Doel-Fin Hydrofoil Planing Stabilizer Anyone using them?

[bdubz06]

Hey guys:

I was browsing the web and came across the Doel-Fin Hydrofoil Planing Stabilizer. I have seen them on many boats but never really heard if they are worth the money or not.

Any thoughts?

Thanks.

 

[journeyman]

I had a 99 208 with a 200 yamaha and intalled one. The boat was not equipped with trim tabs. I found after installing it that the boat got up on plane much easier and reacted to adjustments in trim much faster.

Having a boat with trim tabs now, I wouldn't bother. Anyway, it's an inexpensive item.

 

[tibeachguy]

I recently installed a StingRay Hydrofoil Stabilizer on my 209 Escape. It does not have trim tabs and I wanted to try this before installing any. I have used it twice with the stabilizer and am very impressed. I definetly get on plane quicker and the bow rides lower. I don't have a fuel flow meter but I feel certain I am getting better gas milage as well.

I did a little research before purchasing and feel like the StingRay is the best. You can check-out their website at www.marine-dynamics.com .

After seeing how well mine performed a buddy of mine installed one on his bass boat.

I would still like to install trim tabs someday but the hydrofoil certainly helped.

 

[gilpri]

My first boat was a 20' Wellcraft I/O with a bad porpoising issue. The addition of the Doel Fin fixed the problem.

I also put one on a 13' Whaler w/40HP Johnson - It kept the bow down and added to the top end (not that this boat needs any more speed).

Well worth the money IMO.

 

[Stonewall]

If you have a motor that is still under warranty make sure you understand how it attaches before you buy it. Most of these require you to bolt it to the cavitation plate. That will void your warranty.

 

[CJBROWN]

The best version of these types of units is the Permatrim from NZ. Andy at SIM is the NA importer. They are a little more money, but perform better, and do not have a hydrofoil so they don't detract from your top speed.

Bolting one on will not void your warranty unless there is some failure it caused.

I have tabs too, but the permatrim is a nice addition. My boat will plane at about 8kts.

Here's the thread with more info on them, as well as tabs, and a link to info on the Permatrim:
http://www.greatgrady.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=7997

 

[GT]

I installed them on my previous boat - 1978 GW Dolphin witha 200 HP Suzuki. The install was easy but I hated doing it because it requires 4 holes drilled into the engines existing fins. Too permanent for somethig I was iffy about. But no disadvantages ever popped up.

Enhanced performance? Definetly quicker out of the hole, anything else was marginal. I'll call it coincidental that soon after a naked Pam Anderson greeted me at the dock every day, and taht my Dad came down from heaven for one more full day of father/son fishing time.