Thinking about buying a hydrofoil to boost the performance of your boat? Then you’ve come to the right place.
Today’s article is a guide on outboard hydrofoil pros and cons to help you decide whether or not it’s the right move for your boat.
What is a Hydrofoil and How does it Work?
A foil is an object that causes elevation at a specific angle of attack upon moving through a medium. It’s called an airfoil when the medium is air and called a hydrofoil if the medium is water.
To explain how hydrofoils work, we need to take a look at airfoils. The shape of an airfoil allows the air to flow more quickly above the surface than beneath it when moved through a medium.
This forms a region of lower pressure on top, and the difference in pressure between the top and bottom produces lift.
The hydrofoil works in a similar way where it generates lift that elevates most of the boat’s hull (sometimes the whole hull) as the vessel gains speed. Now that the majority of the boat is in the air, the hull won’t produce nearly as much drag against the water.
To be precise, there is some dragging, but it’s generated by air, not water, which is significantly lower.
Pros of Using a Hydrofoil on Outboard Motor
Now that you better understand what a hydrofoil does, you’re probably wondering if it’s something that your boat needs and is worth investing in. To help you make this decision, let’s talk about the advantages of installing a hydrofoil:
1. It improves overall boat performance and boosts its speed
The first key benefit of hydrofoils is related to the reason they’re mounted onto boats in the first place. You see, as you drive a boat in water, there’s a certain level of drag to be expected because of the weight of the structure.
This “drag” typically causes resistance (the water resists the movement of your boat), which results in slowing down your boat. Hydrofoils, however, act to reduce this dragging effect by slightly elevating the boat or watercraft above the surface of the water.
So what does this do? Well, it decreases the resistance of the boat against the water, resulting in your boat running with increased speed.
Hydrofoils are quite effective when they’re paired with outboard motors on a boat. The reason for this is that you can really notice the difference that installing a hydrofoil can make more on outboard motors compared to any other sort of watercraft, particularly if your boat is on the smaller side.
In other words, if you mount a hydrofoil onto your small boat (for example, a fishing boat or leisure boat) outboard motor, you’ll detect an obvious improvement in its overall performance.
2. It supports better fuel efficiency
Another major advantage of installing a hydrofoil on your outboard motor is better energy conservation. That’s right, hydrofoils can help you manage the fuel consumption of your boat more efficiently.
To explain how this is possible, we’ll go back to the dragging concept. As we’ve established above, boats tend to drag as they move through the water in the absence of hydrofoils.
Since dragging results in resistance, the engine running your boat will need to exert more force to overcome it. More force requires more fuel, which means increased consumption and extra expenses.
As such, there’s a high chance you’ll have to refuel every time you set out to use your boat. However, in the presence of a hydrofoil, you’ll save yourself all this hassle.
This attachment provides a much better approach to fuel consumption as it minimizes the dragging of your boat against the water by slightly elevating the boat above the surface of the water.
With the reduced dragging and resistance, your boat’s motor won’t have to work harder than necessary. This corresponds to better fuel efficiency and consumption.
3. It provides more stability
In addition to the improved performance, speed, and fuel consumption, installing a hydrofoil also increases your boat’s stability on the water.
You’re more likely to experience a smooth ride with a hydrofoil whether you’re traveling through calm waters or troubled seas. You won’t have to worry as much about perishing or tripping out there because of waves’ impact.
This is thanks to the ability of hydrofoils to maximum balance and stabilization, even at high speeds.
4. It maximizes safety
Finally, attaching a hydrofoil to your outboard motor helps provide better safety by eliminating low bow rise, cavitation, porpoising, prop ventilation, and chine-walking.
Cons of Using a Hydrofoil on Outboard Motor
With all those advantages in mind, let’s discuss the possible limitations of installing a hydrofoil:
- It’s not recommended to use hydrofoils on large boats, ships, or other water vessels because their effects won’t be as significant considering the maintenance expenses.
- The edges of foils are rather sharp and can cause fatal injuries to fishes and other marine life.
- As hydrofoils are designed to be thin and narrow, they’re also prone to damage from repeated blows. Consequently, a harsh impact could result in the foil breaking off, which can lead to serious steering issues or even accidents.
Outboard Hydrofoil FAQs
Does boat size matter when purchasing a hydrofoil?
In short, yes. While some hydrofoils are suitable for larger boats, most of them work best when used on small and mid-sized boats (such as leisure boats and fishing boats) that are generally under 25 feet.
Can bumps damage a hydrofoil or cause it to fall off?
This isn’t likely because hydrofoils are manufactured with durable and rugged materials to withstand the harsh conditions of the sea for an extended period. If you bump into a rock, however, there’s a chance the hydrofoil could fall off.
Wrap Up
There you have, a complete guide on outboard hydrofoil pros and cons. We can sum up the advantages of installing hydrofoils into 3 words: speed, efficiency, and stability.
These attachments can make your cruise life a lot easier, smoother, and more enjoyable. Just be sure to consider their limitation so you can make the most out of your purchase.