Hydrofoil

slangley · 10 September 2003, 14:30

Having bought my first RIB a couple of months ago. It came with a Hydrofoil fitted to the engine ( done by the last owner ). It is an Avon 4m with a 50hp Mercury Engine. It is all around 10 years old. My question is, is there any point to the hydrofoil. Does it really have to be on the boat ? What are the advantages and disadvantages of having one ? Would it make any difference if I took it off ?

Having the hydrofoil on makes tilting it quite awkward and catches on everything including my legs. It also looks quite tatty with chips and bits broken off it.

Many Thanks.

Steve.

Bilge Rat · 10 September 2003, 14:42

Steve

There's been lots of debate about Hydrofoil and dolphins over the years here and no one seems to say either way about them, a friend of mine put dolphines on his 90 Honda and it stoped the boat chine walking and made it plane a lot quicker, he now swears by them, suppose you really need to look at why the previous owner put them on 50hp on the back of a 4 metre rib, my suggestion would be to unbolt them and test run the boat, if it behaves badly just put them back on, on the other hand if there is no obvious change then just leave them off.

Richard

slangley · 10 September 2003, 15:01

The previous owner said that he put a Hydrofoil on to make it plane quicker. My friend also has exactly the same RIB except he has a 40HP Tohatsu engine on there. He doesn't seem to have any problem getting on the plane and does not have a Hydrofoil fitted. The previous owner says that it definitely DID make a difference.

Other people I have aksed said that it can make the boat role. On the Mercury website it has a small paragraph about hydrofoils saying not to use them as they can make the boat unstable. They gave roling as an example and said that it has been known to role and people to actualy fall off if they are not expecting it.

Since it only looks like there are 2 bolts holding it on, I think I will take it off, try it and see what it handles like.

Andy Stevens · 10 September 2003, 18:21

I took them off my boat, they made it barrel roll at revs. Soon as i took it off it went straight again!