Hey all,
I have an '06 Lowe Fish & Ski 175 (17.5'), It's a Deep-Vee Hull.
I also have an '06 Mercury 115HP 4-Storke Motor.
When I bought the boat the dealer had installed a 19-Pitch aluminum prop. I found out almost immediately that this was the wrong prop for the boat/motor, fully loaded boat (4-people & fishing gear) it would run 40 MPH @ 5200 RPM, and would not plane.
I then tried a Mercury Vengeance 18 Pitch Stainless Steel Prop, with a fully loaded boat (4-people & Fishing gear) it would run 38-40 MPH @ 5400 RPM.
I then tried a 17 Pitch aluminum, with a fully loaded boat (4-people & Fishing Gear) it would run 42MPH & 5500 RPM.
The 17 pitch prop was the only prop that will plane with 4-people behind the windshield. I also had the engine raised up 1 hole on the transom, which gave me a little better holeshot, and about 50RPM more. The Redline is 6000RPM, but it doesn't seam like I can get the engine to tach out to 6000RPM, and I am thinking if I go any lower in pitch I am going to start loosing top speed. The 18p prop was the fastest when runing light (2-people light gear), which was 48MPH @ 5500RPM
I am not untimatly concerned about top speed, but I don't want to drop my top speed too much under 40mph.
Currently I am running a 16 Pitch Mercury Vengeance Stainless Steel Prop, but I am actually considering going to a 4-blade prop. As my kids are getting older, I find us doing more and more tubing, which causes an entirely different problem.. With my current 16p Prop, the boat doesn't plane very easily when pulling a tube, and when I do a hard turn, the prop "slips" in the water which brings us down to a crawling speed before the prop gets "traction" again.
I was thinking of going to a 14P-15P 4-blade prop. The other thing is, that their are soo many different props, how on earth can one decide which would be best?
This boat is a Fish & Ski, it's primary function is family fishing, we often have a full boat 4-5 people, but it needs to be able to pull the tube better as well.
Thanks for the help,
-TheChad
I have an '06 Lowe Fish & Ski 175 (17.5'), It's a Deep-Vee Hull.
I also have an '06 Mercury 115HP 4-Storke Motor.
When I bought the boat the dealer had installed a 19-Pitch aluminum prop. I found out almost immediately that this was the wrong prop for the boat/motor, fully loaded boat (4-people & fishing gear) it would run 40 MPH @ 5200 RPM, and would not plane.
I then tried a Mercury Vengeance 18 Pitch Stainless Steel Prop, with a fully loaded boat (4-people & Fishing gear) it would run 38-40 MPH @ 5400 RPM.
I then tried a 17 Pitch aluminum, with a fully loaded boat (4-people & Fishing Gear) it would run 42MPH & 5500 RPM.
The 17 pitch prop was the only prop that will plane with 4-people behind the windshield. I also had the engine raised up 1 hole on the transom, which gave me a little better holeshot, and about 50RPM more. The Redline is 6000RPM, but it doesn't seam like I can get the engine to tach out to 6000RPM, and I am thinking if I go any lower in pitch I am going to start loosing top speed. The 18p prop was the fastest when runing light (2-people light gear), which was 48MPH @ 5500RPM
I am not untimatly concerned about top speed, but I don't want to drop my top speed too much under 40mph.
Currently I am running a 16 Pitch Mercury Vengeance Stainless Steel Prop, but I am actually considering going to a 4-blade prop. As my kids are getting older, I find us doing more and more tubing, which causes an entirely different problem.. With my current 16p Prop, the boat doesn't plane very easily when pulling a tube, and when I do a hard turn, the prop "slips" in the water which brings us down to a crawling speed before the prop gets "traction" again.
I was thinking of going to a 14P-15P 4-blade prop. The other thing is, that their are soo many different props, how on earth can one decide which would be best?
This boat is a Fish & Ski, it's primary function is family fishing, we often have a full boat 4-5 people, but it needs to be able to pull the tube better as well.
Thanks for the help,
-TheChad