Prop Question

[jamesbalog]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Before I would make a remondation, I would need to know what you're boating is. If you run shallow or an area with alot of obstructions, I'd go aluminum(props are cheaper and easier to fix than lower units). If you are after max performance then stainless is your prop. And how you are going to use it will dictate which style and brand I'd reccomend. Theres dozens of styles of props out now, each for a different useage. Its not the olden days where your choices were just stainless or aluminum.

I run aluminum props for this exact reason

[Night_Sailor]

I will be running it mostly in Long Island Sound (deep water zero visibility). I may pull it to the Florida Keys (very shallow/good daytime visibility), and occasionally up to the Georgian Bay and French River in Ontario (rocky bottoms, clear water/good daytime visibility). I bought this boat originally because I wanted a trailerable boat.

[smokeonthewater]

Is it worth hundreds of dollars to you to top out at 42.5 instead of 41.2?

Is most of your running WOT, just on plane, trolling, or looking for best economy.

What's most important to you? Hole shot, cruising, top end, etc

[THEFERMANATOR]

Are you wanting to cruise with it, or run her WOT alot? If you after a good affordable propeller for cruising, then the SOLAS 4 blade aluminum would be high up on my list. If you want a good top end, then a SOLAS stainless 3 blade would be a good choice. I reccomend SOLAS because they are cheap, and so far all of them I have run have been VERY smooth running. They are also the OEM prop for HONDA to give you a clue as to there quality.

[garbubba]

That's real interesting, I know you guys know your stuff, but I never use anything BUT stainless mostly because I'm in shallow water. I have worried about tearing up gears but it's never happened. Running the islands here you are bound to go through sand or mud. Composite prop - the blades break off. AL props bend, cup & wear away, Stainless prop - it just got a sharpening.

Part of the reason for my decision is after working on those islands I learned about the disastrous results of losing power in shallow surf. I have a couple of friends who rolled a whaler, what a story!

Oyster beds & more solid objects do more harm, but I still run the Michigan 19 pitch that was on it when I bought it, just a bit sharper & lighter after all these years.

[awthacker]

Hijack...

So I'm turning 5700 at wot with a 3 blade 17p with a light load. Not sure diameter, but it's on a Yamaha 225 4 stroke. This is my Robalo, not the V. I'd like more holeshot and could care less about top end but do want to consider efficiency. I really liked the 4 blade on my V. If I switch to 4 blade, what pitch should I be considering?

[THEFERMANATOR]

For an engine like the YAMAHA, I would be looking at a mIRAGE or MIRAGE copy. They are 3 blade large diamter props that bite in HARD, give good holeshot, EXCELLENT cruise, and hold the water like nobodys business. You will sacrifice a bit on the top end, but the MIRAGE style large diamter props are just great all round performers offshore on bigger boats.

[Night_Sailor]

I left the country for the last two weeks, delivering a yacht to St Thomas. So I didn't discuss the project much with the installers. I was not totally sure what size motor to get. I knew I wanted a white small block and decided to go for the 200HP model.

The original plan was to use a jack plate. I requsted the installer put on an aluminum splash plate to raise my transom back up to the original 25". This morphed into putting on two thick aluminum plates and eliminating the jack plate. They put spacers in between them also, which stiffens up an already strong transom.

For the prop, I let the installer decide for me. They picked a three blade stainless steel--ok I guess fast is good. I wanted the digital gauges--two of the large ones. I may add two small gauges to fill the gaps.

Next up, is registering the boat and I'll probably rewire the whole boat.

I am thinking about removing the T-Top and repainting it and that might be a perfect time to form up a hardtop.

I am a happy camper. The motor looks so good, I'll have to spruce up the boat. I'm thinking about using a hard finish bottom paint, and perhaps at some point I'll repaint the topsides.

[bradford]

Sweet! Let us know how her maiden voyage goes.

[Night_Sailor]

Prop is a 15 1/4 x 19 stainless three blade.

Does that match what others are using?