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I would guess the previous owner changed props to improve acceleration and/or increase minimum planing speed and/or to pull skiers or a tube.

All outboard motors need to be trimmed. At speed a motor that is not trimmed out enough will lead to increased effort to steer.

At mid range speed the anti-cavitation plate should be at the surface of the running water and throw any prop spray flat. Almost all motors are mounted too low.

Any boat running at 25 mph with a correctly propped and rigged engine will ventilate when doing a sharp turn. I would guess a 4 or 5 blade will ventilate more than a 3 blade prop. My Outrage 17 and Montauk 17 ventilated when doing high speed hairpin turns.

A hydrofoil or tabs or dole fins are might "help" but they are compensating for a problem in the rigging or prop.

Keep in mind the Dauntless is a very beamy, shallow deadrise and heavy for it's LOA. I would not expect it to have the performance characteristics of an Outrage model.

Personally, I would look at leaving the motor alone and changing the prop (stainless not aluminum). You will trade off lower planing speed, acceleration for turning ability. Verify in your manual that your engine WOT is 5500 and not 5750 like some Opti 200's.

From a historical conversation I read the original performance report for your boat/motor from Boston Whaler reported 47 mph at 5750 running a 15 1/2 x 17P Mirage Plus propeller. This was with the boat practically empty.