Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

[gregskjei]

I have an Cresliner 18.5 fish and ski with a 4.3 merc I/O and alpha one stern drive.
I put a hydrofoil on this summer.
It has helped with hole shot and keeps the front end down at cruising speed when fully loaded.
Sometimes it feels like it is grabbing/pulling at the water.
Yesterday, I took the boat out of the water and the bell housing was cracked. I am certain that I have not hit anything.
Could the hydrofoil have created enough stress to cause this? I would like to know before I replace the bell housing.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

The bell housing on the back of the engine?
Not sure if a foil could do that.
They have been known to put much stress on the lowers cavitation plate.
If you think about the pressure against the foil and the fact its bolted thru cast aluminum to an area that was never designed to handle that stress.
I could see it doing damage to the lower unit.
I think you must be talking about the lower gearcase.

 

[gregskjei]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

The crack is on the side of the bell housing on the flat part where the shift cable goes through.

 

[Gary H NC]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

Can you post a picture? I'm sure the guys here can give you some good repair advice..

I doubt the foil did that damage then.

 

[MikDee]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

I agree with Gary, I doubt the hydrofoil did it. It could have been a flaw in the casting from new, they're not very thick, or heavily constructed to begin with.

 

[180shabah]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

Agree also, most likely unrelated. Pics will definately help.

 

[Fishermark]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

Here is his other post, it has a pic:

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=281992

 

[gregskjei]

Re: Hydrofoil damaging stern drive?

Thanks for the responses and for posting the picture
I have been looking at some other posts and think that maybe I should lose the hydrofoil anyway and put trim tabs on instead. It just seems odd that the boat has been through 8 seasons and then breaks now. Maybe it was always a weakness in the housing that broke under the additional stress?