Thinking about adding a foil, what do you guys have to say about them?

**John800** · 09-20-2020, 09:58 AM

I picked up an older boat a couple weeks ago after looking for a long time for the right boat at the right price. It’s a 19 foot aluminum deep v with a fairly narrow 82”beam, made by spectrum which I have never heard of, and has a 2002 90 hp merc 2 stroke that runs great. We had it out yesterday for the first time and it seems to come out of the water ok for what it is and perform like I expected. It will be used for fishing, pulling myself and the kids skiing and tubing the most. I am thinking anything I can do to get it to plane sooner will be worth any small loss in top end from a foil, but I have never driven a boat with a foil. Are they helpful? Snake oil? Or justified for the right application like I suspect? Does anyone recomend a certain male or model over another?

**rock** · 09-20-2020, 11:11 AM

It will plane quicker and will stay on plane at a lower speed. Providing cavitation plate is above bottom of boat it will have no effect on top end.

Rock

**XstreamVking** · 09-20-2020, 11:14 AM

Can also bust the cav plate. Esp. the bobs true tracker since it is cast alum.

**keefallan** · 09-20-2020, 12:38 PM

You can make your own out of aluminum or stainless and save a few bucks. They absolutely work. Its usually out of the water once on a plane.

**kellytheaker** · 09-20-2020, 12:46 PM

If you can post a picture and show where the hull and cavitation plate sit at present it would further a better discussion in your favour sir . Setup will be seen better and further appreciation on it can be gained .

**LakeFever** · 09-20-2020, 01:57 PM

I was all set to do similar to this on my Merc but I’m since 50/50 on it. It looks to be the nicest looking one I’ve seen as well as light. I never heard bad about it

https://www.hydrostream.org/ArticleA...ationPlate.htm

**staylor** · 09-20-2020, 04:58 PM

I’ve run my last 2 aluminum boats with the bolt on SE300 plate which is made from some type of plastic. Both rigs were Starcraft SF176 17 degree v-hulls running 150 Mercs. The SE300 made hole shots a lot quicker, dropped minimum planing speeds from 22 mph to 17 mph. I run my engines raised up such that the foil does not drag in the water at planing speeds- so top end remained the same with or without the plates. The older rig ran the plate for the 11 years I owned it with no issues, the newer rig has been running the plate for 8 years with no issues. Every 5 years or so I check the 4 mounting bolts for tightness, and that’s all the maintenance I’ve done. No cracks or issues yet.
Doug

**John800** · 09-20-2020, 07:28 PM

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Here is what it looks like,guessing the motor should go up for best performance am I right? I will be mounting a side imaging transducer for a sonar which needs to see around the motor somehow. Maybe I am in the market for a jack plate or setback plate

**JPEROG** · 09-20-2020, 07:45 PM

Go right to Walmart and get the universal plastic whale tale. It will be worth doing and the plastic is flexible enough not to crack your cavitation plate. They work very well "especially for pulling the kids at slow speeds on tube or skiing. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Universal...-2839/11071180

Joe

**Capt.Insane-o** · 09-20-2020, 08:05 PM

They are absolute murder on stock rubber motor mounts.

**JPEROG** · 09-20-2020, 08:12 PM

I agree but he has a light low impact rig. Blow cycles at 30 mph are not we see-

Joe

**staylor** · 09-20-2020, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by John800

It

Here is what it looks like,guessing the motor should go up for best performance am I right? I will be mounting a side imaging transducer for a sonar which needs to see around the motor somehow. Maybe I am in the market for a jack plate or setback plate

My cav plate is around 3.5 inches above the bottom of the vee for a reference, I would suggest just raising the motor another 2-3 holes for a start. It looks like the Spectrum runs a shorter transom height compared to my Starcrafts.
Doug

**Capt.Insane-o** · 09-20-2020, 09:05 PM

90 horse I wouldn't touch a thing other than a better prop.

**JPEROG** · 09-20-2020, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Capt.Insane-o

90 horse I wouldn't touch a thing other than a better prop.

I agree, Laser 2 works really well. I have a bunch of them that we messed with on one of my sons boat projects. Let me know if you get to that point. Raising the motor a couple won't hurt anything and only take a minute.

Joe

**John800** · 09-21-2020, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by Capt.Insane-o

90 horse I wouldn't touch a thing other than a better prop.

A prop is on the list as well, I will have to install a tach and figure out what it needs
Would raising the motor affect how it planes and handles or just top speed? I have messed with boats a bit, but not a ton as far as setup and such. It seems to me like it would plane better with the motor a little higher, pushing forward rather than lift the bow out of the hole more than needed, but maybe it will not be noticable.