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I disagree, I've had 3 outboards onto which I mounted the Dolphin or similar plates and it has made a world of a difference each time. No cavitation anymore and the dinghies really do go on a plane much faster. I had 9.8HP Tohatsu engines but I think that smaller engines will profit and gain performance as well.
There is more than one size (and manufacturer) available. You should be able to find one for most small outboards. I have found them to make a sizable difference in the ability to plane, especially when the dink is heavily loaded.
Of course, if you have a 15' dinghy and a 2hp engine ain't nothin' gonna help.
They wont work for your dinghy as I doubt you can plane with a 3.5.
The dolphin fins do slow you down a bit. So they are only effective making a boat and ob that planes do so faster and with more stability when on the plane.
I put one on my 16 foot fishing boat with a 35 HP outboard. In rough ocean waters it helped keep the bow down at slow to medium speeds, about all that we could run without beating the boat to death. Not sure if I lost any top speed, but I don’t think so. Also had an 8 foot inflatable raft with a 2HP Honda on it. I doubt putting a plate on your motor would help in any way.
I put one on my 16 foot fishing boat with a 35 HP outboard. In rough ocean waters it helped keep the bow down at slow to medium speeds, about all that we could run without beating the boat to death. Not sure if I lost any top speed, but I don't think so. Also had an 8 foot inflatable raft with a 2HP Honda on it. I doubt putting a plate on your motor would help in any way.
In order for a dinghy to plane is must have a planing hull form. A flat bottom inflatable will not plane no matter how much power or what you do to it.
I used to have an Achilles air floor dinghy with an 8hp engine that would occasionally plane with my 240 lbs. in it. I say occasionally because the bottom had to be clean and the stars had to be properly aligned.
Whoa, over react often?, I have an 8' air filled mattress with a 3.3 merc and I can get it on plane. Also I can assure you, it's half deflated sides and broken roll up floor aren't doing anything for its hull form.
Years ago, I had a flat-bottom, 11-foot, forgotten-name dinghy fitted with a 15hp Evinrude 2-stroke and dolfin plates. Call it planing or call it flying, that rig was scary with just me and the fuel tank in the boat, because most of the boat was in the air.
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