Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

I have a Larson LXI228 Bowrider 22.5 ft with a 5.0 liter V8 MPI
I know nothing about the different pitch or size and wonder if anyone knows what would give me the optimum performance?
Right now it has the factory prop 14.3 x 21
Would it be worth my while to replace it with a SST prop and keep it as a spare?

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

If you get us your present max rpm and speed,the year of your boat, the dry weight and what you would like to improve we can tell better what you need if anything.
While ss props can be very effective their improvement could be from a few tenths to a few mph.
You would have to decide if their cost(about 3 times that of an al prop.) is worth the investment.

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

Thanks for replying.
The max Rpm I would like would be 4600 t0 5000, the boat does 55mph now a WOT , the dry weight is 3500lb, the boat is a 2006 with 50hrs and has factory prop now. I use it in canada on a lake with many weeds and some rocks, Haven't hit one yet but?? I have heard from many people that i will get much more performance/top speed and fuel economy changing to a SST prop and have also been told they are much stonger of course?
Let me know your thoughts? Does a 14 and 3/10ths prop seem small sure looks it? I have a friend with a 4 cyl with a 15" prop??? any advantage??

Larson 228 lxi - Is it a boat characteristic or problem?

Larson 228 lxi - Is it a boat characteristic or problem?

I just bought a 2007 228 LXi and really like the boat and it's layout. But after bringing on to my lake on a calm day I was disappointed in the way the tracked under about 20 mph. It seems to "zig zag" and when I look back at the wake it is oscillating back and forth. I've owned other single prop boats and I know it happens a little but this seemed extreme. Is this typical for the boat or do I have some kind of problem?

Jeff Lynne Dylan said:

Thanks for replying.
The max Rpm I would like would be 4600 t0 5000, the boat does 55mph now a WOT , the dry weight is 3500lb, the boat is a 2006 with 50hrs and has factory prop now. I use it in canada on a lake with many weeds and some rocks, Haven't hit one yet but?? I have heard from many people that i will get much more performance/top speed and fuel economy changing to a SST prop and have also been told they are much stonger of course?
Let me know your thoughts? Does a 14 and 3/10ths prop seem small sure looks it? I have a friend with a 4 cyl with a 15" prop??? any advantage??

Click to expand...

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

If it is an alpha 1 thats the diameter. Diameter varies with the pitch.
What is your present max rpm at 55?What is the hp?
Actually if hard contacts(rocks) are likely the ss prop could hold up better but cost more to repair than al.Usually not suggested if hard contact is likely.
Also if the prop hub fails to give as it is intended the ss prop can transmit more damage to the drive train.
If you have a manual it may tell you what you might expect for performance with various props. There are al props that can produce close to ss performance at al prices the Turning point Hustler is one.Ss can also produce across the board improvement how much would depend on the effectiveness of your present prop. Yes you clould improve mileage but you would likely need a flowmeter to tell the difference.
Your motor will use about the same GPH (gallons per hour)at wide open throttle regardless of the setup; economy is improved by making the setup work the best way possible.
Ss might do that, how much depends on your present setup.

Re: Larson 228 lxi - Is it a boat characteristic or problem?

Re: Larson 228 lxi - Is it a boat characteristic or problem?

apprec8itall said:

I just bought a 2007 228 LXi and really like the boat and it's layout. But after bringing on to my lake on a calm day I was disappointed in the way the tracked under about 20 mph. It seems to "zig zag" and when I look back at the wake it is oscillating back and forth. I've owned other single prop boats and I know it happens a little but this seemed extreme. Is this typical for the boat or do I have some kind of problem?

Click to expand...

Hy there,

Welcome to iBoats!

Best to ask your question through a new posting. We want to keep focused on the original post (OP) as they started the thread.

Thanks!

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

Jeff Lynne Dylan said:

Thanks for replying.
The max Rpm I would like would be 4600 t0 5000, the boat does 55mph now a WOT , the dry weight is 3500lb, the boat is a 2006 with 50hrs and has factory prop now. I use it in canada on a lake with many weeds and some rocks, Haven't hit one yet but?? I have heard from many people that i will get much more performance/top speed and fuel economy changing to a SST prop and have also been told they are much stonger of course?
Let me know your thoughts? Does a 14 and 3/10ths prop seem small sure looks it? I have a friend with a 4 cyl with a 15" prop??? any advantage??

Click to expand...

Hi JLD and Welcome to iBoats!

Check out the sticky in this link http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=287818

As steelespike has posted, the more we know about your current setup and what you want to improve, the better we can give input to assist.

If you "know your waters and always know you will stay in the safe area", then going with SS is less of an issue. Depending on your current AL prop, the SS may only provide a little more improvement, but it "usually" will.

We look forward to helping!

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

1987 34 ft wellcraft. max rpm I can get is 3700, boat will not plane, dry weight is 13,000 pounds, two 350 hp crusader engines are well tuned, should run up to 4200 - 4400 rpm. Boat is used, don't know prop I have. What prop should I be using?

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

By all means switchover to a stainless prop. It'll save you money in the long run. I used to go through an aluminum prop per year, but my stainless prop has never failed me in 20 years.

If you're satisfactory with your current performance, continue with the same pitch and approximate size you're currently using.

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

Richard Brown said:

1987 34 ft wellcraft. max rpm I can get is 3700, boat will not plane, dry weight is 13,000 pounds, two 350 hp crusader engines are well tuned, should run up to 4200 - 4400 rpm. Boat is used, don't know prop I have. What prop should I be using?

Click to expand...

Start you own thread! (Please)

Re: Whats the best prop pitch and size for my boat?

Welcome aboard When considering what prop and what pitch don't forget to consider what you are going to do with it. Is your focus on top speed? Perhaps you may want to pull skiers? I suggest 2 props, one pitched for top speed, and a "power prop" pitched for pulling skiers, etc... that way you have the best of both worlds and changing a prop is a 5 min job and easy to do. As far as alum or stainless goes, make that decision based on where your running your boat at. If there is a danger of striking bottom, you may want to go with an alum prop as it will break before your lower unit does (prop are always cheaper than lower's). If your in deep water, go with a stainless one. I'm a bit anal about prop choices due to an incident I had a few years ago. While returning to the dock I took a shortcut and grounded badly. I was running a stainless prop and the grounding cost me a new lower unit as well as having to replace my stearing. It was my fault as I did not account for the outgoing tide and I was running faster than my bottom machine could track in an area that was shallow anyhow. If I had had an alum prop it might have saved me allot of cash and time by breaking the prop instead of everything else. As it was the stainless prop suffered no real damage, but the rest of my boat sure did. I learned some very important lessons that day

Art