Hydrofoils

[tommygun23]

I got a 16ft Lund Mr. Pike with a 45hp Mariner. The boat is equipped with tabs as well as a hydrofoil. What are the benefits of the hydrofoil and is it worth keeping on? The boat max's at about 20-22mph which seems a little slow but I could be overthinking it.

 

[raider]

my advice... enjoy it...

with a 45 on a 16', you are where you're gonna be... the foil will take away your bow bounce (porpoising) and little else...

good luck...

 

[Wild and Free]

From all I have read over the years the foils are very overhyped with little benefit in most cases.

 

[Fishmission]

I've had two 16 footers with mariner 40 magnums. First one ran great without. Second one had a foil on it. I took it off after running it a few times. Seems I had a little more speed and a little more bow bounce but trimmed down a bit and that went away

 

[tommygun23]

Would changing the prop at all help speed or is it not worth it?

 

[sl1000794]

Engine performance is not about speed, but about rpm's. If your engine is operating within the top 5 to 10% of its red line rpm, you're propeller is correct. In other words if your red line is 5500 rpm's and you get to 5000 to 5300 rpm's at wot trimmed up to the max, you're propeller is correct.

Steve.

 

[Traxion]

Do you have a tach? That is really the only place to start when talking about props.

I am not a fan of foils. That said, on my boat it makes a big difference in low speed planning and porposing. I've moved the motor up/down, go through a lot of props, and the best performance comes from the right prop and the foil. My boat is extremely stern heavy and I believe that is what causes me the most issue. All that weight in the back makes the setup hard.

All you can do is try it with or without. Might be better or worse. I would always count on a foil being a touch slower but planning speed should be lower too. Trade offs....

 

[tommygun23]

I do not have a tach and whats a guy gotta do to rig one up?

 

[Davy Crockett]

Is there anything wrong with porpoising ? I have a 16' Mr Pike with a 50 merc. I like to play with my trim till I get a little hull bounce , It makes me feel like I am going fast.

 

[raider]

Is there anything wrong with porpoising ? I have a 16' Mr Pike with a 50 merc. I like to play with my trim till I get a little hull bounce , It makes me feel like I am going fast.

it's fine till a guy with a 35 hauls ass past you...

 

[camoman]

it's fine till a guy with a 35 hauls ass past you...

And that it's super annoying to be able to see ahead of you one second and then not, a now you see it now you don't type of deal.

 

[Davy Crockett]

I'm lucky to get a six inches or a foot of buck at steady throttle. I have to work the troddle cable to really make her buck.

 

[DirtyMike]

I get a little porpoising if I trim up to far but it's gone if I just trim down. With three guys in the boat, I hit 5300 rpms on my Yamaha f80. By myself, 5600. But, I'd like a stainless prop eventually.

 

[eyexer]

I got a 16ft Lund Mr. Pike with a 45hp Mariner. The boat is equipped with tabs as well as a hydrofoil. What are the benefits of the hydrofoil and is it worth keeping on? The boat max's at about 20-22mph which seems a little slow but I could be overthinking it.

what pitch prop do you have on it?

- - - Updated - - -

shouldn't need both a hydrofoil and tabs. one or the other should suffice. they do reduce speed.

 

[sierra1995]

They do slow you down, but for i really like being able to be on plane at 10-15 MPH, especially when running the river for the first time in the spring. Even more so in a tiller, so you can see where you are going. Every boat i've had, I put a foil on it for that reason, but i'm not a speed demon.

 

[Migrator Man]

A foil helped my mr pike get on plane faster. No difference in speed. It was not a speed demon either as 21 tops in a empty boat with a 25 hp

 

[PrairieGhost]

Like someone else mentioned I am stern heavy. I have a 130 Honda on a 1750 Adventure Fisherman. I could not trim out very well without a foil. With the motor all the way down the front end was still high and bouncy. The foil solved that and also reduced distance it takes to get up on plane by 75%. For me it isn't even a choice I have to have it.

 

[tommygun23]

My Mr. Pike is finished out too so that probably adds some extra weight as far as speed reduction.