Whale or dolphin fins

[AZangler420]

Are the useful on outboards or are they a waste of money? My 18' bass and ski boat has one but my Skeeter bass boat, 15', doesn't have one. Do I need one or just adjust with trim tab?

 

[JoLin]

Here comes another battle :facepalm:

In my experience (I've used both a whale tail and tabs), Smart Tabs or the similar Bennett line of self-adjusting tabs, beat the he** out of whale tails and doel-fins. Others will have a different opinion...

 

[bruceb58]

I took my DoelFIn off my boat when I discovered it caused the stern to wash out in turns installed on an I/O. It came with the boat and I felt it was dangerous. Mr DoelFin will be chiming in I am sure and say how it works so great on all his boats!

 

[s.hadley81]

I agree with JoLin smart tabs are the way to go on a smaller boat at least the tabs have minor adjustments.

 

[redneck joe]

Ive bought two boats that had them and after i removed them i felt much safer

 

[Scott Danforth]

If they were a benefit, the outboard manufacturers would be installing them for you, or offering them as an option

 

[ondarvr]

They are two very different tools designed to do two very different things, and tabs are what 99% of the boat owners need to help solve the most common issues.

Both work well at what they are designed to do though.

 

[bruceb58]

If they were a benefit, the outboard manufacturers would be installing them for you, or offering them as an option

+++++++1

They also tell you not to put them on!

 

[ondarvr]

Virtually every outboard and I/O comes stock with one, only smaller. A fin, foil, tail, or whatever you want to call it is just a larger AV plate, simple as that.