1968 mercury 60 6 hp propeller

[ScubaSteve1!]

I have a 13' aluminum fishing boat which holds about 700 lbs. with a 1968 Mercury 60 6hp outboard motor. It has a 2 bladed prop which is to slow, I want to put on a 3 or 4 bladed prop. What size prop would I need or recommend?

 

[dan t.]

Re: 1968 mercury 60 6 hp propeller

Nothing you do will speed up a 13 ft boat with a 6 hp motor. You need at least a 9.9 hp on that size of boat to get anything but a crawl.

 

[steelespike]

Re: 1968 mercury 60 6 hp propeller

Welcome,Please read"read this first"at the top of the page.
We need to know your present prop.Usually marked near the base of the blades or under the prop nut.
Also need your present lightly loaded wot rpm and speed.A gps for speed and a Tinytach for rpm.
Tinytach will work on allmost any motor.Reasonable and easy to install.
You may need a tiller extension so you can sit in the middle seat.Lightly loaded your motor should make 10-15 mph.
Its true a 3 blade may do better with a load than a 2 but we need a base line to see if your setup is working.
If running with a full load about all we can do is get the right prop so it will rev freely.Its not going to plane.

 

[kfa4303]

Re: 1968 mercury 60 6 hp propeller

I agree that a 3-bladed prop will have little if any effect on the boat. In fact, the 2-blade prop is considered more desirable, by some because it is considered more "weedless" than the 3-bladed versions. I think you'll have better luck improving performance by shifting weight around in the vessel and by seeing to it that the motor is set at the right height. Tiller extensions are a great idea, and can be easily made at home for cheap and make a world of difference. Here's a pic of the one I made for my motor out of some thin walled 1 1/4" PVC and a couple pipe clamps. I started using on on my 14' with a 20 hp and it helps tremendously. Now, I never leave home without it. Be sure that the anti-vent plate on the motor, which is found just above the prop, is level, or 1"-2" above the bottom of the boat. Try these tips and let us know what you find. If you can get anything over 10 mph when fully loaded, you'll be doing pretty good.