I have a stingray on my 99 Tahoe Q5 - 19ft, 190hp. It didn't help the top speed much, went from 51mph to 53mph. It does give a LOT more control of bow rise and planing attitude. When I start off pulling a wakeboarder, I trim the motor all the way down. The hydrofoil keeps the bow down and keeps a much more consistent acceleration. As we approach 18-20mph I begin to trim up which pushes the stern down into the water and causes the boat to plow a nice wake. This only works up to about 20mph. Above 20 the hydrofoil really begins to lift the whole boat out of the water. It is harder to hold a consistent speed when plowing the boat with the trim way up - you kind of have to play with the speed and the trim to get the best result. If you just want a more consistent pull, trim all the way down and the stingray will keep the boat riding more level front-to-back. At higher speeds the hydrofoil really helps lift the boat out of the water - especially when we are running with 1200lbs+ (people, gear, & ballast). I can still get 45-50mph loaded down to the boats max capacity (1300lbs). I love being able to skeeedadle out of a crowded area of the lake to find the smooth glass. While in the crowded water, trimming all the way down makes the hull push through the waves instead of bouncing over them for a much smoother ride. If you learn to use it, and experiment with it a lot, you will find that it can do pretty much everyting they claim it will - just keep your thumb on the trim adjustment and play. The hard part is teaching someone else how to manipulate it to give YOU a good ride. You also might want to check on how this will affect the warranty. I know the Stingray requires drilling holes in the anti-ventilation plate (flat plate over the prop). It made me sick to my stomach drilling on mine last year and it was already 4 years old - don't think I'd have the balls to drill on a newborn. Some say that hydrofoils and whale-tails cause stress on the outdrive, I disagree. A small adjustment in the trim will make a much bigger difference in ride attitude. This allows the stern drive to operate at less severe angles which can cause excessive wear on the drive shaft and its support bearings. Hope this helps. (Message edited by rickybarns on May 18, 2004)
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