Does anyone have experience with the bolt on hydrofoils? I just re-powered my 16ft Crestliner, going from a old two stroke to a new 60hp tiller four stroke. It’s proped right, but I have that slower four stroke hole shot. The slower hole shot is not a big deal, but if a bolt on hydrofoil would help I might put one on.
Thanks.
You’ll hear two ways of thinking.
1. they don’t work and are not necessary. Some have tried them and they haven’t helped much at all.
2. they work awesome not only for hole shot but in top end speed and handling!
My experience with hydrofoils is they work incredible and they have helped 3 of my boats with greatly improved hole shots and handling. I also have friend who I debated against for years prove to me that the foil can add top end speed also!
Good luck I say go for it!… 
I have one on my 16’/60HP tiller. I was going to remove it, but I like being able to plane out at slow speeds. I run the river at night, and being able to keep the bow down at lower speed helps me to spot debris.
I’ve never run the boat without it, but based on the top speeds I am getting (34 with a light load), I don’t think it’d run any faster without it.
Yes, there are definitely boats that need no hydrofoil, that’s absolutely true.
It’s been a while since I needed one, but the boat I currently have up for sale, which is a 17 1/2′ Crestliner tiller with a 60 Merc 2 stroke on it, really needed the hydrofoil. When I installed it, I really noticed how much it helped the performance of that boat.
Along with James, I would definitely recommend the SE Sport foil over a Stingray. I’ve had porpoising problems with those Stingrays before, and I just believe that the SE Sports are better made, more durable products.
I’m guessing in your situation it will be more of a help than hurt.
I also have a Sport 300 and it does make a positive difference getting on plane. I sold my 115 Merc 2 stroke and replaced it with a 115 Merc 4 stroke. LOVE the motor. Not so much before the hydrofoil. I have a SS prop now and it planes my Lund 1750 Fisherman out very well. But when on plane, I trim the motor up to achieve max rpms and speed. When I do this, the hydrofoil is completely out of the water. So anyone wondering about additional drag at WOT needs to stop worrying IMHO.
I opted for the No-Holes-Bolt-On hydrofoil kit – works very well. It added $50 to the overall price, but leaves no holes in the cavitation plate. The kit and instructions looked a little daunting to me until I re-read the instructions and dry-fit the kit once. Then it went together in 10 minutes. Whole thing was $130.00 + 20 minutes install. It does not have the hole shot of either a 2 or 4 stroke, but somewhere in between and that is OK with me.
I will let you know how it works out…
I’ve been reading James Holsts post & taking with IDO user flatfish. I picked up an SE 300 last week & just installed it last night. It was only $60.00. I’m taking it out on the water tonight to test it out..
Main reason I purchased it…
Used to have one & I broke it off backing it into stuff. Noticed porpoising since it broke off.
Hole shot performance not good since it broke off but might not be 100% fault of no foil. Current prop is a Raker 14 x 24 that has been refinished at least once. Might be time for a new prop.
The lighting, the glare and the angle makes it look like it is on crooked. It’s not. It was an easy install. In my case, my motor is a 1993 so I had no fears of drilling right into it. It came with a template. It was easy. Motor is a Johnson 175 on a 19′ bass boat.
I have excellent results with the Cobra Edge hydrofoils – they are the drill models but I used them on 3 different 250 HP Yamaha outboards and heard about them from the skeeter pros that were running them. Here’s a link where I purchased them – they have both a stailess steel and a black model to suit your needs. Check them out and make an informed decision!
Cobra Marine Professional Stabilizing Plate
-ted
Hey John,
Glad to see you got some tail 
on!
I echo all that is positive being said about the (SE Sport) foils. I run a 14 1/2 x 22 stainless 3 blade and before I put the foil on, this ride was a dog. John and I have the same 175hp motors, mine too is on a 19 foot glass, and since the foil it’s a whole new ride. GET ONE ON! 
I doubt you’ll ever regret it
Performance update on the foil… Last night I went out on the water. What a huge difference ! Instead of riding with nose up for a bit before finally getting on plane, the boat stayed horizontal and smoothly went onto plane. I am running 14 1/2 x 24 raker prop that has been refinished once. I noticed top speed with tournament load and full livewells was 54 mph. RPM was 4200 WOT. I don’t know if that is good. It was plenty fast for me…. anything more than 4200 RPM & I could feel the chine set in.
Thanks for all the great input guys!
The old Sting-Ray hydrofoil I have on my old Merc Mark10 (10 hp) works great. Helps plane out and level much better when I’m alone in the boat. It is just about out of the water at full speed.
It was originally installed on my old Chrysler, and I had to install when I replaced the motor. It definitely makes a big difference on my rig with the smaller motors. 
You would be surprised how fast my old rig can move powered by a 50 year old 10 hp motor…of course the boat itself is a ’61…
Shawn
Good to hear back John on how that went. I may not load as much as you but I can get between 4800 & 5k rpm before chine sets in…but probably more of the difference in boat hull design.
Glad to hear it worked out for you….great testimony for a ‘foil’ on a rig…
If anyone has ever doubted putting a ‘foil’ on their rig, like the commercial says, “just do it!”
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