Thread: Outboard motor hydrofoils

I love mine I can have 4 people in the back half of the boat with 90hp and have no problem running level also gets on plan much quicker when loaded.

My dad has a tracker with 40hp merc that wouldn't plain out for anything. He put one on and now it will plain but not a good as I would like it to be. It will probably help a little, but may not be worth the trouble.

I have a 75 i put one on last fall and i love it planes so much faster....Easy to install makes it a plus:D

Will these things help an underpowered (9.9 hp) 14' johnboat?

Originally Posted by Thumpers Kid

Does anyone use one and do they work? My backside is a little bigger than average and I have a 14' V-bottom jon boat with a 20hp longshaft outboard on the back. With my backside and all the weight of the motor and 2 batteries the bow comes WAY up when I'm heading down the lake by myself. I've looked at the hydrofoils (Doel-fin and Stingray) that claim to keep the bow down and wondered -- Do they work? They run $40-$50 and I'll have to drill holes in the motor to mount it. If they're not really worth it I don't want to drill a bunch of holes in my motor for nothing! Thanks!

The hydrofoil usually helps a boat to plane out quicker. If your bow is high on plane when by yourself I would try adjusting the motor down one pin position toward the transom. I'm assuming that your motor has this adjustment and that you are not already in the last pin adjustment at the transom. I have a hydrofoil on my engine and it works great on getting the boat out of the hole quicker. I still need to trim it out depending on the load in the boat however. The hydrofoil helps trim but is mostly for getting efficiency out of the prop to get on plane quicker.

i used a 14 ft aluma craft with a 20 horse johnson for 30 years before i wised up and got my present rig. i had one on the motor for years and loved it.

I used one on a 100hp before and loved it, I was not sure about my 20hp I have now. Thanks Rango, I will get one for it now!

I've gone to the lake in a bathing suit and stood knee deep in water for over an hour adjusting the pin. Everytime I would adjust it I would run it about 200 yards, come back, and try another hole. Even on the last hole the bow is still way too high. Most everyone here and on the main board seems to agree I should install one but what about the brand? Doel-fin, SE, or Stingray? I was thinking Stingray or SE simply because the Doel-fin is 2 pieces and it seems like it would be harder to get right when I mount it. Any suggestions?