hydro foil ?????

[ryrepsak]

I had my boat out for the first time this year, today. I had the outdrive off over the winter and I replaced the bellows and greased the u joints. I also installed A String Ray hydro foil on the outdrive. My boat is a 1986 Sea Sprite 185 with a OMC 4.3L v-6. It started right up and ran great but when i got up to speed the boat was riding to one side. Like if there was a bunch of people on one side of the boat but there wasint. So I think its the hydro foil that is making the left side of the boat much lower then the right side. It never rode like that when there was no hydro foil on. Or maybe I got a defective product. Has this happened to anybody but me.

 

[Dunaruna]

Re: hydro foil ?????

Did you have a slight lean before you fitted it? I believe that foils amplify a pre-existing lean.<br /><br />Or maybe it's not perfectly horizontal?<br /><br />I had the same problem, fixed it by adjusting the little rudder slightly.<br /><br />Aldo

 

[proline2550]

Re: hydro foil ?????

did you change the zinc above the prop (trim tab zinc) this can dramaticaly change the handling characteristics of your steering. If you have a manual, check the proper way of setting the direction of this tab. It sounds crazy but it makes a difference.

 

[craze1cars]

Re: hydro foil ?????

It's very easy to install the foil crooked, and that would definitely cause what you're talking about. Hope you didn't do that since once you've drilled your holes it's almost impossible to just "move" them a little bit...suppose you can slot the holes a bit.

 

[MGallik]

Re: hydro foil ?????

If you're not trimmed up enough you will also lean.

 

[ryrepsak]

Re: hydro foil ?????

thinks for the ideas guys. My boat was level when the hydro foil was not on. When i installed it it looks level but if the boat is leaning to the left then do i raise the left side of the foil up? Or do i turn it one way or the other? I did not move the trim tab zinc but maybe with the foil on its making the zinc more affective or less affective? Anymore ideas?

 

[Jimmie.jazz]

Re: hydro foil ?????

I took off the hydrofoil that was on the boat I bought and I'm going to be selling it on ebay. I had the same problem and it was being caused by the hydrofoil. The real solution seems to be trim tabs, but now, without the hydrofoil, the boat handles SO much better that I don't really need them at all.

 

[ryrepsak]

Re: hydro foil ?????

When i go out to the lake agian soon, i will shim one side up and see if that helps. If i can not figure it out i just going to return it. thanks for all the help

 

[rybad]

Re: hydro foil ?????

Why dont you take the hydrofoil off, and see if the problem still exists??<br /><br />Also, (just a possibility) water in the bilge, or uneven ballast on board??

 

[craze1cars]

Re: hydro foil ?????

I have to agree that shimming one side of the foil is not an alternative I'd be willing to consider. It'll force all four mounting screws crooked which increases stress on the anit-ventilation plate and increases likelihood of breaking it. It's also a band-aid solution for another problem that needs to be identified.<br /><br />First take a good careful look at it to make sure it's installed straight. I know on my StingRay foil I had to take careful measurements and recheck often while drilling the holes...that particular foil would be VERY easy to install a little bit crooked as it has no provisions for centering itself.<br /><br />I'd also certainly agree with experimenting with moving the trim tab...correcting a boat list is one of the main purposes of this tab.<br /><br />In the end, don't forget that it's just a $50 part of questionable benefit for most boats...I'd remove it and throw it out or Ebay it (both options I'm considering, as I also just bought one of these and am not yet sold it's a great product for my boat) before I tried to force it to work by shimming it uneven or working too hard at it.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: hydro foil ?????

Ive had hydrofoils on two boats I have had, Both outboards. They did what they claim to do. However, I now have Smart tabs and I would never go back to a Hydrofoil again no matter what.<br /><br />I have a personal feeling about these Hydrofoils on I/Os, I do not think they ever actually get out of the water and they cause several issues, one you have found yourself, not to mention slowing your boat down. I think they work better on outboards as you can adjust your engine so they run out of the water when WOT. Im sure that there are certain applications where they work ok on I/Os, but I believe them to be far between.

 

[Jdeagro]

Re: hydro foil ?????

It is most likely that the hydrofoil is lifting the stern too much (and pushing the bow down) once the boat reaches higher speeds. This is typically why they will cause a slow down in top speed. Unlike a boat with and OB where the motor can be raised to a point where the foil is above water at higher speeds, the I/O is fixed.<br /><br />In this case it seems that the foil is exaggerating the torque list by moving the extra stern lift to the center of the boat. This reduces the port to starboard stability, and induces a torque list. As I have said before the foil is creating a teeter totter effect by raising the boat from the center line.<br /><br />Any additional planing device should be place on both sides of the transom to maintain lateral balance and stability. Obviously if the foil is installed incorrectly these conditions can add to the handling problems.

 

[BigPoppaG]

Re: hydro foil ?????

I have sting ray hydro foils on mine. Works like a champ. Let us know when you figure out the problem. Who knows...could happen to me later.

 

[tommays]

Re: hydro foil ?????

mine works well but i do no that my plate is out of the water at speed i can see were if the foil did not get on top of the water it would cause all kinds of problems<br /><br />tommays

 

[craze1cars]

Re: hydro foil ?????

Originally posted by nautiJohn:<br /> In this case it seems that the foil is exaggerating the torque list by moving the extra stern lift to the center of the boat. This reduces the port to starboard stability, and induces a torque list. As I have said before the foil is creating a teeter totter effect by raising the boat from the center line.

This makes a lot of logical sense...I'd think that if this was the problem it could be identified by trimming the motor up further, which would cause the foil and prop to suck the back of the boat back down and level the boat out. Might be worth trying as an experiment.<br /><br />It certainly wouldn't be the most efficient way to run the boat, but at least it would identify the cause of your list problem.