Best prop for a 24ft pontoon with a 3.0 Mercruiser

muskyfins

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jun 7, 2012
Messages
578
If you pull your drive, you may be able to access the coupler on the back of the engine. Using a paint pen or sharpie on the end of a piece of pipe or broom handle, you could mark the coupler on the metal and rubber parts. Re-assemble the drive and run the boat. Pull the drive and see if the marks on the rubber and metal portions are still aligned. If not, you have a bad coupler.

Sort of a PITA. But so is pulling the engine only to find out the coupler is just fine.
 

98fatboy

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Messages
19
Well, this is where I'm at now. Went by an old Marina that's by the house.went in and talked to the old boat mechanic that was sitting on a bench out of an old pontoon smoking a stogie. I asked him if I could ask him a couple of questions about my boat. It was close to quiting time but he obliged. Asked me if I could bring it by to let him look at it. He said he would be at the shop just come in and get him. So on Sunday, (yes Sunday) I drive the ol pontoon to his shop on the river, (1 1/2 hour boat ride) pull up and go inside to get him. He walks down to the dock, looks over to me and says I found yer problem. I then get a lesson in hydronautics, ventilation, cavitation, that puts all of the world wide web to shame. He explained to me that my toons were too far past my prop and was creating dirty water and my prop didn't "haff nuttn to bite on" when I got almost up to optimum rpm creating the issue I was experiencing. Me n ol Popeye talked about boats, cause n effect, theory, propulsion, fishing and Harley's. Next thing I know it's 4 hours later and I'm heading home. He said I needed a bigger fish tail to squeeze all that dirty water down to the prop so it'd have something to bite on. Whale tail will be here Friday. And after me n Popeyes talk, I feel like I found me an encyclopedia of knowledge with more experience than I will ever be able to get. I am looking forward to many more "lessons" from ol Popeye
 

alldodge

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
40,582
Glad to hear your moving forward, but then again that's why we were asking for a pic
 

98fatboy

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Messages
19
I apologise for not not getting a picture. I tried to upload a couple and it kept telling me the file was too large. Tried multiple different ways, to no avail.
 

98fatboy

Cadet
Joined
Jun 22, 2017
Messages
19
Installed a Davis whale tail. HUGE IMPROVEMENT!
Now back to prop selection, after I check throttle cable for full throttle at carb. Boat maxes out with 15 1/5 x15 pitch prop with a digital tach attached to plug wire at 3600. Going to check cable operation at carb before changing out prop again.
 
Top