Just bought a 16′ lowe deep-V with a 60hp four stroke mercury. It seems to take a while to plane out and get the bow down. I’m a little hesitant about drilling holes in the motor for a hydrofoil, but I’m sure i could overcome it if helped enough. I plan on trying some different props first, but for $50 those foils are tempting. I know about the bennefits, but what are the drawbacks.
From my experience more often than not these hydrofoils do little to improve holeshot and I would look to fix the problem with a prop change.
I put one on my boat. Can’t notice a difference. Try a different prop like James stated.
my parents have one on the boat it only has a 25 hp motor on it. I dont know what it was like before but it planes nicely now. must of been a reason he put it on.
I’m going to throw in a vote in favor of the Hydrofoil.
Bought my first one with a 16-1/2′ alumacraft pushed by a 30hp Johnson. That one didn’t seem to make a major difference.
My second boat was another 16-1/2″ alumacraft. Wider beam and 50hp Mercury with a stingray hydrofoil which did seem to make a difference. Both on hole shot and top end. Although, I would not call it a major difference.
My current boat is a 18″ lund pro-v with a 175 envinrude on the back and again a stingray hydrofoil. Hole shot is much improved. Especially when the boat is loaded down and the back livewell is filled with water. Top end went up 4-6mph depending again on how loaded down the boat was.
I’m assuming that my gas mileage also increased, but it would be very hard for me to say how much.
Anyway, my feeling is that they can make a difference. I would agree though that its always better to get the right prop on your boat first and go from there.
JWB
A hydrofoil should also let you trim the front down farther. That is the biggest reason I use one.
MY SmokerCraft will not plane out at high speeds without one and it definately comes out of the water faster when I have a load in the boat. At high speeds without it, I bounce so easy that I have to dig into the water to cut it out . With the Fins , it runs excellent. I VOTE YES> FF
thanks for the input guys. as far as props go, its sounds like a four blade’s only downfall is the top speed, and everything else improves. does that sound right?
A 4 blade prop can help improve bow-lift and holeshot but will not typically be as fast as a 3 blade prop.
3 for 3 on Hydrofoils helping with hole shot……I would highly recomend one…..
Hydrofoils also will keep your boat on plane while cornering, if you add the two little guides that attach on each side it will give you a power stearing effect. On my boats over the years hydrofoil have always added value to my preformance versus done nothing or made it worse…
I had a Stingray on my boat, while it did what it was supposed to it did its job just a little to well one afternoon. Its meant to keep the bow down while getting on plane, while this is good in calmer waters it can be bad in rough water when you need the bow up fast to break waves. After taking on a couple hundred gallons and almost swamping my prized possession It is no longer on my boat. Theres good and bad with these while I know my buddys flatbottom NEEDS one my boat does just fine without one.
FYI I run a 175 Alumacraft Trophy with a 70 Evenrude.
Another vote yes for the hydrofoil. Especially on tiller boats. My tiller Lund was awfull trying to get up on plane in skinny water I couldn`t. Put the hydro foil on if the scag isn`t dragging I can get up on plane instead of idling to deeper water.
Rough water isn`t an issue with a hydrofoil if you hit the trim button as soon as you hit the throttle. Or just don`t trim all the way down and ease in the throttle.
My boat porpoises very badly at top speed. It settles down at about 3/4 throttle. Not sure if this is a loading/balance problem or what, but even with the motor trimmed all the way down on glass-smooth water, it’s boing, boing, boing.
Will a foil stabilize that?
Gianni
What type of boat and setup?
I have 1650 Crestliner did the same thing when I upgraded to 90HP motor. Added the hydrofoil (it is a little painfull drilling in a $6000 motor) and porposing was gone, gone, gone…
I had one on my 14′ SC Princecraft. It worked perfectly for like someone else said in “skinny” water like the Chippewa River where I fished. On my new 16′ Explorer I don’t feel I need one at all. The boat gets on plane right away…So if “you” think you need one use it. If not then don’t. I think you know your boat best and what will help it. 
Do they even make a 4 blade prop for a 60 hp motor?
You may just need a smaller pitched prop.(3 blade)
I needed a smaller pitched prop and a hydrofoil on my boat to get it to plain out with a full load and 3 guys.
Change the prop pitch I went thru three different pitches before I found the right one for my likes. Now I jump right on plane without to much bow lift at all and my top end speed went up about 3 to 5 m.p.h. according to GPS..
My old boat had a hydrofoil and I did not care for it at all and never did see why the owner before me even installed it since the boat was rated for a 75 horse and he put a 115 on it. Alot of motor for a 15 foot boat that moved about 90 accross the water but everynight left on the dock I would find it sunk the next day. Fixed that problem in a quick hurry.
YES
YES! I had a Alumacraft LunkerSS 16′ 40HP tiller without T&T. No matter what hole I had the motor on it was a real porpoise craft at wide open. The Stingray fin fixed it instantly!
Now I have a 1660 ProV with a 60 tiller and a new problem. I can’t get the front end out of the water when fishing with one of my bigger buddies. I have 2 batteries a trolling motor another tacklebox a livewell and a big dude in front I just plow along.
I picked up another Stingray and it really helps pry the front end out of the water now. No difference on top end with GPS and holeshot depends on how you trim it.
Get one and if you don’t like it there are only four 1/4″ holes to bondo and paint and you’ll never know it was there.
Ferny
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