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What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
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Author:  jman [ Sun Aug 29, 2010 3:29 am ]
Post subject:  What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Do they make any difference on how the boat peroforms, uses gas, etc...? Where would I get a set? Anyone have experience with them. Thanks.
Author:  Shawk [ Sun Aug 29, 2010 8:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Depends a little bit on the boat you have... Post your boat specs which will help a bit.

I have very little experience with the tabs so I'll leave that for others. If you have a 20'ish footer or less (which is what I always had prior to recently picking up our current boat) the hydrofoil works wonders for water sports. It was always the first thing I added to a boat when we brought something new home. It'll simply get your boat on plane quicker and keep you on plane better at lower speeds. Best money I spent on all my prior boats. I'm still investigating... but it doesn't sound like it'll improve our current boat much or it would already have one. I still may add one before next season... we'll see... :wink:
Author:  jman [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 1:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Shawk wrote:
Depends a little bit on the boat you have... Post your boat specs which will help a bit.

I have very little experience with the tabs so I'll leave that for others. If you have a 20'ish footer or less (which is what I always had prior to recently picking up our current boat) the hydrofoil works wonders for water sports. It was always the first thing I added to a boat when we brought something new home. It'll simply get your boat on plane quicker and keep you on plane better at lower speeds. Best money I spent on all my prior boats. I'm still investigating... but it doesn't sound like it'll improve our current boat much or it would already have one. I still may add one before next season... we'll see... :wink:


My boat is a 03 Horizon 180 with 4.3 Volvo SX-M outdrive. Where would I get these hydrofoil from and how much do they usually run?
Author:  Txjole2 [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 6:32 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Talk to your mechanic first, hydrofoils put ALOT of pressure on your outdrive that the manufacture didn't want there.
Author:  Jim_R [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 10:23 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Many who installed the Nauticus smart tabs rave about them:

http://www.nauticusinc.com/smart_tabsSX.htm

I also looked at the Volvo trim tabs:

http://vppneuapps.volvo.com/ww/QL/ql.asp

Trim tabs fell off my wish list becuase of the shape of the transom on my 200H:

Image

No flat surfaces!

As Txjole2 points out, hydrofoils mount to the outdrive and are not recommended for I/Os.

Image
Author:  Txjole2 [ Mon Aug 30, 2010 11:39 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Quote:
As Txjole2 points out, hydrofoils mount to the outdrive and are not recommended for I/Os.
Call Volvo and ask if you have a flat on your trailer if you should lift the boat with a jack by the prop. Pretty much what a hydrofoil does.
Author:  rbatterton [ Tue Aug 31, 2010 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
I've only ever seen them on outboards. Never on an I/O. We had a small 19' deck boat and the custom cav plate we purchased made the hole shot for skiers 100% better. It did affect the nimbleness of the boat when at speed however and you have to be easy on the throttle or you'll overrev due to propwash.
Author:  Jim_R [ Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
The nauticus solutions are attractive to me because they require no operator input once setup correctly. One aspect of them that I don't like is the solution for locking them up and out of place - strapping them up. This appears to be necessary for beaching, and I've always wondered how they impact handling when the drive is in reverse. Probably good to lock them up then too.

I understand the Volvo trim tabs function more like real trim tabs - complete operator control. Probably not something that'd be used when towing skiiers, wakeboarders, tubes etc., but very handy to adjust unbalanced loads. Like when all the ladies sit on one side and the fat guys on the other. Or, as happens frequently in my boat, when everyone decides they want to sit on the rear sunsport bench. I hate that, as it seems I no longer have enough bow down control. Unlike the Nuaticus smart tabs, the Volvo tabs recess completely, so it's like they're not even there anymore. Think I'd need some glass work for a good install of the Volvo tabs.

*edit - Whoops! Guess it's been some time since I looked at the Volvo tabs. They now have an optional automatic trim system. Basically, one manually attains the desired attitude and then presses a set button that remembers the attitude and autoadjusts for it. It has overrides for sharp cornering too. I can't figure out why, but part of this system - which can be retro-fitted to older Volvo trim tab units, is a GPS. They claim better gas milage and smoother ride, so maybe it auto adjusts for speed at given rpm? Very interesting!
Author:  Kvou812 [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:36 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Hmmm.. I've had hydrofoils on both of my boats with great success. I see them on the outboards of sterndrives all the time, and the hydrofoil manufacturers certainly market them for I/Os as well as outboards. Has anyone seen a lower drive failure because of one??
Author:  Txjole2 [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 9:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Kvou812 wrote:
Hmmm.. I've had hydrofoils on both of my boats with great success. I see them on the outboards of sterndrives all the time, and the hydrofoil manufacturers certainly market them for I/Os as well as outboards. Has anyone seen a lower drive failure because of one??

YEP, theres a reason they are not a factory option.
Author:  pet575 [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 11:14 am ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
jman, if you are planning on doing any wakeboarding at a level to where you will want to jump wakes and try tricks, the trim tabs will wreck the wake. Just an FYI.
Author:  Shawk [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 1:42 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
pet575 wrote:
jman, if you are planning on doing any wakeboarding at a level to where you will want to jump wakes and try tricks, the trim tabs will wreck the wake. Just an FYI.

Hey P... do you have a hydrofoil on your 220?
Author:  pet575 [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
No, I have the Bravo 3 which is the Merc equivalent to your Volvo DP. The two props are great for getting out of the hole and up on plane, so I have no need.
Author:  Shawk [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 4:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
pet575 wrote:
No, I have the Bravo 3 which is the Merc equivalent to your Volvo DP. The two props are great for getting out of the hole and up on plane, so I have no need.


Thanks... I assumed not... but was curious.
Author:  Jim_R [ Wed Sep 01, 2010 5:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: What are these hydrofoil or tab kits I keep hearing about?
Kvou812 wrote:
Hmmm.. I've had hydrofoils on both of my boats with great success. I see them on the outboards of sterndrives all the time, and the hydrofoil manufacturers certainly market them for I/Os as well as outboards. Has anyone seen a lower drive failure because of one??


Wonder if Volvo or Merc would void warranty if a hydrofoil was installed.

I did have a hydrofoil on my old 16' Maxim. It had a Alpha on it, and I did have problems over the years - linkage, gimbal bearings, bellows. Can't blame it all on the hydrofoil, or can I? Now that I think back, the frequency and number of problems did increase drastically in the years following the hydrofoil install. Never really thought about it in this way before.
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