Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

[sturgeonx]

I have a Lund fisherman 18 ft boat with a 115 suzuki 4 stroke and 9.9 kicker. The boat is underpowered and stern heavy. I put on a 13.25 x 19 pitch Solas Amita 4 plate that to HSWII that I got cupped to help on my hole shot. It does help but if it gets rough I have a hard time controlling the boat.

If I slow down too much the boat isn't up on plane enough and it bounces up and down. In order to ride in the rough water I have to speed up and it gets uncomfortable at those speeds.

Would a foil help me run properly (higher up on plane) at lower speeds in the rough water.

I cant run trim tabs because I don't have the room with the kicker on the back.

 

[QC]

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Personally I never recommend a foil for much of anything but Halloween costumes . . .

I cant run trim tabs because I don't have the room with the kicker on the back.

Can we see some pictures of your transom? The description in your post screams for trim tabs . . .

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

here is a pic of the transom, it is pretty loaded already.

thanks

 

[ufm82]

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Without some relocation of gear tabs don't look to be an option. I hate foils for two reasons- the first being they're "ugly". And I don't think they do as much as some people think. Tabs are much more effective- at least twice as much surface area to help lift the stern and prevent porpoising and they provide lift on both sides as opposed to right in the center of the boat. Much more effective.
Not a fast fix but I would lose the transom mounted transducer piece and mount them closer in. Looks like room between the kicker and the main and the same on the other side. Go to a thru-hull transducer like an Alumaducer and lose that wiring mess. You'll get the benefit of the tabs and clean up the stern area to boot.

UFM82

 

[109jb]

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

Re: Will a foil help me in rough water??

I have had foils on 2 aluminum boats similar to your Lund. They worked fine for preventing bow lift and getting up on plane faster and at a slower speed. On those boats, I never had any control problems. I have never run tabs, but if you can find a way to mount them they do have some logical benefits. The foil worked fine for me though.

One benefit of the foil is that they now have units that attach without drilling any holes. You could try one and if it doesn't do what you want then you can just take it back off.

Although definitely not in every case, i would bet a good portion of the foil haters here ave never used one. They are also a very vocal group here. I'm not saying tabs are bad, or foils are better, or anything like that, but I've seen lots of posts against foils that I'd bet money are from someone who never drove a boat with one installed.

 

[DJ]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

"Porpoising" is a true indicator of TOO much weight aft (Rear).

Redristibute the weight and rethink. Batt's forward, etc.

"Wings" are a band aid to a much more serious issue. Do they work? Sometimes.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

I have 2 batteries in the rear hatch with a perko switch, It would require a lot of work to move them around and I am not sure I am capable of doing it properly.

 

[fishrdan]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Explain what you mean by having to slow down and the boat bouncing around. How big are the waves when you have to slow down, what size waves can you cruise through while up on plane?

Sometimes you have to slow down and work through the waves as you will beat the 'ell out of the boat if you don't. I'd think that boat should be able to handle 2+'ers easy, but once you get into the 4'ers you'll have to slow down and work through the snotty stuff.

Do you adjust your trim while driving in bad conditions, or just leave it at the same adjustment for running WOT up on plane?

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Explain what you mean by having to slow down and the boat bouncing around. How big are the waves when you have to slow down, what size waves can you cruise through while up on plane?

Sometimes you have to slow down and work through the waves as you will beat the 'ell out of the boat if you don't. I'd think that boat should be able to handle 2+'ers easy, but once you get into the 4'ers you'll have to slow down and work through the snotty stuff.

Do you adjust your trim while driving in bad conditions, or just leave it at the same adjustment for running WOT up on plane?

Last weekend they were around 2 footers, maybe 3 footers and I had to slow down considerably then it would rock up and down. I had a smaller 16.5 ft lund that would take the waves better that this bigger one with the current set up I have.

I adjust the trim while driving to try and find the right spot. I try and keep the nose down to cut through the wave instead of bouncing off them. When I slow down the nose gets up to high and I start bouncing up and down.

