Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

[Goldsmith44]

Hi, does anyone have any experience with this prop on a stern drive runabout? Anyone used it on anything??

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[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Anyone have any feedback on solas props?? Good? Bad?

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

As with any prop (in most cases) some are better suited to some applications..The Solas 4-blds are decent props and in all test data I have, they fall into the mid-range in price and performance.

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Thanks Walleyhed, I was beginning to wonder if there was something really wrong with them. I can't find any reviews or opinions on them. My first choice is a stiletto but I cant get the size and pitch I want in the Bay Pro II. Would you say the Solas Titan is comparable to the stiletto? Prop will be on a Sea Ray Sundeck 220 with alpha 1 out drive. Boat is heavy for this motor outdrive combo (4370#'s). More interested in hole shot and cruising.

Thanks!

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Let's go back and cover the current prop and the numbers you get with it.
I would have a hard time saying the Titan is as good as the stiletto..and, there are some options with stiletto as to having one worked at the factory to meet your needs.

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Ok, here is my current info:
2002 Sea Ray Sundeck 220
21 degree V hull
mercruiser 5.0 MPI (260 hp) (max rpm 4600-5000)
alpha 1 outdrive
14X19 Mercury Vengence 3 blade ss
max rpm at wot with normal load and trimmed out is 4750-4800
speed is approx 46-47 mph (per speedometer)

The boat is slow out of the hole and the stern rides low. I like to cruise at around 2800-3200 rpm. At this speed the stern is low and throwing a large wake. It is a family boat that I use to pull tubes and skis and cruise at lower speeds. Not as concerned about top end but I do want to be as efficient as possible. i was considering a 4 blade to help get stern up at lower speeds and improve holeshot. Based on what I read here I think a 4 blade 14.25X17 ss would be the prop. The numbers I have given are the best I can remember. I am going to the lake this weekend and can check speed at several different rpm ranges if needed.

thanks...

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Bay Pro III may be a good option in 4-blade...it's designed to carry a load and focuses on the mid-range holding ability, yet has excellent hole-shot ability.

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Tough decision for me. When I called precison propeller last week they tried to steer me away from the bay pro III. Said it is an offshore prop and was designed for high horsepower outboards to run close to the surface in rough water conditions. They said I may see substantial top end loss if I put it on a stern drive. They said I would be happier with the all around peformance of the bay pro II but the lowest pitch I can get is 18. Any and all opinions are welcome. I am trying to get it right the first time. $300 plus per prop is too expensive for me to make too many mistakes.

Options are:
Bay pro II 14.25X18 (4 blade)
Bay pro III 14.25X17 (4 blade)
Solas Titan HR 14.25X17 (4 blade)

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Walleyehed, can you determine is the baypro 111 and the baypro 11 are of the same blade type or design? If so that baypro 11 will light that boat up quite nicely, i wish you could take a ride in this WellCraft the money was well spent.

Sometime's a simple yet effective design is hard to beat, and hard to sell because it is so basic and as a sale's person my self i can tell you we all get caught up in that bs.... of the latest and greatest thing since........ummmm s@x

I believe in my case what happened are two thing's 1. i have a 20 degree deep vee 2. the bay pro 11 had so much stern lift, it lifted the boat high enough out of the water to decreased the wetted surface enough friction was reduced that a 5 mph speed increase resulted.

Drag was the key, the vee was deep almost 14", the prop lifted the boat @ all speed's enough to increase the speed @ a given rpm, and as has been stated here before midrage improves a lot, so much so when this prop really hook's up in almost feel's like a 4 barrel carb opening in a car and i have tbi.... anyway's your in good hand's here good luck.

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Maybe the Bay Pro II will give me enough lift that I will gain some rpms back? In that case the Bay Pro II might work out fine?

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Going by what Steve told you, and considering you now run a Vengeance, I'd follow his advice on the 18 Bay Pro II. I know you'll get more lift over-all with that and it will come out of the hole better. If it will provide more lift (it will) the BP II in 18 should work great...somewhere I was missing the part about a 19 in the Vengeance...not sure where my head was but the 18P BP II makes good sense....Steve is a smart guy and he caught me on that one...

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Walleyehed,

I was really wanting to pick up 200-250 rpms to get me close to 5000. I think that is why you were thinking 17 pitch (me too). The 14X18 Bay Pro II may stay within my max rpm range but probably will not give me additional rpms to put me up to 5000. Steve also warned that the stiletto prop has more aggressive cupping than the Vengence and that needs to be figured into the deal. He mentioned that a 17 pitch stiletto may run more like an 18 vengence. At one point in the conversation Steve even mentioned trying a Stiletto Advantage II 3 blade 14X17 (he actually thought the 3 blade might even be better???) I was really wanting to stay with the 4 blade based on the results Tail Gunner got when he went to the BP II. Our hull designs are very similar however he has a better power to weight ratio. I am going to the lake this weekend to verify my rpm and speed readings with the 14X19 vengence. I will report the results here so we know exactly where we are with the vengence. I will also post a couple pics of the boat so you can see the hull design.

I appreciate you guys (Walleyehed, Tail Gunner) helping me!!!!!

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Ok, I went to the lake today. With the 14X19 vengence I got 4900 rpms and 51 mph per speedometer. Temp was in the low 70's. In the summer is gets to 100+ degrees here. My family on board so load was about normal and would only increase when we bring guests. When pulling a tube with my small girls I continually have to slow down to cross waves and boat falls off plane. Seems like I am always crawling back out of the hole, accelerating, weaving and turning around which works the engine hard. I am looking for better holeshot and stronger acceleration. Based on the information I have here what propeller would best suit my needs. I am trying to stay as close to 5000 rpms as possible.

Thanks again for all your help

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

If your @ 4900 with a full load i cannot see why the baypro 111 18 would not work well for you,and it will lift the boat @ low speed's noticablly better

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Tail Gunner, that is what I was thinking. I believe the boat can handle the 18 pitch bay pro II based on these numbers. I am going to post a couple of pictures of the boat (if it works).

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

View from back to see hull design.

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

pic 1 is dash panel at wot
pic 2 is dash panel at 3500rpm

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Are you sure that's a 20 degree v hull? If so go for it, i can say no more. Perhap's Walleyedhed will have something to add?

 

[Goldsmith44]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Well, I ordered a new Stiletto Bay Pro II 14.25 X 18 today. Sucks not being able to try it first. I should have the prop middle of next week. I will test it and post the results here so sterndrive folks can take note of the changes (hopefully good changes!!).

Tail Gunner - I checked my owners manual and the boat has a 21 degree deadrise. I hope it works for me as it did for you. Thanks for the help.

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Solas Titan HR 4 Blade

Keep me posted on the results...I may be able to help you out if the pitch isn't quite right.