Hydrofoil - 40hp Etec

[Twoshoes]

I bought a SE Sports 200 Hydrofoil for my etec today and when I went to check it out and line it up I noticed that I'd have to drill through the cavplate (this is OK) but also through this turnable miniature rudder (can't explain it sorry) that's underneath the middle of the cavplate.

Has anyone does this and is that the standard way? I can't put trim tabs as I have a rear step on one side of my boat. The only other option is the drill-less mounting kit for the hydrofoil but that's another $100 or more.

Thanks in advance,
Luke

[Hazell]

Drilling through the plates is no worries but you'd want to seal the metal afterwards with something.

Does drilling the 4 holes in the SE foil mean drilling through the trim tab?? If so, I'd go the extra $100 rather than drilling through that!!

Different foil but maybe this helps:
http://bayfishers.com/Tutorials.htm

[Twoshoes]

Thanks Hazell, that tutorial is exactly what I was looking at. My foil has pre-drilled holes and rubber washers too.

Really appreciate the response,
Luke

[Brad Y]

Is there any reason why you need the hydrofoil? Often re configuring the prop or engine height is enough to make the hydrofoil pretty much do nothing but add drag. Of course if your running a long and heavy boat and the 40 is on the low side of the engine rating for that boat then it could be of use. But no way I would be drilling holes in any outboard anymore. Did it once but not again.

[Hazell]

No problem. As Brad says, try to avoid drilling. $100 is a good investment on your outboards health. Consider the corrosion of those holes and other crevices that will be hard to remove salt from. It means you can install and uninstall your foil quickly to suit your needs or even for a thorough clean if you'll be off the water for a while.

I had a foil on my poly when I bought it but found that dropping the leg by one notch did the same thing and was actually a little faster. However, it did take a little longer to get on the plane after that so it depends on the boat.

[Twoshoes]

Thanks for the replies Brad and Hazell.

The foil is to pretty much improve the bottom end planing speed as I spend a lot of my time in 6kt zones and it sits ass heavy with me at the console. Top speed isn't an issue as it's powered to the maximum hull rating.

I'd really like to avoid the drilling and might look at importing the no drill kit from the states as they're about half the price.

I'll also look into getting someone to check out the engine height as I know it's propped right.

Thanks again,
Luke

[Brad Y]

Luke

Its a bugger being in the 5 knot and 8 knot zones over here as it puts out so much more wake and uses more fuel often than just sitting past planing speed. 5 knots is really bad and I found in most boats 8 knots is right at the point where it starts to want to plane so your constantly on and off the throttle.

I used to have a 3.95m stessco v nose with a 30 merc tiller steer. I put a foil on that and I shouldnt have. It made the boat porpoise and I had to run it on a trim setting that made the whole thing look very counterproductive. The only positive I had was I could get a little more load up on the plane, but a change in prop would have done that anyway.

Next boat was a tracker bass boat and with the standard 3 blade prop it was pretty average for getting up on the plane. Slow, boggy and hard to get up. Once I put a 4 blade solas ally prop on there that had a fair bit of cupping too, the ability of the boat to pop up and go was brilliant. Also running around under 8 knots I was using less revs for more speed and it just seemed really good all round. Best of all with that prop, I was able to raise my outboard without getting cavitation on corners and a couple of knots top end speed increase.

Food for thought- If I ever had to put a foil on now, it would be one of the lazer style ones and it would be after I tried a few props and such on it. 4 blades are a great prop design and supposed to assist in stern lift. Maybe its worth an email to your local solas stockist?