Stingray Hydrofoil

[84Ranger]

I was given a stingray hydrofoil and was just wondering if I should installed it on my motor.......I have a 1984 150 Blackmax....on my 18 foot ranger bass boat...I heard alot about the hydrofoil...but is but not sure what I want to do. My question is....what can I get from the hydrofoil beside getting out of the hole fast.....I heard that it will drag the boat and lose top speed and some say it will increase top speed......Im lost and dont want to installed it if I dont have to......anyone who has try it please let me know it is worth it or not......any suggestion is good...thanks

 

[mtduckhunter]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

im getting a stingray hydrofoil for my boat also. i mainly want it to get on plane faster.

lots of guys on here will tell you not to install it and try trim tabs. some say they work and others say they dont, but i think it all depends on the hull design.

its supposed to eliminate bow rise, . . . . . but i like the way my bow raises when i hammer down!

if your boat runs good and planes out good, and you dont have any porpoising problems, i wouldnt drill holes in the cavitation plate to install it, if your happy with your boats performance, i would set it aside for later.

 

[roadrunnr]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Ranger:
I had one, when I had to replace my lower unit I never put it back on. It's hanging somewhere in my garage. Some would say that the garage is the best place for it! I don't know if it planes the boat that much faster but it will plane at a much slower speed. It also lowered my top speed about 2mph. I will not reinstall it but am seriously thinking of purchasing smart tabs. Check the posts concerning tabs and I think you will decide against installing the hydrofoil. Smart tabs are fairly inexpensive and appear to be a much better solution for improved performance than a hydrofoil. I need to find the time to travel the 1 1/2 hours to get my boat out of storage first! I know thats a bit far but it's in a friends barn and the storage fees are great - free!!

 

[5150abf]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Try it and see what it does, you may love it or hate it, worse case you fill in 4 small holes on your motor if you don't like it.
I have run a foil for years and really like mine, the way I use my boat tabs won't work.

 

[JB]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Hydrofoils are a fix for problems related to rigging and balance.

If you don't have problems don't use it.

 

[Boatin Bob]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Check out this thread if you haven't already plus do a search for many others.

http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=249146

 

[Hitech]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

I haven't run either, but try and find a post by someone that installed Smart Tabs and did not like them and removed them. Then try and find posts by those that installed a foil and did not like it and removed it.

I'll be installing Smart Tabs since I've done that research.

 

[5150abf]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

He's not asking if he should buy tabs,someone gave him a foil and he wants to know if he should try it.

If you think about it they both do the exact same thing a different way,give lift to the stern of the boat, one does it by lifting via the motor the other by lifting the hull but they both do the exact same job a different way.

Someday someone will come up with something other than smart tabs and everyone will be on here saying "I used to run tabs but they are hanging in my garage now because I run a ....... now"

They do the exact same thing a different way.

 

[thaddeus76]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

I have one and saw a noticable difference in my boat. The trim is much more sensitive, the boat planes quicker, and stays on longer when decelerating. I did lose about 3 mph, but I don't have to gun it with a load of people on-board just to get it on the plane.

Got mine on Ebay 2 years ago cheap

My 2 cents

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

5150;

As you may suspect I differ with your statement that Hydrofoils do the same thing as Smart Tabs. You are correct when you say that they both lift the boat, one from the motor and the other from the hull, but the similarity and performance ends there.

Just for starters, if the hydrofoil gives you too much or too little lift, there is nothing you can do, what you see is what you get.

Smart Tabs are not only an active system but they can be "tune" to the needs of the individual boat.

But I invite you to call me (800-233-0194) and I will be happy to provide some interesting information on boat handling. Not a debate just information.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Thadeous;

If you lost speed at the top end then you are less efficient at other speeds as well. The faster you go the more lift you get, and this eventually drives the bow down. I bet the boat bow steers especially in turns, lays over hard in fast turns, and may have a list to port when cruiding.

The loss of speed means a loss in hull efficiency which translates into a loss in fuel efficiency. Less MPG! This means that the inexpensive hydrofoil is costing you more money every time you run the boat. I could turn out to be an expensive (cheap) product.

 

[QC]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

If you think about it they both do the exact same thing a different way,give lift to the stern of the boat, one does it by lifting via the motor the other by lifting the hull but they both do the exact same job a different way.

That could only be said by someone who hasn't used Smart Tabs and doesn't understand how they work . . . If the hydrofoil could unscrew itself after getting on plane and then reattach itself when speed drops, and change the size of the surface in between, and do it in perpetuity, then maybe your statement(s) would be close . . .

