Should I Get a Hydrofoil for My Outboard?
Adding a hydrofoil fin or stabilizer to your outboard motor is an affordable upgrade that may improve its performance in speed, handling and even fuel efficiency.
Hydrofoils are essentially plates or platforms that are added to the cavitation plate to help lift a boat’s hull above water as it gains speed. They’ve become an increasingly popular outboard accessory due to several performance enhancements they provide. Here’s a quick guide to the benefits of outboard hydrofoil fins.
Why Get a Hydrofoil for Your Outboard
Improved Fuel-Efficiency
Hydrofoils lift a boat’s hull out of the water as it accelerates, which creates less drag. Excessive drag on a boat negatively affects fuel efficiency, but with a hydrofoil fin on your outboard, you get a better fuel-to-distance ratio by getting your boat on plane with greater ease.
Enhanced Performance
Another benefit of that extra lift hydrofoils provide is less direct impact with the water as it accelerates. This also means less drag on the boat, so the outboard motor can maximize its power and run more efficiently while keeping the boat on plane. The hydrofoil fin helps provide better handling and smoother cruising at greater speeds, and makes it easier to turn, accelerate and decelerate.
Increased Speed
This goes hand-in-hand with performance, but a hydrofoil can also increase a boat’s speed dramatically with that extra lift it provides. Once again, this is due to less drag and resistance brought on by the water, which makes the hydrofoil accessory especially handy when navigating rough seas.
Added Protection
With less exertion to the motor, your outboard parts are better protected from damage and wear, saving you money on replacement parts in the long run. The hydrofoil fin also provides additional protection to your outboard’s propeller by providing additional shielding from up above.
Benefits of an Outboard Hydrofoil Fin
Here’s a summary of the benefits of a hydrofoil stabilizer for your boat and its outboard engine.
- Improved boat lifting
- Greater stability and handling
- Better fuel efficiency
- Ability to plane at lower speeds
- Increased trim control
- Decreased “porpoising” (bouncing up and down)
One thing to know about hydrofoil fins is that they’re not “one size fits all” accessories. While they’re relatively inexpensive, each hydrofoil affects performance differently, so make sure you do your research before buying one.
Also, logically the smaller the boat, the greater the performance boost. Finally, don’t just buy a hydrofoil fin for the sole purpose of increasing speed. As we mentioned, improved speed is one of the benefits, but it’s recommended getting a hydrofoil to improve your boat’s overall performance only if there’s an existing problem that could use correcting.
