Hydrofoil Stabilizer

[fanman]

would a Hydrofoil stabilizer help me out on a 6 horse outboard?

 

[redbug]

had one on a 15 hp and it helped.. but i don't know about a six hp.
but for around $30 might be worth a try

 

[Quackrstackr]

That probably depends on what you are expecting it to do.

 

[Kobie]

What exactly makes you think you need a hydrofoil? What type of boat are you running? We need more info in order to answer your question properly.

 

[fanman]

I have a 14 ft Semi v bottom Sears Boat, with a 6 hp seahorse Johnson. it will not plane out (get out of the hole I guess you would say)and I was wanting to know if there was a way to get it there with what i got?

My prop is a 2 blade and I have no Idea what pitch?

when the motor is full throtle it feels like its close to being able to plane out but just wont quite get there.

 

[Captain Ahab]

Your money would be better spent on a new prop! Get a three blade that has a little more "bite"

 

[eezerz]

I also have been wondering about the performance of the hydrofoil. They make a Jr. version rated for 1/2hp-40hp motors. I do think it would help, and they claim it does or your $$$$ Back... I have looked closely at some. I have 12' aluminum semi with a merc 9.8 3 blade prop, and the boat just barely gets up on plane. It also see-saws in slightly choppy water, the hydrofoil will take some of that away and stabilize the boat, and is supposed to bring the bow down or stern up, however you want to look at it... Great for when you're movin' but probably won't make a difference when trolling. The only thing I don't like in the design is that most of them need to be bolted to the cavitation plate by drilling 4 holes. What happens if you hit something because you now have a larger cavitation plate(and you will hit something). The drilling of the cavitation plate I think will weaken it causing hairline cracks. And when that sucker breaks off "YOUR SCREWD".
This is the only thing preventing me from buying a hydrfoil. If it mounted differntly, I'd be sold. Moving things around in the boat will also make it plane differently.

Fanman, I think it would help, but maybe only a tiny bit, you have a 6hp on a 14' boat, it'll never get up and go, that motor would barely get an 8' boat on plane. It's a trolling motor and that's it. I'm sure a hydrofoil performs best when the boat is more properly matched to the motor or visa-versa.
Anyways blah blah. Unless I can find a GOOD clamp on style, I'm not willing to risk damaging the leg...
hope this helped a bit
:wink:
BTW: It also helps when the cavitation plate is completely level with the bottom of the boat. adjusting your motor to this is key...so I've been told

 

[redbug]

The jr model is made of a heavy gauge plastic if you hit something it will break before your cavitation plate.
I had one on my 15' with a 15hp Yamaha and it made a BIG difference.

 

[crazymanme2]

Fanman, have you tried to move your tilt adjustment for your motor down 1 or 2 holes?Bring the bottom of the motor closer
to the transom.Where is your cavitation plate in relation to the bottom of your boat?

 

[albright1695]

Just my .02. My first outboard was a Johnson seahorse 9.5 with a 2 blade prop on a 14 ft sears v-hull.No idea what pitch. The hydrofoil helped mine level off after it was installed.It pulled the bow down a great deal at full throttle.I sold that boat and bought my polar kraft 16 ft bass boat with a 45 hp mariner and used the same hydrofoil on it. The hydrofoil was rated for up to 50 hp,I think and there wasnt a huge change but I could still tell a difference after I installed it on this motor. I have not noticed any hairline cracks from drilling but not saying it wont cause cracks.

My opinion buy and try but keep the receipt!

 

[riverbronzeback]

I put one on my 18hp johnson cause part of the cavitation plate was broke off. On my decked 14ft Smokercraft jon it made me lose top speed. It did seem to pull the front down some but i was not willing to sacrifice top speed cause im fighting current on the river going home. It did seem to stabilize the boat when traveling in choppy water. Personaly dont thing you would do anything but actually lose some top end with your 6hp johnson. More drag in the water. I had the same 6hp and a 9.5 johnson and the 9.5 would come close to planing when i would sit in the middle the extension handle. Just my thoughts....

 

[damifinowfish]

I put one on my rig
1992 alumacraft 14.5 fishermen ( deep V)
20 hp evinrude (tiler)

It was like night and day after the hydrofoil was installed
pick one up at walmart

Before with the motor all the way down at full speed I could not see over the bow
Now It planes when we fish out of it.
Weight it down for a duck hunting trip It will not plane all that great.
I think My motor is undersized to push all that weight.
The boat even sets high in the water with all that gear and three hunters

Hope that helps

it might be under powered to get up on plane

damifinow fish

 

[caveman]

I am looking at puting one on my merc. 25 hp bass pro has one that bolts on no drilling.Not sure of price but will look up and post later.