 

[bhammer]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Well, I have a whale tail on mine right now. Plan to head to the lake and take good GPS before removing it. I'll measure hole shot time, top end speed and time to 30 and time to max with a GPS that should be waitng for me when I get home.

Then, I will remove the fin, add some gas and take the same GPS readings.

I will then install the tabs, plug the holes from the tail and do it one more time. I am really interested in how this goes. I just hope the lake conditions stay the same to run my "scientific" study.

 

[thaddeus76]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Thadeous;

If you lost speed at the top end then you are less efficient at other speeds as well. The faster you go the more lift you get, and this eventually drives the bow down. I bet the boat bow steers especially in turns, lays over hard in fast turns, and may have a list to port when cruiding.

The loss of speed means a loss in hull efficiency which translates into a loss in fuel efficiency. Less MPG! This means that the inexpensive hydrofoil is costing you more money every time you run the boat. I could turn out to be an expensive (cheap) product.

Wow.....

I understand what you are saying(especially about lift and drag), BUT it's a little too much thought about something as simple as a hobby. I know how the boat performed for months without the foil, and it was dismal planing, especially with larger-than-average passenger weights.

I'm just cruising out with friends, not running a regatta. We're not talking about 10 MPH, it's only 2-3. I also hang a transducer out there. Should I dismount that, and trade it's benifits, for negligible gains?

The boat doesn't act anything like what you're describing. It's a whole lot better with, and that's why it will stayed bolted on.

 

[thaddeus76]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Ahhh I see what the motivation of your post was. ( I visited your website that sells the tabs and watched the Ship Shape info-mercial).

If you're so concerned with maximizing gas milage, answer me this: How are you so certain that 2 wide tab's that run along THE SURFACE of the water, constantly adjusting, are any more efficient than an airfoil (hydrofoil) attached to the drive? Do you have scientific proof that your tab's drag coefficient is any better than the product you are discrediting?

Are you here to offer any real experience on the foil, like the OP asked, or just here to sell your tabs?

 

[thaddeus76]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

****Deleted Duplicate post******

 

[5150abf]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

bhammer, I and everyone else I suspect will be very interested in the results of your experiment, kinda figured I was opening a can of worms with that but hey.

Regardless I am staying with my foil, it does what I need it to and doesn't do anyhting I don't want it to, again I am sure I would rip tabs off in a week.

QC I am completetly aware of how tabs work which is how I know they won't work on my boat the way I use it, I river fish, when stopped the tabs are down creating extra drag and increasing draft, both bad, yes I can flip them up buy constantly hanging over the back of the boat to flip them up down up down doesn't sound like something I want to do.

Its just everyone makes foils sound like they are evil and one of the worst things ever created which they aren't, they have been around for years and they do work very well on certain boats as do tabs.

 

[nlain]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

As a person that has used both hydrofoil (Stingray) and Smart Tabs, Smart Tabs win hands down. I had the foil on my old boat, it did get on plane quicker, I used about a gallon of gas more per trip,(making the same trip every time), the boat would lean (list) to port extremely bad until I trimmed up, then it got a little better, I started having porpoise problems when trimmed up, when the sound would get rough you had to be real careful not to stuff the bow, I only ran at slow speed, you had to trim up to get the bow up so it did not stuff.

Smart Tabs on the current boat, on plane faster, low speed wander gone, speed faster at same rpm, handles the rough sound much better, I still don't run real fast but I can stay on plane in the rough water and trim the bow up or down for the ride, save about 1 1/2 gallons of fuel per trip, I used to drop off plane about 20 mph I now can stay on plane at 14 mph, no list problem, no porpoising, I never lift the tabs and I always back into the beach, they have been on the boat over two years and no problems with backing, they do everything as advertised. I have never had a problem when fishing in the river with them hanging on anything, now I do have and IO and it does not raise high enough to allow the tabs to hit, outboard could be different as they will raise out of the water. There a many bass boats that are running Smart Tabs with no problems and all of the gains and they get in some pretty thin water. If you have not used them you cannot pass judgment on them. I would not use a foil ever again. I am just a satisfied customer and do not work for Nauticus. Try it, you'll like it.

 

[tommays]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

The down side to my Doel fin is that it makes the boat a bit hard to turn right (no power stearing)

On the other had it does allow me to play with the drive trim to do some things like keep the bow were i need it as will give bow lift or push it down with motor trim


As most of my time is in pretty rough water there are just to many times a spring powered tab pushing down the bow would be BAD

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: Stingray Hydrofoil

Bhammer;

If you do not pick up about 2 MPH in top speed then make the pressure adjustment (less pressure). The boat should run faster with the tabs. Don't worry about the low end performance, you will get that anyway.