Bass boat won't get on plane... hydrofoil?

[forgiven]

I have a 1993 17' Tracker Nitro Bass boat with a 1993 115 HP Evenrude on the back.

When the live wells are full and I have two people (including myself) in the boat I can't get the boat up on plane. I have to have my passanger get up front until the boat comes out of of the hole.

Gets up on plane fine with the live wells empty.

Rather than trying a bunch of different props I was thinking about trying one of those hydrofoil stabilizers like the Sting Ray, SE Sport 300 and etc to give me that little bit of extra lift to get out of the hole and get on plane.

I'm kinda leery about drilling holes in my cavitatiuon plate but I have read were some folks have had the "no-drill" models fall off.

Anybody using one of these? Pros? Cons? Opinions?

Any help will be appreciated!
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[Tarponjim]

If it won't come out of the hole trimmed all the way down, then a stabilizer fin won't help. They are more for better performance once the boat is already on plane, such as reducing/eliminating porpoising. Its probably not propped right, and that's important and comes before a fin. Trim tabs would be next.

I have a Sting Ray on one of my boats, and it only helps with porpoising, not hole shot.
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[gdn443]

What tarponjim says makes sense. My buddy has a 18ft skeeter with a 115 yama and we never have a problem getting to plane with the tanks full.
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[forgiven]

Yeah I got the motor down and tucked slightly in. I agree a different prop would do the trick. The trick is selecting the right one. From the ads and some of the reviews I was under the impression these fins would help with hole shot.
Must just be hype eh?

[#000000][size 4]SE Sport 300 Hydrofoil[/size][/#000000]Engineered of a high-strength copolymer,SE Sport Series Hydrofoils have been the leader in performance for 10 years running. The compact design produces less resistance, improved thrust and greater top-end speed. The crescent-shaped planing surface [#ff0000]promotes ultrafast hole shots[/#ff0000] while practically eliminating porpoising and cavitation. The Sport also keeps your boat on plane at lower speeds for better gas mileage and a smoother ride while towing a skier or tube.


Sting Ray XRIII Hydrofoil Stabilizer

The Sting Ray XRIII is designed with a new sleeker hydrodynamic profile for the [#ff0000]fastest hole shot yet[/#ff0000]. This unique design mirrors the tunnel-prop technology of offshore superboats. By capturing the prop wash, the XRIII harnesses its power for added thrust. Youll enjoy better performance and greater fuel savings. The XRIII also utilizes a vice-block 3-point locking system for easy no-drill installation. No more measuring. No more templates. No more damage to your engine.
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[Tarpon4me]

Well, i'm not necessarily going to disagree with Greg and Jim, but humbly say it depends; in regards to the hydro foil helping you get on plane. It's definately not going to make it worse. I think it really depends on the boat. On a smaller, lighter boat, they will definately help the boat jump on plane quicker. On your application, i'm not so sure. Since it's a tad bit older boat, it's probably pretty heavy, so it's hard to say.

Like already mentioned, i'd get the boat set up with the appropriate prop, as that will make a huge difference in performance. Also, just out of curiosity, what size motor is that boat rated for?

The tabs will definately fix the issue, but I think that's over kill. I don't bass fish, and have never had an actual bass boat, but I don't see the point of tabs on a bass boat, honestly. I've always had them on my saltwater boats, but never had a need on a freshwater rig. If your boat is powered properly(not too big/heavy of a motor), and has the right prop on it, it should be jumping on plane fine.

My buddy has a 21' Hydrasport Center Console we fish out of regularly. Well, he repowered the boat with a newer Yamaha 200 4 stroke. The boat is rated for a 200 hp motor, but 2 stroke. The 4 stroke is bigger and heavier, and causes the boat to drift pretty bad at low speeds (making live bait trolling a complete pill), handles rough seas poorly(because the motor drags the back of the boat down into the swell), and makes the boat difficult to get on plane at times, depending on weight distribution. This is with the appropriate prop and tabs. He has a buddy with the same boat, but a 150 Yamaha 4 stroke. It's like a totally different boat. Handles the seas 10X better, gets better fuel mileage, it's faster and jumps on plane easily, and it tracks beautifully at low RPM's.
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[Paulpro]

maybe you have to lower your motor a bit?Check the level.its good to have it a bit lower if you are having trouble.Lower it till the cavitation plate is 3/4 to a 1" under the bottom of your boat, should be good[] ,let us know
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[forgiven]

I'll measure it tonight.
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[elkmagnet]

I just stumbled across you're post and thought I would put in my .02c I am no expert but from what I have read your money would be well spent trying to get it proped correctly.
Have you tried searching bass boat central they have lots of good boat setup info. Ask at local boat shops there are a few guys that really know how to setup a bass boat if you can talk to one he will probably be able to tell you off the top of his head how much pitch to change. My guess is you are so close that even a small change in pitch will at lest get you on plain.
Do you know what pitch you are running now?
Is it the factory prop? 3blade?
Whats your top speed on GPS? Does it struggle to go from "on plane" to "top speed"?
Can you get it close to Max rated rpm at top speed?

Its amazing the difference you will see in all performance areas when you get it proped right.

Have you made it out lately, any luck?
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[forgiven]

Thanks for the info elkmagnet.

I ended up putting on a Cobra Marine stainless steel plate like the one in the picture I have attached. It works great & I love it!

I can get on plane easily with a full gas tank, live well., two peple and all our gear including lunch! It just pops right up!

I can get now even get on plane at a much lower speed with very little bow rise. No loss of top end speed.

I like it so much I will most likely put one on my next boat.
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[elkmagnet]

Wow it surprises me that it made that much of a difference. I'm glad it worked out as you thought.
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[forgiven]

[quote elkmagnet]Wow it surprises me that it made that much of a difference. I'm glad it worked out as you thought.[/quote]

I'm suprised as well. I was not expecting it to work as well as it does. I found nothing but great reviews about this particular plate and you can order it through Cabelas so that is why I chose it.
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[Paulpro]

were you in a white out?I'm glad you got it resolved although I was hoping to see some nice scenery with your photo..?To make up for it and not dissapoint . I'll post a vid of my buddy getting off and then back on plane plus nice scenery.the magic hour ...enjoy

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[#0066cc]0:59[/#0066cc]
[url "http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=meJBPH4aJgY"]Alfred off and back on plane[/url] Paulpro now in HD for your viewing pleasure P.S.This was the night before the super moon..ENJOY!

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[forgiven]

Paul, that's the picture from the Cabelas website.
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[kokeking]

Does this bolt on to the cav plate? I have the se300 on my boat now,but this looks like it would work better,with less drag.
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[forgiven]

It bolts up under the cav plate, The picture does not show the bolts.
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[Paulpro]

Nearly perfect..yet forgiven! happy boating!

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One mans boat is another mans dream.. Pauly
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[kokeking]

thanks, I wonder how close the bolt pattern is between the two,,,,,,,, I just might have to order this and give it a try...
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[forgiven]

It uses six bolts, three on each side. chances are the holes don't match with your old foil. You might want to fill the old holes with JB weld or something.

Here is a link to the Cobra Marine website for the specfications:

[url "http://www.cobramarine.com/"]http://www.cobramarine.com/[/url]


They have different sizes for different size motors. they make them out of different materials too. Glavanized steel, aluminum and Stainless Steel.



Mine is like this one below.; polished stainless steel. you can get them painted white, black or charcoal. It is the "Edge Pro" for the bigger motors.



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[kokeking]

Thanks for the info. Looking at the pics,I'm thinking that i would have to fill in the holes with JB weld. Then start over with the new stabilizer.
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