Dolphin attachment for outboard...?

[fisninfool]

I've heard there are 2-3 different makers of these. Who has an opinion?

Thx

[Northlander]

Dont do it. All it is is a band aid for a under powered boat.

[dan z]

They work but the take away top end performance. There nice for small boats that are under powered boat that have a tough time getting on plane. I wouldn't put it on a 15hp and if you have a motor bigger than 75hp worthless also. Props improve better imo

[dan z]

They work but the take away top end performance. There nice for small boats that are under powered boat that have a tough time getting on plane. I wouldn't put it on a 15hp and if you have a motor bigger than 75hp worthless also. Props improve better imo

[Rick G]

Like Northlander and Dan said, they are for underpowered boats. If you can't get your boat on plain very easy they will help a little. I would only put one on if I had exhausted all other options.

[fisninfool]

I have a ranger 680 with a 60 merc tiller. The hole shot is slow.

It's rated for a 60, right?

Solutions?

Thx

[BobT]

They work but the take away top end performance. There nice for small boats that are under powered boat that have a tough time getting on plane. I wouldn't put it on a 15hp and if you have a motor bigger than 75hp worthless also. Props improve better imo

Sorry but I must disagree.

My previous boat was a Lund Rebel 16 powered by a 25hp. The 25hp was under-powered as the boat was rated for 45hp. I added hydrofoils to the motor and was able to trim the motor out one more notch, plane out my boat with one more rider, and gained 2-3mph on top end. They definitely helped when my boat was under-powered.

The boat I have now is a Sylvan Adventurer 1600 powered by a 90hp. This boat is rated for 90hp so I am maxed out on the rating. No lack of power here. I bought the boat used and it came with the hydrofoils already attached. Like you I used to think they were a waste in this situation. I figured if they were needed, boat manufacturers would design the cavitation plate wider.

Last summer I did an experiment where I removed them for a while to see the results and posted my results on this HSOforum forum. You can search the archives on this to find my report. To make a long story short, I put them back on and still use them today. The benefits outweighed the disadvantages in my case.

[Wish-I-Were-Fishn]

I put a Stingray on a 50 merc tiller. Boat was an Alumacraft Lunker 16 SS. It helped a lot. My issue was weight distribution in that boat when running alone. Tiller boats often have that issue when you are alone. I thought about installing a gas tank up front and ditching the portable one under my seat, but never did.

Anything you can do to move some weight forward should help.

[fisninfool]

Thx for the comments...

So a different direction for the same problem (mostly hole shot with a little top end)

How bout going to a stainless prop?

-18 ft ranger 680 tiller with 60 merc-

Thx again

[BobT]

I recently considered some prop shopping and the one thing I learned is prop type, not just material, can have a dramatic impact on boat performance. Pitch, diameter, cupping, material, and more all influence motor and boat performance. I can tell you, it's really not a field for amateurs if you really want to maximize performance.

[dan z]

Thx for the comments...

So a different direction for the same problem (mostly hole shot with a little top end)

How bout going to a stainless prop?

-18 ft ranger 680 tiller with 60 merc-

Thx again

Up in pitch = more forward momentum more top end and less hole shot

Down in pitch = less forward momentum but more grab to get you on plane faster.

Props are fun to play with and there is a happy medium for every engine/boat

[Wanderer]

Thx for the comments...

So a different direction for the same problem (mostly hole shot with a little top end)

How bout going to a stainless prop?

-18 ft ranger 680 tiller with 60 merc-

Thx again

I'd check into a SS prop. A good shop will already have an idea how to match one for your rig. I doubt you'll get a lights out improvement but you should gain something; you just need to decide if it's worth the cost.

I had a Ranger 482 with a 150 Yammy that I put a hydro foil on. It did help the hole shot and stabilized the chine walking on top end. I never regretted that fix but the best money I spent on that rig was getting a custom SS prop built for it. The prop shop said they rehubbed an OMC prop and made it a progressive pitch from 23 to 25. It was a big overall improvement.

[delcecchi]

Do you know what the RPM is running wide open? Compare that to the specification for the motor. Going to a lower pitch will increase the RPMs and give you a better hole shot.

On my boat I can feel the difference between a 19 and 21 pitch. The 19 gives awesome acceleration but flirts with over revving. The 21 is OK, has a little faster top end, and doesn't over rev. If I knew I was going to be out with 3 or 4 adults in the boat, and I had time, I would swap back to the 19.

98 provee 1775 with 140 suzuki 4 stroke.