3000 Express Props

[Woodworker2001]

Been talking with general props in Florida about a new set of wheels. Old ones are pitted pretty bad and I can only get about 4200 wot on 5.7 merc which is about 400 under rated wot.

So question is I know most are runni 19x19 3 blades. A couple have 19x21 3 blades like I have. Company suggests going to 19x18 4 blades. Anyone out there put 4 blades on one of these boats with the mercs? They seem to think I should see improved performance all around due to being over propped currently just curious peoples thoughts.

Dan

[bnc]

I bought a set of 19x19 dyna quads for my boat this year. It was over-propped with them. I think I hit 4200 max RPM. I talked with michigan wheel directly and they suggested 19x18, so I thought I might be able to get away with the 19x19. I feel they need to be 19x17, probably with a heavy cup.

Response around the dock was much better with 4 blades. But I also noticed they drove the bow down quite a bit too.

I took them off and found another set of 19x19 3 blades to put back on the boat. My originals were heavily pitted and caused a lot of vibration.

I have the quads here in boxes if you are interested. Will need sent to the shop and de-pitched obviously. My boat has late model horizons (not sure if they have slightly more HP than the typical horizons in these boats)

[Woodworker2001]

Source of the post I bought a set of 19x19 dyna quads for my boat this year. It was over-propped with them. I think I hit 4200 max RPM. I talked with michigan wheel directly and they suggested 19x18, so I thought I might be able to get away with the 19x19. I feel they need to be 19x17, probably with a heavy cup.

Response around the dock was much better with 4 blades. But I also noticed they drove the bow down quite a bit too.

I took them off and found another set of 19x19 3 blades to put back on the boat. My originals were heavily pitted and caused a lot of vibration.

I have the quads here in boxes if you are interested. Will need sent to the shop and de-pitched obviously. My boat has late model horizons (not sure if they have slightly more HP than the typical horizons in these boats)

Did you find it drove the bow down too much? I often have to use tabs to get the boat to plane out when I have a full crew onboard. Some of this could be being over propped with the 19x21. I am hoping to get better cruising speed and economy with a prop change as well as get rid of some vibration I have with the boat. May just stick with 19x19 3 blades as well. Don’t want to make purchase twice.

[bnc]

I recall that the bow drive was comparable to maybe 1/2 down tabs. I only had 1 other person with me on the first (and last) test drive with the dyna-quads. I was paranoid about lugging the engine so I immediately swapped them out as getting them pitched takes all summer. Luckily I was able to find a set of used 3 blades locally.

I haven’t made a decision yet if I should sell them or get them re-pitched and try again in the spring. I really liked the grip they had around the dock.

I had some pretty bad vibration from my old props that would rattle the hatch latches. Now I have a very slight vibration right around 1250 rpm, then it goes away and is very smooth.

[Woodworker2001]

Let me know if you are interested in selling the quads. I might be interested. With a full load I often times run the tabs full down to plane out at 3200 but I am running over propped too.

[REELAXIN]

I am running 19x19 3 blades on mine and have been wondering about 4 blades. Best fuel burn for me is under 3400 but I need to tab down regardless of load to maximize speed. 3200 is about 20mph for me, 3400 is 22 and 3600 is about 25mph. I have found myself running closer to 3600 lately, the boat just feels better. I have been up to 4400 rpm and there is still more. I have the Crusaders.

[Woodworker2001]

Source of the post I am running 19x19 3 blades on mine and have been wondering about 4 blades. Best fuel burn for me is under 3400 but I need to tab down regardless of load to maximize speed. 3200 is about 20mph for me, 3400 is 22 and 3600 is about 25mph. I have found myself running closer to 3600 lately, the boat just feels better. I have been up to 4400 rpm and there is still more. I have the Crusaders.

I get 23-25 at 3200 depending on my fuel and load. At 3400 we get about 25-26.5 and the boat needs less tab and does not sound to be laboring but don’t like running much over 3300 unless in a heavy following sea. Then it will bog down over bigger waves of below 3400.

My concern is it driving bow down too much with 4 blades and also my ability to get down to slower trolling speeds for walleye with 4 blades