Waterbug13
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So does anyone have fangs on their seadoo challenger 210 and if so how are they?
Cobra fins
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You meant "fins", right? And not "fangs"? Because CJS has a specific product (only for Yamahas) that are called FANGS...and are totally different.
I will be buying for my 2006 Islandia. I have no doubt they help at low, forward speeds. They are a rudder, so of course they will give better control at low speed (or even at no throttle..i.e. "neutral".) There is some debate as to they effectiveness ( or negative impacts even) while in reverse.
Waterbug13
Active Member
That must be why I am not finding the fangs and such for my boat then. Anything to help with control is a plus with any boat but more so with the jet boats. I really haven't seen much info good or bad on them but I haven't had a jet boat long. Just trying to see who has them and how they work.
slaizer2000
Active Member
I have cobra fins. When I first got my Islandia (new to BoatIng and jet boats) I had lots of issues with neutral and docking. Lowest forward speed was too hot for me to dock. And neutral gave no control. With the cobra fins i can maintain direction at neutral when waiting to dock. Then I put it in forward a few seconds to gain speed then throw it in neutral and can still steer. Couldn’t do that before. Allows me to gently dock. I also was able to back out of the dock for about 50ft in reverse while being 1/2 foot from dock. Couldn’t do that previously. The one issue I do have is the wheel does turn harder. Also a sharp turn at higher speeds does create a bit of drag and slows the boat down. Which I compensate for with more thrust. Which is probably why the new cobra stuff will Lift up out of the way of the jets when at higher speeds. My 2007 Islandia only had a stationary option for the cobra fins. And the thrust vectors can’t be attached (they move up with higher jet thrust) because my nozzles has a cut out in them.
You can also send your nozzle in to cobra ( pay for the shipping) and they will screw the fins on for you.
The amount of control at neutral and reverse outweighs the harder steering and slight loss of thrust at high speed turns.
You can also send your nozzle in to cobra ( pay for the shipping) and they will screw the fins on for you.
The amount of control at neutral and reverse outweighs the harder steering and slight loss of thrust at high speed turns.
How low, would you say, are the Cobras below the keel? I am concerned about shallow water grounding....I regularly use my 2006 Islandia in 2 feet of water, slow speed of course (love that! ).
Also, CJS doesn't make a fin for any Rotax or Mercury setup that tilts up. JetBoatPilot, with their Thrust Vectors, do tilt up.
oh, so your nozzles won't let the TVs from JBP attach? hmmmm. I'll have to double check my 2006.
Glad to hear the fins/rudders help you.
a lot of the experienced Seadoo/Rotax guys will tell you how, with practice, you can feather the F-N-R handle back and forth (while leaving the throttle at "zero") and control the boat extremely well. I have no doubt about it. I've seen videos. But, I'm not there yet.
JBP guy has a good, simple video on YouTube showing the whole point of such fins on a Seadoo/Rotax setup: it's not so much about better control.. it about faster recovery from a turn. There IS a difference.
I noticed the veterans here sometimes (imo) equate the term "control" differently than the average person. To most people, faster recovery from a turn (at no throttle/"neutral") iiiiiiis control. Control is more than being able to spin the boat on a dime at a dock. I don't care how much experience you have: if a driver has made a full steering-wheel turn to one side, in forward, but at no/low throttle, that recovery time aaaaaand distance is an eternity on a Rotax setup.. and can easily have you hitting other boats/things in narrow quarters. Perhaps this is where the beauty of feathering the Reverse (along with its unusual/opposite-of-"normal" directional spin come into play and makes the veterans look so effortless.)
slaizer2000
Active Member
The cobra fins are about flush with the base of the boat. The thrust vector guys had me send pics of my nozzles to confirm if they would work. I was leaning towards them as they were on hinges and pop up out of way at high speed. But they wrap around the end of our nozzles. They said couldn’t work because my nozzles have the cutout on them.
slaizer2000
Active Member
Awesome! Thanks! I will go with the Cobra fins also since my nozzles would be identical to yours... but will attempt to drill on my own (because I feel the hassle to take the nozzles off is same as the drilling hassle.) 
Waterbug13
Active Member
I bought re cobra fins and installed them myself it's super easy. Just take the nozzle off it makes it easier and its just a.couple bolts and nuts. I can tell a difference as it responds a little faster and seems to stay straight even at speed more and not drift as much at low speed.
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