Florida Sport Fishing - Sport Clip offers a fail-safe hydrofoil attachment system, without the need for drilling any holes

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Sport Clip offers a fail-safe hydrofoil attachment system, without the need for drilling any holes

Thursday, 08 May 2008

For Immediate Release

CUT THROUGH THE WATER, NOT YOUR CAVITATION PLATE
Texas Firm Launches First “Drill-Free” Design For Fast and Easy Mounting of Hydrofoils

PILOT POINT, Texas – In the wake of its success from the SE Sport 300 and SE Sport 200 High Performance Hydrofoils, Sport Marine Technologies is making yet another splash in the boating world. After observing boaters’ concerns about drilling through their cavitation plates to install hydrofoils, Norris Misemer, founder of SMT, developed a way to alleviate those concerns. With a four-fold securing method, the Sport Clip offers a fail-safe hydrofoil attachment system, without the need for drilling any holes.

The Sport Clip accommodates both the SE Sport 300 and the SE Sport 200 Hydrofoils for use on all outboards and sterndrives (except Volvo). Compatible with motors 8HP and above, the Sport Clip adjusts to any size cavitation plate. And since the Sport Clip won’t scuff or alter the cavitation plate, there is no need for a customer to distress about a voided corrosion warranty.

After comprehensive testing using both the SE Sport 300 and 200 foils, the security of the Sport Clip mount was proven completely reliable. And the Sport Clip, constructed from break resistant fiberglass-reinforced polypropylene, comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty. The suggested retail price is $49.99.

Sport Marine Technologies is a company dedicated to advancing and developing boating innovations to enhance your, and our, experience on the water.

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Sport Clip Assembly Instructions

Important: Completely Read All Instructions Before Installing the Sport Clip.

sport clip hydrofoil attachment diagram

Caution: Since the nylon insert lock nuts and the enclosed tape pads are both designed for one-time use, a missed step in the following instructions could result in improper installation and compromise the security of the Sport Clip. Location of the SE Sport Hydrofoil on the cavitation plate must be determined before beginning the installation (see Step #1). Note any interference with securing the Hydrofoil; for example the small plate on the Mercury Alpha One could interfere with tightening the forward mounting bolts unless you select to wrench-tighten the forward nuts.

Caution: The Sport Clip should not be used on outboards or sterndrives not equipped with a trim tab or anode on the bottom of the cavitation plate. The enclosed tab catch stainless strap should be installed securely in the trim tab or anode cavity. The Sport Clip should not be installed on any Volvo model.

Clean the outboard/sterndrive cavitation plate. This is the outboard/sterndrive plate directly above the propeller to which the Sport Clip will fit. Be sure that the surface is free from oil or other surface contaminants such as powder, grime or dust. After cleaning and rinsing thoroughly, dry the top surface of the cavitation plate. Recommended application temperature for the foam tape pads (see Step #3) to achieve best results is 65°F (18°C) or above. Proper bonding may not occur unless the adhesive and the surface of the cavitation plate are both at 65°F (18°C) or above. The strongest bond occurs after 24 hours. Note: If it is not possible or desirable to wait 24 hours or to install at or above 65°F (18°C), you may find a portion of one or both tape pads do not adhere or remain positioned. This could be in an area not under compression and will not affect the security of the Sport Clip. (Some Mercury Bravo Ones will require removing some material from the yoke section of the SE Sport 300 Hydrofoil for a proper forward fit.)

1. Position the top section of the Sport Clip (top clip) on the cavitation plate. Set the SE Sport Hydrofoil on the top clip and line up the mounting bolt holes. The holes may not perfectly align until assembly is complete. Move both pieces forward (toward the boat) until any further movement would tilt the two pieces. Re-check for alignment of the mounting holes and remove the SE Sport, leaving the top clip on the cavitation plate.

Mark the position of the top clip on the cavitation plate by two marks on either the port or starboard edge of the cavitation plate, each in the center of the slots where the red grips will slide. (Masking tape on the edge of black/dark blue plates will help with visibility.) Remove the top clip.

