[THEFERMANATOR]

Originally Posted by reelapeelin

I was thinking the 1920lb spec referred to dry hull (no gas in the tank and no motor)...earlier hulls allowed 235 HP, but later hulls like my '95 V21 only allowed 200 which always seemed odd to me. My best prop experience was a 17x15.25x3 SS by Power Tech...on a 150 Honda topped out at 42 and easily and economically cruised at 30. Generally a 4 blade prop has stern lifting characteristics which is good cuz V20s ride a bit bow high and like Ferm sez, may drop a couple of MPH off the top end. A good friend of mine has a 250 Verado on a 24 Everglades and loves his 4 blader...

Some hulls run faster with 4 blades, each boat is different. My 19 carolina skiff picked up almost 3 mph going from a 3 blade 17 pitch solas to a 4 blade 17 pitch solas. My hydrasports liked a large diameter 3 blade. Kept the same top end, but picked up big time in the cruise area. Many people would be shocked if they got with aprop shop and tried out some different props. Many think thete boats have quirks to them that may just be the prop. Others have fallen in love with there boats again after repropping. You just don't know unless you've taken it out and trief a half dozen different props. Sometimes all you need is a pitch change of just an inch to transform there boat, and other times they need a completely different prop. 4 strokes seem to do best with props that provide extra stern lift due to there heavier weights, so they like 4 blades.

As to the drop in HP for the V-21, it had to do with the euro transom change. Boats with a flat transom were rated at 235(except early hulls before the 235 existed), but the v-21 euro transom was only 200hp. And it also had to do with the change from flywheel hp ratings to propshaft. The old 235's were flywheel rated, and became a 185hp when they went to prop shaft rating.