Hydrofoil for Pontoon Boat

[messabout]

My comments above were meant to convey the idea of creating a flat bottom. The idea was merely a brain fart. However I will attempt to explain implementation just for fun.

Let us say that the pontoons are 24" in diameter. Brake some aluminum sheets into a channel section. The inside bottom of the channel will measure 24 inches and the legs or sides of the channel will extend upwards about 12 inches. Push the channels up onto the bottoms of the pontoons. You have what amounts to a half a round thing resting inside half a box. The front end of the structure should taper upwards. This would involve a sort of parabolic cut out in the floor of the forward channel so that it would transition into the existing round. Now you have two flat bottomed sleds. The whole of it involves a lot of welding.

This was only a wild thought that has unfavorable implications. Those being cost, additional weight, and uncertainty of outcome. Also, the boat will pound in a chop. The pair of long flat bottoms have technical merit but perhaps not practical merit. I reckon the other guys, who were naysayers, were closer to reality.

[MrHysucat]

Originally Posted by SlowCruise

I am looking for a way to speed up my pontoon boat a bit. In searching all of these threads on adding third pontoons, lifting strakes, etc, I came across this fascinating idea I will quote below...

In researching these, it seems I can put a foil between the pontoons at around the center of gravity, and get some major lift. Making my big pontoon come up on plane to some extent and bring more speed and fuel efficiency.

Id have tried to contact this person through email, and he may still get back, but I wonder if any of the rest of you have thoughts on how I should go about fabricating a hydrofoil for my pontoon.

I have access to a sheet metal shop with a lot of different equipment and capabilities. My brother in law is really good with this stuff and he can basically build whatever I need...but I don't exactly know what I NEED!

Boat Info:
2001 Crestliner Pontoon
60hp 4 stroke Mercury
2 pontoons 23" each
Dry weight 2000 lbs

My questions are:
What size
What shape
Where to position (ie how do I locate the center of gravity on my boat)

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance...

I'm sorry, but this is never going to work on a pontoon boat. The hull shape is wrong. Plus you are very underpowered thinking you are going to get those floats to plane.

[sottorf]

it is possible to fit HYSUCAT hydrofoils onto a pontoon boat. But the spray strakes are necessary too as the round pontoon will not work well without the strakes due to hydrodynamic suction created by the round shapes.

HYSUCAT foils are only benefical if the volumtric Froude number, FnD > 2.2. If the boat is slower than that you are wasting your time with hydrofoils - the boat will only be slower.