I hope you understand what I am trying to explain.

Thanks,

Sturgeonx

 

[DJ]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

I have 2 batteries in the rear hatch with a perko switch, It would require a lot of work to move them around and I am not sure I am capable of doing it properly.

Work or performance? Pick one.

Blunt but realistic.

You have a huge amount of weight hanging off of the stern. Balance it or live with it. A "fin" is NOT the answer.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

how do I extend the wires coming from the motor to the batteries to bring them all the way up to the front of the boat. Can I leave the switch where it is and just move the batteries?

 

[DJ]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

You can. Use a minimum of 6 ga. wiring and suitable connectors.

Been there, done that.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Having had the pleasure of ripping no less than three foils off of different boats I've had I'm a qualified foil hater. Junk, but with the proper amount of spin, they can be hurled some distance. Tabs baby tabs! Can the kicker slide over a bit more to center or is that as close as it can get without interfereing with the drive? Could the kicker be mounted on a swing mount to get it up and out of the way? Do something, definately move the batts, ANYTHING but a foil!

 

[DJ]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Having had the pleasure of ripping no less than three foils off of different boats I've had I'm a qualified foil hater. Junk, but with the proper amount of spin, they can be hurled some distance. Tabs baby tabs! Can the kicker slide over a bit more to center or is that as close as it can get without interfereing with the drive? Could the kicker be mounted on a swing mount to get it up and out of the way? Do something, definately move the batts, ANYTHING but a foil!

We agree. However, the issue is STERN weight. Not where it is (starboard/port).

This boat needs to go on a stern weight loss plan.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Having had the pleasure of ripping no less than three foils off of different boats I've had I'm a qualified foil hater. Junk, but with the proper amount of spin, they can be hurled some distance. Tabs baby tabs! Can the kicker slide over a bit more to center or is that as close as it can get without interfereing with the drive? Could the kicker be mounted on a swing mount to get it up and out of the way? Do something, definately move the batts, ANYTHING but a foil!

I will move try and move the batteries forward but I am curious as to why you dislike the foil so much. How did it affect your performance negatively?

 

[JimS123]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

OK, I'll be the odd man out.

After having put foils on 4 different boats and tabs on one, I am a firm foil lover.

IMHO your boat and the way its rigged is THE PERFECT rig for a foil. I DO know how to move batteries and rewire them, but in my case they were right where I wanted them and would be inconveneient for me if I moved them. Ditto the fuel tank.

My only advice would be to drill and bolt the foil on because the clip ons seem to be a problem. Also, personally I would buy a Doelfin because thats' what i have had the best success with.

My experience has been 100% positive. I can cite no negative effects.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Thanks for the reply,

I have an SE 300 that I didn't install yet but thinking about it.

My problem with moving the batteries is that I will be losing my storage for all my fishing plano boxes. and the storage where the batteries are currently located is not very practical.

still undecided.

I just wish the boat would have had a bigger outboard but the price was right for the used boat.

Thanks

sturgeon

 

[109jb]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

If I were you and already had the foil, I'd put it on and try it. You can always take it off if you don't like it. Personally, I think you will be happy with the results.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

Hey if you already own it, give it a spin. Personally I think they make a pretty good dog toy.

 

[SeanMcl]

Re: Will a hydrofoil help me in rough water??

The arguments For and Against foils that I have heard are:

Against-

Foils put stress loads on the outdrive that it was not intended to handle, lifting as well as pushing.

Foils lift more as speed increases. Putting on a foil with enough lift at low speed means you have too much lift at high speed. Conversely, having the right amount of lift at high speed leaves you with not enough lift at low speed. Tabs do the exact opposite, lifting more at low speed and less at high speed.

Foils lift in the middle of the boat, which makes for less side to side stability at speed. Again, tabs do the exact opposite, lifting from the edges and increasing side to side stability.

For-

They do provide lift at the stern helping boats plane at lower speeds.

Lots of people have them.

They are cheap.