tonyhemm]

Re: doel fin

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thanks again for the info , just have to save my pennies and get a better motor set up , but tilt trim cost more used than I have in the whole rig hahaha , I have been looking on craigslist florida and used tilt trim of questionable operation crazy people want 4-5 hundred bucks for and cant even show that they work

 

[kfa4303]

Re: doel fin

Hello again Tony. Since your a FL guy too, check out Microskiff.com and/or customgheenoe.com. You'll find lots great ideas and folks in you neck of the woods that may be able to help you out.

 

[Frank Acampora]

Re: doel fin

Whale-tails: Some swear by them, some swear at them. They can help certain hulls, do nothing for others, and hinder performance on some. The fact is that you won't know until you try it. It is only four small holes in the anti-ventilation plate to mount so there is no big problem there.

If money is as tight as you infer, you can not afford to waste even the 20 or 30 bucks for a fin. However, I can't imagine that a tankful of gas in cost is going to break the budget.

At any rate, look on the auctions or CL for a used one or better yet, send me a Private Message. I have one still in the package (I think) that I will send to you cheap.

 

[hall832]

Re: doel fin

I feel the same as most that its gimmicky, like a wing on the back of Honda civic. It might look cool but is it really doing anything. If your under powered then your under powered.

 

[JimS123]

Re: doel fin

Bennett hydraulic trim tabs were invented eons ago and they certainly have their place (on large boats). Your 17 footer is certainly not a "large" boat, so spending a ton of money is hardly cost effective, nor is it worthwhile on a small 17 footer.

Fixed but adjustable tabs came out in the early 1980's, manufactured by Attwood and Tempo (two of the oldest and premier after-market and OEM manufacturers around), but quickly were discontinued and out of business because they didn't sell enough to make any money. Smart tabs are certainly a better mousetrap, but they are relatively expensive (in comparison) and require drilling a bunch of holes in the boat.

Mr. Doel (an aeronautical engineer) invented the fin in the early 1980's. Funny thing.....they are STILL in business, and everywhere i go i see them successfully in use. The only naysayers are on the internet.

If I ever hear that they are going out of business, I'll buy 6 pairs so I'll have them for any future boat i buy. They are just that good. I say that from personal experience, not urban legend.

 

[JimS123]

Re: doel fin

I feel the same as most that its gimmicky, like a wing on the back of Honda civic. It might look cool but is it really doing anything. If your under powered then your under powered.

There is nothing about a Honda Civic that is cool.