My take on Fins

[dzeppos]

When I purchased my boat, it had the older model Cobra fins and Jeff helped me swap out some parts to make it the Super Magnum fins with the fangs that I already had. I also added the Lateral Thrusters to complete my set up. These are compatible with no adjustments needed.
Coming from a stern drive boat I didn't want to sacrifice the ability to steer and dock at low speeds and I will tell you that once you get the hang of operating with that set up it is really awesome.
I was at a crowded marina recently waiting to get into a transient slip with a ton of current and wind and I had the boat just sitting in place. I had a couple of very experienced boaters with me that day that own 40 footers and they asked me "how are you doing that? I would be drifting and have to re-maneuver to get back to the slip" I fibbed and said "experience" but really it was the fins and lateral thrusters doing all of the work.
For a lot of you that have the attitude that you don't need them and just need to learn how to drive the boat, your missing the point. In those particular conditions with strong current and high winds, the Yamaha boats "as is" don't have enough maneuverability to operate safely in those conditions.
Sorry if I am coming off as preachy but I really just dig my setup.

I I have the same set up using both the cobras on my 24 foot boat with the lateral thrusters for the past 2 1/2 years. (No fangs though - i think they might block the LTs). It’s a dream for handling both low and high speed maneuvers. Things like swinging the stern left and right when you’re lining up to pull a wake boarder or wake surfer, or docking, while feeling like you are on rails at high speed are a must for any jetboat.

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

I I have the same set up using both the cobras on my 24 foot boat with the lateral thrusters for the past 2 1/2 years. (No fangs though - i think they might block the LTs). It’s a dream for handling both low and high speed maneuvers. Things like swinging the stern left and right when you’re lining up to pull a wake boarder or wake surfer, or docking, while feeling like you are on rails at high speed are a must for any jetboat.

There are 3 different nozzle designs you have the second one not the latest one that came out in 2019 On the previous 2 designs including yours if people wanted to mix and match lateral thrusters with my steering I would accommodate them with special side force stabilizers but on the 2019 nozzles Yamaha did some redesigning that works just fine and is a great improvement over the first two.
My mega fangs were designed for the first 2 style nozzles only, they also added in a mild power steering effect. My super fins are also cut out in the front to accommodate the 2019 model nozzles. And yes my systems are made to allow you to have all time assistance and even off power control along with the extra tie rod when applicable and the plaining surfaces for better hole shot , smoother ride and a cleaner wake for watersport activities. I also make adjustable steering and spring loaded systems and some viper systems as well but steering is what I do as I started it back 20 years ago for myself and been doing it ever since.

 

[Affinity]

The ultimate AK19 deluxe that you recommend for me - can you make them flip up out of the water at speed? If so, How does that work?

and do you recommend that? or is it better to lock them in the down position.
Thanks

 

[biffdotorg]

Perfect. I will be ordering once I get verification that Yamaha doesn’t cancel my order. I heard that has been happening. Easy for me to put on? Or should I give to dealer to install?
Thanks.

You won't have to worry about that if you have a 2022 on order. Yamaha never cancelled orders. That was a misunderstanding by new boat buyers that ordered from dealers that were pre-selling their allocation from Yamaha, and oversold. And just like an airline overbooking a flight, some get bumped. That wasn't Yamaha's fault, that was the dealer being greedy.

Although, in the 2021 model year, I do believe production may have been significantly down due to part shortages, so the dealers may have taken orders based on past years production, and not what was shipping. The dealer taking and order, and you placing an order with Yamaha are two different things. You are really not placing an order with Yamaha. The dealers were ultimately responsible to only sell what they could confirm they were receiving. This should not be an issue for 2022, so rest easy, you will have a boat for next season.

 

[Affinity]

You won't have to worry about that if you have a 2022 on order. Yamaha never cancelled orders. That was a misunderstanding by new boat buyers that ordered from dealers that were pre-selling their allocation from Yamaha, and oversold. And just like an airline overbooking a flight, some get bumped. That wasn't Yamaha's fault, that was the dealer being greedy.

Although, in the 2021 model year, I do believe production may have been significantly down due to part shortages, so the dealers may have taken orders based on past years production, and not what was shipping. The dealer taking and order, and you placing an order with Yamaha are two different things. You are really not placing an order with Yamaha. The dealers were ultimately responsible to only sell what they could confirm they were receiving. This should not be an issue for 2022, so rest easy, you will have a boat for next season.

Awesome. Glad to hear that. My dealer said he had his allotment and only had two boats left and I got one of those. So sounds like won’t be an issue. Thanks again.

 

[biffdotorg]

Awesome. Glad to hear that. My dealer said he had his allotment and only had two boats left and I got one of those. So sounds like won’t be an issue. Thanks again.

That, my friend, is a very good sign, and the sign of a good dealer. There should be few surprises at this time of year. Now come spring time when he has no new boats to sell, that's when the shady stuff starts coming to light.