Loosen the trim tab/anode on the underside of the cavitation plate, far enough for the tab catch to fit up and over the top of the trim tab/anode. (For those tabs/anodes that have a very tight fit, it may be necessary to file off a small section of the tab/anode.)

2. Position the Sport Clip bottom section (bottom clip) with the center of each of the red grips aligned with your marks on the edge of the cavitation plate. Position the stanless catch strap (tab catch) in the track in the middle of the bottom clip. Slide the tab catch up and over the loosened trim tab/anode. Tighten trim tab/anode enough to secure the tab catch. Check for alignment of either of the two holes in the bottom clip track matching with a hole in the tab catch. If not matching, move the bottom clip slightly to the rear (away from the boat—DO NOT MOVE FORWARD) until one hole matches. Note the hole location and remove both the tab catch and bottom clip in order to secure the tab catch to the bottom clip with the enclosed ½” bolt (bolt down) and lock nut.

Reposition the bottom clip, sliding the attached tab catch over the top of the trim tab/anode. Tighten trim tab/anode.

Center the bottom clip and begin tightening (COUNTER-CLOCKWISE) the 4 red grips by using a Phillips driver. Tighten the grips in an alternating pattern. Ignore your marks on the edge of the cavitation plate since the tab catch is now determining the position. Tighten until very snug. (You may notice the red grips will be tilted slightly toward the outside edge when snug.) Lay the four white nylon bolt sleeves on the holes closest to the cavitation plate to check for clearance between the perimeter bolts and the edge of the plate. Rarely, a Sport Clip fit may not allow for the bolt sleeves. They are not required for a successful installation. However, they are designed to protect from possible abrasion to the cavitation plate edge.

3. Insert the four hex head bolts in the top clip, the 1” forward (closest to the boat) and the 1¼” toward the rear. Be sure to use the correct holes for the SE Sport 200 or SE Sport 300 (the widest four holes for the 300 model and the narrowest four holes for the 200 model). Locate the tape pads from the package and remove all eight cut-outs from each pad before removing the paper liner. Remove the paper liner from the two tape pads and attach both to the bottom side of the top clip, being careful to alight with the perimeter holes and grip tracks. This will prevent the hex bolts from sliding out. Before removing the red plastic liner from the side that will stick to the cavitation plate, check for alignment by positioning the top clip on the plate, matching the perimeter holes of the bottom clip, and setting the SE Sport Hydrofoil on the top clip for a final check of position and fit. Do not attach the SE Sport Hydrofoil at this time.

After alignment and positioning check, remove the SE Sport Hydrofoil and top clip. Retrieve the 4 bolts from the SE Sport Hydrofoil package. Insert the bolts in the top clip from the top down, in the hole location that will be closest to the edge of the cavitation plate (usually the outside of the three holes on 7” plates, the middle holes on 6” plates and the inside holes on plates 5” or smaller). Use the two 1” bolts forward and the two 1¼” bolts rear. Remove the red plastic liner from the tape pad. Slip on the enclosed white nylon bolt sleeves and slide the sleeves up the bolts to the tape pad. Drop the top clip in place using the bolts to guide alignment. Using the steel washers and lock nuts from the SE Sport Hydrofoil package, tighten the perimeter bolts. Because of the designed compression fit of the Sport Clip, some applications may require using both the 1” bolts on one side (starboard side recommended) and both 1¼” bolts on the port (left) side. If this application is required in order to secure the perimeter bolts, be certain that the 4 bolts are tightened equally to insure level placement of the hydrofoil. Complete closure of the top and bottom clip is recommended when easily accomplished, but complete closure is not required or recommended on applications that would require extreme pressure or force to close completely.

4. Drop the SE Sport Hydrofoil in place and use the remaining hardware to secure, tightening to snug, then an extra quarter turn. SE Sport 300 only: Position the rubber washers from the SE Sport package on the top clip hex bolts, thin ones forward and thick ones rear. Note: Do not use these washers for the 200 model.