View Full Version : fins on an outboard
old town angler
05-02-2006, 09:07 PM
Has anybody used the hydrafoil fins that can be installed on the lower unit, I installed a set this weekend and want to know what people think of them, performance etc..
Tim Clinton
05-06-2006, 10:40 PM
I have them on my 9.9 smokercraft, and have been very happy with them. No complaints so far.
Tim Clinton
05-06-2006, 10:40 PM
I have them on my 9.9 smokercraft, and have been very happy with them. No complaints so far.
Buddie of mine put them on his boat last year, he has a 19ft roughneck with a 30hp on it. It helps a lot with getting on plane quicker and keeps the boat from dolphining (bouncing).
freeflow_23
05-08-2006, 11:42 AM
I have not personally used it on my boat but I would think the Hydrafoil would increase the trim response quite a bit. I also have heard that it allows you to plane quicker.
Bob H.
05-09-2006, 05:54 PM
I use the SE Sport 300. Third brand I've tried on the same boat. The Sport seems to work well the last 2 years. I wish these folks would use a common bolt arrangement.
POLECAT
05-09-2006, 08:08 PM
Different brands perform differently on most boats.
I tried a fin on one of my boats and it always kept the bow too much in the water.
The only way to know for sure if it will work to your satisfaction is to try one.
Thoroughbred
05-10-2006, 10:54 AM
Bob H. originally wrote:
I use the SE Sport 300. Third brand I've tried on the same boat. The Sport seems to work well the last 2 years. I wish these folks would use a common bolt arrangement.
Do you have to drill to mount it?
Harleycat
05-11-2006, 06:36 PM
Few years ago I put a 90 Mercury on an 18 Fiberglass Chincoteague Scow. At about 3500rpms the bow would start to porpose and if I tried to trim it down the bow would drop and it would begin to bow steer from side to side. I installed a Dolphin which allowed me better control over the trim of the boat and I could run the boat to 5500rpms no problem or slow it right down until it was barely on plane. It was stable all through it's rpm range. I guess you might say it stabilized the stern. Whatever, it paid off.
old town angler
05-11-2006, 07:29 PM
I installed the fin on my 19 ft center console with a 115 on the back. I will find out this weekend when I get the boat out on the river to check it out.
frayedknot
05-12-2006, 02:21 AM
Smart tabs [wink]
Bob H.
05-12-2006, 05:54 AM
Thoroughbred originally wrote:
Bob H. originally wrote:
I use the SE Sport 300. Third brand I've tried on the same boat. The Sport seems to work well the last 2 years. I wish these folks would use a common bolt arrangement.
Do you have to drill to mount it?
They all require drilling to mount. Typically 1/4" holes.
old town angler
05-13-2006, 07:07 PM
I got on plane quicker, was able to plane at slower speeds, weathered modest chop and boat wakes with alot more smoothness. I think these fins are a great improvement. The big test will be with a loaded boat on a trip fishing in the bay.
It took 10 minutes to install and are alot cheaper than trim tabs.
UBETRUN
05-21-2006, 10:28 PM
Whatever you do, don't put them on twin OBs!! I've always had great luck with them on single motors but on twins, the steering wheel developed a mind of its own. I can only imagine what the boat looked like from the side on plane, there couldn't have been more than a few inches of hull in the water :-)