Hydrofoils vs trim tabs

[Sunfish]

I own an 8m/250hp RIB that I use as a commercial dive boat. I'm finding it difficult to get the bow down sometimes. As a result I'm thinking about either getting those hydrofoil wings that mount to the engine or going for Bennett trim tabs. Money is always tight so I need to get it right first time. Any ideas/views?

G250

PS. moving boat kit (or passengers) around to distribute the weight isn't possible.

[samt]

I would prefer the trip tabs, especially after I saw a outboard with half a cavitation plate, the hydrofoils had caught somthing under the water and taken part of the engine with them, the holes you have to drill would have weakened it aswell. I would never want to drill holes it my outboard, and I rekon they'd cause more problems than the trim tabs, I even have trim tabs on my sib.

There are loads of threads on this subject:

http://rib.net/forum/showthread.php?t=16796

[Nos4r2]

From what's been said I'd go for Smart Tabs.

[MarkM]

Hydrofoils are for smaller engines, not for 250hp.
I've trim tabs and they do the job.

[codprawn]

Get yourself the Volvo - QL interceptor tabs - you can order them at any QL dealer but most still haven't heard of them. They are really easy to fit - cost about £350 for the full kit - and are supposed to be really effective.

I bought a set but haven't fitted them yet - a little job over Christmas!!!

http://www.great-water.com/pages/pro...L_Trim_Sys.htm

For an 8m you need the bigger ones.

[jwalker]

Cod, you keep telling folk how wonderful these tabs are. Plainly you've not used yours but have you tried them on any other boat?

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by jwalker

Cod, you keep telling folk how wonderful these tabs are. Plainly you've not used yours but have you tried them on any other boat?

NOPE but I have read quite a few reviews and they seem to work very well - they are also used on fast cat ferries and high speed patrol boats. As they are cheaper than normal systems and a lot easier to fit I chose them.

[jwalker]

There's no substitute for personal experience.

[codprawn]

Originally Posted by jwalker

There's no substitute for personal experience.

Very true but when people - for example on this forum - pass on gems of wisdom that seem useful then I like to share that knowledge!!!

[ribit]

My personal gem of experience regarding hydrofoils is this, having raced boat's in the past, and always with V6 Mercs, I never really considered hydrofoils of any use except on small engines on 12-15ft boats, but when I put an XR2 from a race boat on the 6m ring rib back in 98, things did not go according to plan, there were already holes for an engine bolted to it for display purpose only, so the offset was that I used, coupled to a 26p chopper prop, engine set lower on transom, it was useless 40mph, engine set high 42mph naaa, change to 24p chopper still useless 45mph, 5 bladder 23p much better 52mph, then I remembered a large american style ski boat with a big 7.4 engine with a 5 bladder and a very heavy racey looking hydrofoil, spoke with the guy he said it had never bust and he had given it plenty of stick so I thought I will get one of them and bolt it on the XR2 the 1st XR2 ever with a set of water wings but what the hell, it did work 60mph ish at 5500rpm (if only I could get the other 1500rpm) and a lot more stability plus very low planeing speed for wake boarding given it some very hard use, nothing broken yet although 2 things may help this factor the engine is higher than an ordinary V6 and the engine mounts are for racing, not the easily broken stuff on a standard engine, just my take hope it helps