hydrofoils - which one

[Jeremy]

My rig is a 4.3 m Stessl centre console tinny with a 30 hp yamaha. It goes great in smooth conditions, but uses alot more fuel in choppy seas. I also find it rides nose up in a following sea when I'm spending alot of time on the back of swells. Fuel usage is also much greater with another person on board.

I am considering putting a foil on the motor, mainly to improve fuel economy. I get up to 4km per litre in smooth seas by myself, and as little as 1.5 km per litre in rougher conditions. Cruising speed in 15 - 20 knots tops.

Anyway, just wanted to ask if anyone can recommend a particular type or brand of foil from personal experience?

Cheers,

Jeremy

[Jack_Lives_Here]

Jeremy,

I've used the "Stingray" foils on my last 3 motors and can't complain. Had to put one on the new rig 50hp Yammy 4 stroke on the back - it wanted to porpoise when around about 3/4 throttle.
I think from memory they are about $115. Easy to fit and does all the things a foil is supposed to do. There are probably better / worse on the market but I stuck with what I knew worked.

All the best
Dave

[craigie]

I've put one of those Stingray Foils on my 40HP Mariner to stop the Porpoising problem as well. The boat levels out just beautifully now when I kick it in the guts. I've found the only problem with it is that I have lost about 10km/per hour off my top end speed. The boat now gets overtaken by 12 footers with 25's on the back !!! Arr well, ya get that !!!

[shawn]

I also have a stingray on my 50 hp honda and it is very good . I have gained about 6 km per hour with it and have no porpoising problems. If the boat is slower with the hydrofoil on it , check the height of the motor because the foil should be on top of the water, when you are on the plane. :)

[Fitzy]

Hey Shawn,
Talking about that 50 Honda, when is ya rig going to be back on the water. I've seen 50 footers get over hauled quicker than EdgeCracker 1. :-*

[Smithy]

Jeremy,

Gone down a heap of pages and there is another thread on this. Check it out for my opinion. Get a Lazilas foil. Check it out in this picture. You would have seen it the other weekend.

Smithy

[Jeremy]

Thanks Smithy - I found the previous thread you mentioned and read the posts. Are the Lazilus foils easy to get a hold of? I haven't heard of that name before.

There is also a mob call Solas propellors at Maroochydore who make stainless steel foild for %65 for <35 hp. Has anyone heard anything good or bad about them?

Jeremy

[Fitzy]

Hi Jeremy,
I had one of the Solas made foils on my 70 Evinrude for a spell. I found it to do the job effectively. I didn't like the slits in the back when weed used to wedge in there & create drag.
In regard to the string in general, I've had various brands but can't remember most of their names. Some slowed my boats downbut they all helped jumping out of the hole & reduce porpoising to some degree.

I think it all depends upon the combination of your hull, motor & the weight ditrsibution inside.

Cheers,

Fitzy..

[Goodoogetter]

Jeremy,
Not real sure, but the foil in the picture looks like the foil I have fitted to a 15 hp Mariner and there mention of the brand name Lazilas, anyhow I checked mine out and it is a "Lalizas LZ Hydrofoil"
It is a two peice gull wing configeration and angle of sweep back can be adjusted to fine tune it to your needs.
They come in two sizes to suit different motor HPs, I find mine works well lifting the stern quickly and when powering off settling the stern gently back down with no wash coming over the back.
The best part was the price, around $25.00 for the small one, $35.00 for the large, Now the bad part car'nt remember the dealer, got mine on the Sunshine Coast coming back from a fishing trip, but I also think I have seen them at Water skiers Warehouse Toowoomba.
Cheers Howard,
The Goodoogetter

[shawn]

Hi Fitzy , I hope to have the boat back on the water at Easter . I had a stainless steel foil before the stingray, on my boat the stingray is better. It gives better lift and you can trim the motor out futher, so you go faster.

shawn ::)

[Jeremy]

Bought a Lazilus foil the other day for $32 and will install it on the weekend. I'll let you know how it goes after I have given it a few runs.

Jeremy

[davo]

Lalizas foils are available from Whitworth's Marine Supplies.
I just got one for my mate at Leisure Marine on special for $20. They look strong enough.

I've got both the large and the small Stingrays and they are great, but 2 other guys at work have the Lalizas and say the same.

For the money I'd give them a go. By the way there is a new model out for larger outboards.

[Solarman]

Jeremy,
I have a set of Ultra FX foils on my boat . They are about 8 years old and I can't remember the price but they weren't expensive. I like them because the boat comes onto the plane quickly and with little effort (no discernible hump). I think they would probably help with fuel consumption because the boat is not loaded up under acceleration as much. I had Stingray on the older motor and found they provided the same sort of benefit. I remember speaking to a bloke at the Donnybrook boat ramp one day and asked him about his (he spent a lot of time alone in the 11 ft tinny). He thought it was the best thing he'd ever done to his boat.
Hope this helps
Solarman