Need prop suggestion.

butcher733

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Jan 18, 2016
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I have a 1983 holiday mansion barracuda, 35 x12. It is being re powered with a 260 hp 350 chevy. My outdrive is a vp aq280 with a 1.61 gear ratio. it currently has a trashed 15 inch prop on it with an unknown pitch. It is my understanding that this boat has a planing hull but I do not intend to use it in that fashion. I need recommendations for a prop that will give me good braking and reverse, not concerned about speed. I'm assuming WOT on this motor to be about 4500 rpm. Boat weighs about 15000.
 

steelespike

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Apr 26, 2002
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Your prop size may appear under the prop nut or near the base of the blades.
I would suggest you have the prop repaired and get some test numbers. Regardless of how slow or fast you intend to go the motor
needs to rev freely within its wot rpm. We need to know the lightly loaded wot rpm and gps speed.
 

Scott Danforth

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your boat is a houseboat in the 35-38' range. I doubt that the hull is a planing hull. especially with only a 350 SBC pushing it. you will want to prop it so that your maximum RPM is 4600-4800 to get full use of the motor. if your propped wrong, and do not get full rpm, you are lugging the motor. if you lug the motor, you kill the motor. BTW, similar sized house boats to yours with twin bravo III drives and big blocks do not plane, nor do they move much faster than a pair of 50hp outboards

my first suggestion would be find a duoprop drive with a set of B3's to get maximum thrust

however since your 280 is most likely a single, my initial prop recommendation would be a 15 pitch prop, however you may have to go down from there.
 

butcher733

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Jan 18, 2016
Messages
15
Your prop size may appear under the prop nut or near the base of the blades.
I would suggest you have the prop repaired and get some test numbers. Regardless of how slow or fast you intend to go the motor
needs to rev freely within its wot rpm. We need to know the lightly loaded wot rpm and gps speed.

I bought the boat in a non-functioning state and I have no way of producing any data other than what I have given. I'll try to clean the prop up tonight and see if I can get a pitch number off of it though.
 

alldodge

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I have a 1983 holiday mansion barracuda, 35 x12. It is being re powered with a 260 hp 350 chevy. My outdrive is a vp aq280 with a 1.61 gear ratio. it currently has a trashed 15 inch prop on it with an unknown pitch. It is my understanding that this boat has a planing hull but I do not intend to use it in that fashion. I need recommendations for a prop that will give me good braking and reverse, not concerned about speed. I'm assuming WOT on this motor to be about 4500 rpm. Boat weighs about 15000.

My guess would be if you have your current prop repaired it should provide sufficient breaking and reverse functions. If the blades are messed up, you will have a hard time getting the prop to bite in any direction
 

butcher733

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Jan 18, 2016
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15
I ground enough corrosion off the old prop under the cone and uncovered a VERY faint 16x13. Does this sound like a good fit? I would assume it's the original prop but assuming has its downsides.
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
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I would use that as a start. If you have a lot of corrosion, make sure the drive passes a pressure test
 
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