• Becoming a member is completely free!

    • Join the community and start contributing to a large source of sea angling information.
    • Become an active member and you can enter member exclusive competitions.

    REGISTER FOR FREE HERE

Hydrofoil

Ianpick

Ianpick

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 9, 2020
Messages
1,008
Reaction score
3,586
Points
113
Location
Freshwater IOW
Favourite Fishing
Shore
I've just fitted a Hydrofoil to my Tohatsu 9.8
piece of cake to fix even hanging over the back of the boat at high water.
First impressions are very good. Very little front lift and much quieter, (I assume it is spreading the exhaust gases over a wider area and less turbulence from the prop).
Weather is looking good for tomorrow so I'll be able to try it at speed.20240329_145632.jpg
Hopefully it will get me up on plane a lot quicker, which is the main reason for fitting it.
Manouverability seems a lot sharper as well.
Pleased with it so far.
 
Ianpick said:
I've just fitted a Hydrofoil to my Tohatsu 9.8
piece of cake to fix even hanging over the back of the boat at high water.
First impressions are very good. Very little front lift and much quieter, (I assume it is spreading the exhaust gases over a wider area and less turbulence from the prop).
Weather is looking good for tomorrow so I'll be able to try it at speed.View attachment 61425
Hopefully it will get me up on plane a lot quicker, which is the main reason for fitting it.
Manouverability seems a lot sharper as well.
Pleased with it so far.
Click to expand...

Hmmm................

They suit some combinations and not others.

When you go out, check the stability on a tight turn (port and starboard), because hydrofoils can turn that manoeuvre into an arse clenching situation. If it feels unstable in the turn then widen the angle immediately.

Having said that, I had them on a Johnson 70 2 stroke that I had on my Shetland 570 a few years ago, and it transformed the handling of the boat, quicker on the plane and more grip in a turn.
 
I went out fishing yesterday, report elsewhere, and gave the boat a bit of a blow. Unfortunately the bottom is filthy so max speed was just 17mph, plan in place to get the barnacles of soon.
In a straight line it did feel good and there was no peering over the bow to see where I was going at 6/7 mph out of the harbour, as used to be, that is a bonus straight away.
Obviously I can't say what it will be like at higher speed yet.
Difficult to quantify but it did seem to handle low speed maneuverability better and on a slightly lumpier sea than expected on my return it was more comfortable.
Hopefully a nice clean bottom and a blast on a very flat sea soon so that I'll be able to compare before and after better.20230721_123253.jpg
This is her being lifted out for cleaning last year, Pan Marine 355.
12 foot rotomoulded polyethylene.
 
Last edited:
Nicky77 said:
Hydrofoils are revolutionary marine vessels that utilize underwater wings to lift the hull out of the water, reducing drag and increasing speed. Their efficiency and speed make them ideal for various applications, from passenger ferries to military craft. By harnessing hydrodynamic principles, hydrofoils offer a smoother ride, improved fuel efficiency, and reduced environmental impact compared to traditional boats. They represent a promising future for maritime transportation.
Click to expand...
I would have never known that, only knew 30+ years ago. Kin idiot nicky77 try something we don't know about.
 
Back
Top