Help with prop selection

[Mullin]

I have a new to me bayliner and would like to get a little better performance out of it, namely it is a bit slow and bogs down a bit when towing a heavy tube or a boarder is pulling hard on the rope.

It came with 2 props (a 14" 19P and a 14" 17P 3-blades) I live and play at 6750ft elevation so the smaller 17P pitch is the only prop I have used. It still does not get all the way up to the 4800-5000 rpm range, only about 4400 and 27mph (gps and gauge agree).

1) I would like better power for tubing and wakeboarding and a higher top-end speed would be nice too
2) Current prop: volvo aluminum
3) Current prop: 14" 17P
4) Wide open throttle: 4400RPM and speed: 27mph
5) Engine: volvo AQ125A /drive make: 270 1985 115hp
6) Bayliner Capri 195 bowrider, 1985

I'm thinking of a solas amita 4 blade prop. Should I change pitch to 15P? and is SS really worth all that money?

Thanks for any help.

 

[SparkieBoat]

Re: Help with prop selection

a 115 HP motor on a 20 foot boat, 27 MPH is about as good as it will get probably, if you need a few hundred more RPM so you do not lug your motor drop it down to a 15 pitch, but you will see only limited improvement on your hole shot and probably lose a couple of MPH top end. the boat is way underpowered IMO , I would have nothing less than 150 HP on a 20' boat, but I would prefer a 200 or 225. with that low of HP I would not think you will see much difference with a SS prop, If you go to a 4 blade you may even want to go down to a 14 or 13 pitch prop. a 15P 4 blade SS would probably see no increase in WOT RPMs, compared to your current one, but it is all speculative until you actually test run it. at 7K elevation you probably are producing minus %5-10 HP.