I'm excited for you!

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

All the various super ultimate systems are spring loaded, adjustable and capable of full or part time assistance, the AK versions fit the second generation nozzles, from 2015 through 2018 model years , the ak-19 versions fit the 2019 and newer model years third generation nozzles the deluxe versions also have the plaining surfaces, all this is to provide the most features and benefits to the individual boater as everyone is different and should be able to set their system to do what they feel is important and to be able to change it if their needs change.
Now as for the one I suggest for you the AK -19 deluxe . I would not set them to go up and loose perhaps the most important features of the steering the off power and high speed instant response to the helm and the ability to maintain control in wind waves and current. at all speeds. Once you try your boat go wide open and then just pull back the throttle to neutral and watch the boat go where ever it feels like.
Then do a turn at speed and pull back the throttle and see it go out of control again now imagine you are retrieving a loved one in the water during a water sport activities and you loose control , you can run them over and yes there has been posts where people have had to deal with this with a stock boat.
I am very careful on how I design my systems so they do not fight you at speed and to avoid water spray being created by the system, but I honestly do not recommend having the fins go up at speed you can set the level of influence higher or lower to suit your needs and still keep the fins in the water assisting you and one very important thing when the admiral drives the boat stock she will probably not be happy but once you install a full time steering system to it she will be showing off at the dock. Also look closely at the shape of my fins I am careful to avoid points or attaching sharp objects and I round off the ends so the fins won't dig in the sand in shallow water if you accidently back into it. I also want to touch on slow speed assistance. My super fins are designed to automatically change the influence level with the position of the boat hull on the water, since nothing above the bottom of the nozzle is in the water when the boat is on plane I position the biggest portion of the fins above the bottom of the nozzle so on plane only the portion of the fins that are below the nozzle are actually engaging the water and helping the boat to steer.
When the boat slows down to no wake mode and the hull is sitting low in the water the entire super fin now comes into play as the boat needs more influence and these fins also help not only in forward but in reverse as well. All without increasing the draft of the boat.

 

[Affinity]

All the various super ultimate systems are spring loaded, adjustable and capable of full or part time assistance, the AK versions fit the second generation nozzles, from 2015 through 2018 model years , the ak-19 versions fit the 2019 and newer model years third generation nozzles the deluxe versions also have the plaining surfaces, all this is to provide the most features and benefits to the individual boater as everyone is different and should be able to set their system to do what they feel is important and to be able to change it if their needs change.
Now as for the one I suggest for you the AK -19 deluxe . I would not set them to go up and loose perhaps the most important features of the steering the off power and high speed instant response to the helm and the ability to maintain control in wind waves and current. at all speeds. Once you try your boat go wide open and then just pull back the throttle to neutral and watch the boat go where ever it feels like.
Then do a turn at speed and pull back the throttle and see it go out of control again now imagine you are retrieving a loved one in the water during a water sport activities and you loose control , you can run them over and yes there has been posts where people have had to deal with this with a stock boat.
I am very careful on how I design my systems so they do not fight you at speed and to avoid water spray being created by the system, but I honestly do not recommend having the fins go up at speed you can set the level of influence higher or lower to suit your needs and still keep the fins in the water assisting you and one very important thing when the admiral drives the boat stock she will probably not be happy but once you install a full time steering system to it she will be showing off at the dock. Also look closely at the shape of my fins I am careful to avoid points or attaching sharp objects and I round off the ends so the fins won't dig in the sand in shallow water if you accidently back into it. I also want to touch on slow speed assistance. My super fins are designed to automatically change the influence level with the position of the boat hull on the water, since nothing above the bottom of the nozzle is in the water when the boat is on plane I position the biggest portion of the fins above the bottom of the nozzle so on plane only the portion of the fins that are below the nozzle are actually engaging the water and helping the boat to steer.
When the boat slows down to no wake mode and the hull is sitting low in the water the entire super fin now comes into play as the boat needs more influence and these fins also help not only in forward but in reverse as well. All without increasing the draft of the boat.

Is there a “kickstand” to keep them up when trailering or in more shallow waters / sand bars? Or is that not necessary?

 

[Cobra Jet Steering LLC]

Is there a “kickstand” to keep them up when trailering or in more shallow waters / sand bars? Or is that not necessary?

No that is not necessary as my system does not hang down below the original rudder and if you look at the picture the fins are spring loaded the factory rudder is fixed I call it the Achilles keel because if the boat strikes the ground my tempered aluminum fins will just flip up , not so for the rudder on the end of the keel. And in some cases the people just do away with the rudder and just use the super steering. The last picture is the one that would go on your boat model you can see how the fins line up with the rudder and the leading edges are curved out to allow the new nozzle to operate properly in reverse, now if that cutout was not there and someone had any different fins the new reverse would not operate correctly as the water comes out at an angle but never laterally.