mwe-maxxowner
Master Chief Petty Officer
- Joined
- Jun 20, 2012
- Messages
- 825
I own a 1986 Dixie hustler 188. 18'8", with a somewhat shallow v open bow. Powered by a 2 barrel 4.3.
When I bought the boat it had a 21 pitch prop, and seemed sluggish. It struggled to reach 3800 rpms and 40 mph with only two guys on board.
I have since rebuilt the boat, and put on a borrowed solas 19 pitch prop. I don't know whether to attribute the performance gains to losing water weight, or the prop, but now I can reach an easy 4500 rpms and 45 mph with five people on board and a cooler full of drinks. With the two guy load it normally sees I can easily get up to and maybe even past 5000 rpms.
I feel I'm pitched just about right, I think this motor should have the muscle to run a larger prop, but it seems nice and strong with this 19, pulling up boarders with 5 people on board.
I'm ready to start searching for my own prop. There are a few things I find interesting. With this Sola's prop, I can turn hard at any speed, even while trimmed up, and it almost never loses its bite and blows out. At slow speed I can trim up and up and up and it will stand the boat straight up, never loses its grip!
What characteristics of a prop give this type of performance?
I want to go with a 4 blade, as this boat is mostly for watersports. I read they hold speed a little better and wander a little less? In water that is a little choppy with 5 people on board it wanted to porpoise a little at cruising speed of maybe 35 mph if I trimmed up much at all. For all I know that may just be normal.
Any recommendations on a 4 blade prop for my situation?
And also just curious as to answers on why my current Solas prop seems to get much more "grip" than another 3 blade prop.
When I bought the boat it had a 21 pitch prop, and seemed sluggish. It struggled to reach 3800 rpms and 40 mph with only two guys on board.
I have since rebuilt the boat, and put on a borrowed solas 19 pitch prop. I don't know whether to attribute the performance gains to losing water weight, or the prop, but now I can reach an easy 4500 rpms and 45 mph with five people on board and a cooler full of drinks. With the two guy load it normally sees I can easily get up to and maybe even past 5000 rpms.
I feel I'm pitched just about right, I think this motor should have the muscle to run a larger prop, but it seems nice and strong with this 19, pulling up boarders with 5 people on board.
I'm ready to start searching for my own prop. There are a few things I find interesting. With this Sola's prop, I can turn hard at any speed, even while trimmed up, and it almost never loses its bite and blows out. At slow speed I can trim up and up and up and it will stand the boat straight up, never loses its grip!
What characteristics of a prop give this type of performance?
I want to go with a 4 blade, as this boat is mostly for watersports. I read they hold speed a little better and wander a little less? In water that is a little choppy with 5 people on board it wanted to porpoise a little at cruising speed of maybe 35 mph if I trimmed up much at all. For all I know that may just be normal.
Any recommendations on a 4 blade prop for my situation?
And also just curious as to answers on why my current Solas prop seems to get much more "grip" than another 3 blade prop.