[saltyoperator]

Hey guys my new boat is coming in and my dealer says it doesn't need a cavitation plate. It is a 19 ft Explorer with a 140 Suzuki 4 stroke. From what I hear from you guys it is a must to have if goin shallow ! I want to know also if I am goin to have plenty of water pressure and will it catch air? Thanks

 

[saltyoperator]

Any suggestions?

 

[Bird]

This will no doubt tender a ton of opinions and ideas and has been discussed a bunch of times here but here goes.

As a rule, if your engine is recessed in the transom then a 'shallow blaster' or 'nedski foil' type plate is helpful. However, if you can get up on plane with your engine at full jack up then you probably can get by without one. They can help all boats with steering when running at full jack but its more about the prop and proper engine mounting height then having a plate. Get familiar with your boat first then decide if you need one, they are real easy to install.

 

[saltyoperator]

Thanks I just want to get some info and insite because this is my first bay boat.

 

[Roby]

On a propely set up rig, the only real benefit is to help you plane in realy shallow water. By triming the engine all the way down, the fin provides a "wing or surface" that forces the transom up when you accelerate, helping the boat plane quicker. Once you are up and running it should not affect your performance because it should be completely out of the water.