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View Full Version : Fitting Hydrofoils



Ragster
21-03-2006, 04:43 PM
Hi all,
Just bought myself a set of lazilas hydrofoils to fit to my 30hp 4.2m Explorer Trophy. The thing is - where abouts on the cav plate to fix them?? Do you fit them over the prop (towards the front of the plate) or further back??? Any help would be much appreciated :-/ :-/ :-/

Fixation
21-03-2006, 04:53 PM
Post a couple of photos of it resting on the place you think it should get mounted. I got instructions on mine.

Seahorse
21-03-2006, 05:53 PM
is that the cheap foil about $30. i put set on my 30hp. they are now in shed. good when going slow, kept nose down, but certainly dropped top speed.

Ragster
21-03-2006, 06:47 PM
I paid about $30 for them, yes. I was having some probs with cavitation during turns and sometimes even just going straight ahead - though this only seems to happen with one person in the boat - it is a side console set-up.

Although I'm not convinced in them, i figured I'd give them a try anyway..............

Seahorse
21-03-2006, 07:24 PM
i have 4.2m tiller steer. i thought that it just might get me out little easier. it was a better ride for the person up front, but could really notice the drag when flat out.

ShaneJ
21-03-2006, 07:31 PM
I fitted an SE Sport to my TABS a few weeks ago and I must say that i'm impressed. I get up on the plane a much much faster, sit on top of the chop easier and gained top speed with the 11'' prop. I ended up refitting my old 13" prop and I can still easily get up on the plane and reach max revs which I couldnt do at all without the foil.
Saying all that, I agree that some boats dont benefit from a foil, but with others it can really help.

Just_One_More_Cast
21-03-2006, 07:53 PM
I've heard and read a lot of negatives about foils lately, but they certainly helped my boat get out of the water and made it more stable in turns. I think Shane is onto something, they seem to help some boats, but not others.

My boat is a 3.8m Stacer with a forward control 30hp Johnson and the Lalizas $30 foils, so is not too different to yours Ragster. My view is it is only a matter of drilling a few holes in the cav plate, if it doesn't work, pull them off again.

Before you fit them though, you might want to play with motor height and trim as this may be the root of your cavitation problem. I recently raised the height of my motor about 20mm (3/4") and can't believe the improvement. In your case however, it may need to be lowered. Play with the trim first as this is the easiest fix.

It would be well worth your while to take the boat to your mechanic and have him show you where to fit the foils and advise on height and trim.

Seahorse
21-03-2006, 08:35 PM
i got my motor 3rd hole out. like power steering. boat yard had it set on second hole out and i put up with it for ages. got out there 1 day and just played around. should have done that before i put foil on

onerabbit
22-03-2006, 02:32 AM
My old yam 90 was a dog before I put 'foils' on her, they gave her heaps of lift , HEAPS of stability, especially in rough stuff.
So good that when I traded her on a new merc 115, yeah put em
straight on..............................It handled like a bag of crap.
Because the new mercs have a bigger cav plate, the 'foils were actually a hinderance, heaps of cav. even doing simple things, easy turns etc.
Once I took them back off, yehaa, 40 knt sideways powerslides, total control.
Have a good go first , if its still no good , try it then, I have a set If anyone wants em.

Muzz

Ragster
23-03-2006, 10:04 PM
Thanks for you input guys - I think I'll have a good look at motor height , etc and then have a play with the foils. Like most of you, I have read good and bad reports about them. Sounds like it has a lot to do with hull and motor types/profiles with some being suited and some not. Hope mine is suited........ :)