Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

[ttommytuna]

Read This First!!
ESSENTIAL DATA REQUIRED
When posting a question about propellers, you cannot get a reasonable answer unless you provide the following information in your post: Items 1-4 are essential for meaningful response to most questions.

1) Performance issue you are trying to correct.
Not happy with factory setup on the 130 Etec - especially for tubing/wakeboarding activities. Have small kids and found engine would bog down trying to go slow (even overheated it a few times at 3200 rpm). Can only take them tubing at 20 mph. Had issues pulling heavy wakeboard - boat wouldn't plane? WOT seems decent.
Also doesn't grip too well in corners when turning at cruising speeds.. Just think i can do better all round then this - both for water spots and top end.

2) Current prop manufacturer, model, aluminum or stainless as a minimum.
OEM Etec aluminum 14.8x17


3) Current prop diameter and pitch (required).
14.8x17
4) Wide open throttle RPM and speed with an average load (very helpful)
About 5550 RPM / 38 mph with just driver about 5400 RPM / 36 mph with wife and kid

5) Engine/drive make, model, year, and HP
2012 ETEC 130 HP, 25 inch shaft / 2.25 gear ratio

6) Boat make model, year, length and weight

Hurricane 187 OB Sundeck - 2012, 19ft, 2260 hull weight, 3200 wet weight

 

[steelespike]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Your slip is 4% possible but not likely. Is your speed by gps?The motor should not over heat unless its starving for water.
Tell the dealer.Is the motor setup with the anti vent plate(just above the prop) about even with the bottom of the transom.
If the motor is too high it might have trouble cooling in certain conditions.Also might vent in corners.It is normal to trim down for corners.
The motor is capable of 6000 rpm.A 15" prop should put you at about 5900 and should improve hole shot and the ability
to plane at reduced throttle.

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Yup my speeds were verified with Garmin GPS and GPS on my phone. Speedo on boat was high by 3 mph..

Local "prop guru" on the lake has told me to try the solas Amita four blade. He has one or two to lend me for trial runs so i'll give that a go.

I am upgrading water intakes to the high flow ones from Evinrude. Apparently if you do a lot of low speed turning / churning (like when tubing) and have a lot of messy water flow, you can benefit from high flow intake screens. Evinrude calls them "high flow for aerated water". Ordered a set so will see if that works better.

Dealer pulled engine codes, checked pump and everything else working good. at WOT the engine runs cool.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Yes a 4 blade is a good way to go too.Usually suggested to drop 1" to maintain rpm you may lose a little top end.
A borrowed prop is a great way get a feel for what might work.

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Tried 5 props today. Only one prop showed enough promise to warrant an $ upgrade over oem 14.8x17p evinrude.

The Solas HR4 ss 17p. Gave me awesome holeshot and mid range economy and top speed went from 37.5 to 39.5 (GPS). Only reason I didn't buy on the spot was my wot rpm were only 5550. Everyone says I should prop to 5750 with this motor with a light load. The 15p Amita spun to 6000 rpm..

As if I need a 16p HR4 which they don't make

Should I pay the marina to raise my engine one hole and get me that extra 200 rpm?

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Guys - what would be diff between HR4 I tried and Titan 4? Solas site describes them same?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

you rate a little low but if you run light most of the time it may be ok.You should run it awhile and see how things settle in.
If your mechanically inclined raising the motor is fairly simple.Very basically you support there motor skeg on a block on the ground.
loosen remove the positioning bolts just loosen the retaining bolts carefully raise the front of the trailer until you gain one hole and put the bolts back in. But before raising it where is the anti vent plate in relation to the bottom of the boat now?Also keep in mind
there may be no change.
You also could have a good prop shop remove a little pitch or cup. Over the years I've seen a couple of times with improvement in rpm and performance.

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

How many RPM would a one hole raise typically give?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Raising the motor one hole results would vary depending how the motor was setup. the speed and the boat design.
Its not unusual to have no apparent change.
Typical results in the extreme from a poor original setup 2" might net a couple of mph.
Usually if a boat has no venting issues the motor should be raised until venting becomes a problem.Then decide how much you can tolerate.

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Ok folks.. I had the engine raised one hole and had mechanic swap in the 4 Blade Solas Titan SS 17p.

Bad weather here but i was out trying the new setup. I'm not sure if I should be happy or disappointed as there are a number of factors that likely prevented this from being an ideal test:
- pretty big chop
- my full enclosure was up (previous tests were with cover down)
- pretty decent winds

So i got the boat out on the water and only could see 5400 RPM with the engine being up one hole and the four blade Solas (empty boat, 1/3 tank of gas). My target has been the 5750rpm sweet spot for the etec 130. lLast week in more ideal conditions (prior to engine raise), the same Solas was maxing 5500. The aluminium 3 blade that shipped with boat was maxing at 5600. I am hoping the full enclosure plus choppy conditions make up for the missing 200-300 RPM i want to find

Other thing i noticed with engine up a hole, is the entire trim range has totally changed. Prior to going up a hole, I could trim upto 3/4 on the trim gauge before she would lose grip. Now i was only trimming up 1/4-1/2 up before grip became questionable.

Running temperature was about 165 degrees instead of 170 prior to lift so I think i still have good water pressure.

Reverse thrust with this prop was pretty poor. Hit the dock a bit hard in the high winds because of the low reverse bite.

Had to come home from cottage so i'll have to wait another week to try out in more ideal conditions. I'm praying that the poor conditions is what robbed me of my 300-400 RPM. I don't want to be lugging this engine!!

What do you guys think?

 

[steelespike]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

Usually is suggested to make one change at a time I think the prop with a good solid test then raise the motor if it seems to be indicated.Usually going to a 4 blade with the same pitch will lose rpm and speed.Being ss may cushion the affects.
After a good test it may be necessary to lower the motor.Many times a 4 blade will allow more height.
The rough conditions surely could increase ventilation problems.

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

hi there - i tested that same four blade last weekend in calm conditions (before raising engine). At the time, i got it up to 5500 rpm with an empty boat. I figured with the one hole raise and same four blade i'd probably get near 5700ish which was ideal for my motor. The rough conditions plus having my full enclosure deployed didn't let me do an apples to apples comparison. I'm hopeful in more ideal conditions it will push 5700 but who knows. i've found that prop testing is more art than science!

 

[ttommytuna]

Re: Looking to get more from My Hurricane 187 OB w/ 130 HP Etec

So i did my calm water test today of the new setup. I can only turn 5500 RPM with a light load fully trimmed (covers down, 1/3 tank gas, ideal scenario). BUT I LOVE THIS PROP otherwise. It smokes the 3 blade from a handling perspective and i even get more top speed from it. 10% fuel economy boost at cruise over the 3 blade (3.9 vs 4.4 mpg). I love everything about it except that i'm not at the etec optimum 5750 rpm with a light load

Prop shop guy thinks i'm nuts. He says i am splitting hairs and that i won't find a better all round prop for the money (he let me try like 6 props so he has been very patient). The next size down (15p) revs to 6000 and just sucks at top speed and mid range cruising. Almost like i need a 16p (which doesn't exist) or some custom tweaks to this prop. Which he says he can do like thinning out the blades etc but that is even more $$.

Anybody know how a Cyclone would compare in the 17p? does it have less aggressive cupping etc that would get me a bit more rpm over the Titan 4?

Or should i just be happy and stop tweaking and enjoy my boat? Thanks guys!