Hydrofoils work -- but what about on a stern drive?

[DaveM]

I did a search on hydrofoils and came up with 39 hits on this site. The general consensus was that, indeed, they do work. All reported better hole shot with the ability to stay on plane longer. Most people did not see an increase in top end speed and there were a few people that noticed a slight drop. The most popular brands were Dole Fin and Stingray. Boats and motors varied from 14 - 20 feet, flat bottoms and deep V's, with 6 - 150 hp outboards.<br /><br />So has anyone used a hydrofoil on a stern drive? It would be great to get on plane at slower speeds for tubing or wakeboarding. The best speed to take a heavy chop in my boat, a 20' Wellcraft Excel deep V, is about 15 mph. This is also where the bow it at its highest and the boat is plowing thru the water. I am happy with the boat's ability to pop up a skier and the 43 mph top end (although more is always better).<br /><br />Sure, trim tabs are the best. But times are tough and I'm on a low budget. One guy recommended The Edge because it is steel, but remarked that it may not make much difference.<br /><br />Opinions? Experiences? Clever anecdotes?<br /><br />-J. Cool Dudd

 

[trevorcday]

Re: Hydrofoils work -- but what about on a stern drive?

Hydrofoils work fine with stern drives. We have found that one of the best applications for them is on little 4 cylinder units that tend to carry a lot of weight and not much power. The main advantage is that they help these boats get on plane quicker.

 

[SeaDawg]

Re: Hydrofoils work -- but what about on a stern drive?

Ditto with mrmerc. They really seem to help any underpowered boat, whether stern drive or OB.<br /><br />I just bought an off brand (because it was $15), and tried it on my current boat (17.5 ft. Lowe Roughneck with a 50 HP Mariner 4-stroke), and it seems to wrok as well as the Stingrays and Doel Fins I have used in the past.<br /><br />It helped me stay on plane at a lower speed,and did not affect my top end. It allowed me to trim the boat higher (before porposing started), but did not give me any more speed. My boat has plenty of power for it's size, and the fin did what I wnated it to do (reduce porposing, and slower planing speeds).

 

[DaveM]

Re: Hydrofoils work -- but what about on a stern drive?

Do you have any favorites? The Sting Ray has a lovely description in the Cabela's catalog that promises everything except the girl. The Edge calls themselves the "pros' choice" without compromising top-end speed. But I can add 10-20% in top-end speed with the Sting Ray. Ooh, the humanity. Stop the madness, I say.<br /><br />The truth is out there.