Impressive tempest plus result

[QBhoy]

Hi all. Just thought I’d share some findings from a prop testing run today on a friends boat.

Boat is a regal 1900 fastrac bowrider
Engine mercruiser 4.3 mpi
Alpha 1 1.61 ratio

test run as it was when purchased last year;

Prop 21” 4 blade spitfire all
3 onboard and half tank of fuel
rpm 4950 on limiter
gps speed 47 mph and struggled with trim applied.

Todays result with my Tempest prop

Prop 19” Tempest plus 3 blade
2 onboard and half a tank of fuel
RPM on vessel view 4850
GPS speed 52.5 mph and took so much trim with so much more grip and lift than 4 blade.

Was able to cruise at about 2500 rpm and 20/21 mph. An amazing result and i was really surprised at the result. We were expecting a 21” 3 blade would be perfect for it, given the 4 blade ally was on the limiter and not that quick out the hole. The 4 blade would sit at about 22/23 mph cruise and about 2900 rpm. Just wasn’t expecting the 3 blade tempest of 2” less pitch to drop the rpm all the way through the rpm range and also show less rpm at the top. Suspected it would be quicker, but would also be on the limiter too.
Just wasn’t the case. Just goes to show how varied and different a prop can be on a boat. Threw the rule book right out the window today.
Perhaps further enforced my lack of favour towards a 4 blade prop. In no way whatsoever did the 4 blade show any advantage over a good 3 blade prop. Was incredible how much more lift and trim the tempest managed. Doesn’t get much better. I think the prop slip as a result is down to about 3/4 %. Amazing.

That’s all folks. Hope it helps someone along the way

 

[Scott06]

I tried a spitfire after reading up on it when it came out, really doesn’t bite well was not impressed. Tempest has probably bigger blade area and cup. Spitfire has small blades if I recall.

im on the other side of the equation I generally prefer 4 blades as my main use is loaded (people) and water sports. My boat is a 2004 sea ray 200 sport, had a cracked 4.3 when I bought it, swapped in a 5.0 with a 4 bbl edlebrock so I think I probably have somewhere around 240-250 hp. Still running the 1.82 v6 drive.

trying to keep up with you in terms of number of props owned...I’ve tried the following

Vensura 21” 44mph, 5000 rpm, 20% slip
enertia 22” 47 mph, 4900 rpm, slip I can’t recall
revolution 4 -48 mph 4800-4900 slip12%
spitfire 23” 43 mph4900 rpm maybe hit 5000 couldn’t believe I basically got the same numbers with 2” more pitch, I keep this as a early spring lots of wood in the lake prop.

best holeshot was with vensura I think smaller blades and less bite allows the engine to get up in the fat part of the power band quicker, but couldn’t trim out much with out blowing out. Enteria Impressed me but holeshot was lacking for me comparatively. Rev 4 is great biggest improvement is I can trim out more to full trim and this gets about 3 more mph top end trimming from 1/4 to 1/2 out, but my boat is heavy and kind of fat in the a$$. The holeshot is a tad less as I don’t think I have enough motor to swing that from a dead stop. I used medium vent plugs on both this and the vesura which helped.

the spitfire in the end I thought was junk, at least on my boat, didn’t hook up. Maybe better on a lighter less beamy boat? I had better results with a Michigan vortex 4 blade on my old boat ... for half the price.

just bought a high five to try wakeboarding with. Then I’m done with props at least for a while.

 

[QBhoy]

I tried a spitfire after reading up on it when it came out, really doesn’t bite well was not impressed. Tempest has probably bigger blade area and cup. Spitfire has small blades if I recall.

im on the other side of the equation I generally prefer 4 blades as my main use is loaded (people) and water sports. My boat is a 2004 sea ray 200 sport, had a cracked 4.3 when I bought it, swapped in a 5.0 with a 4 bbl edlebrock so I think I probably have somewhere around 240-250 hp. Still running the 1.82 v6 drive.

trying to keep up with you in terms of number of props owned...I’ve tried the following

Vensura 21” 44mph, 5000 rpm, 20% slip
enertia 22” 47 mph, 4900 rpm, slip I can’t recall
revolution 4 -48 mph 4800-4900 slip12%
spitfire 23” 43 mph4900 rpm maybe hit 5000 couldn’t believe I basically got the same numbers with 2” more pitch, I keep this as a early spring lots of wood in the lake prop.

best holeshot was with vensura I think smaller blades and less bite allows the engine to get up in the fat part of the power band quicker, but couldn’t trim out much with out blowing out. Enteria Impressed me but holeshot was lacking for me comparatively. Rev 4 is great biggest improvement is I can trim out more to full trim and this gets about 3 more mph top end trimming from 1/4 to 1/2 out, but my boat is heavy and kind of fat in the *****. The holeshot is a tad less as I don’t think I have enough motor to swing that from a dead stop. I used medium vent plugs on both this and the vesura which helped.

the spitfire in the end I thought was junk, at least on my boat, didn’t hook up. Maybe better on a lighter less beamy boat? I had better results with a Michigan vortex 4 blade on my old boat ... for half the price.

just bought a high five to try wakeboarding with. Then I’m done with props at least for a while.

Haha. You sound as bad as me for props ! Enjoyed reading your post there.
I have never had any experience with a spitfire previously to be fair and I’m sure they will suit some boats well perhaps. Just totally wasn’t expecting what happened today. I was almost sure the answer would be a 21” tempest for starters, given what the spitfire 21” numbers suggested initially. Thought the same pitch tempest would allow more trim and being stainless and a bigger diameter and blade area than average 3 blade (as you mention) would see it off the limiter and all well. So he was waiting on one getting repaired all through this covid 19 saga. Launched boat today and the prop wasn’t back yet. So we just threw my 19” tempest on to get him by until it did. Totally expecting it to limit easily. Really threw me and the rule book for sure.

On the Rev 4. I keep hearing how good they are. But like you say...I think they need lots of power to turn them well. As far as I know they are of the same cut as a tempest but with another blade.

As for the high 5. I have had one of them on a couple of boats. I found that they are hard to beat out the hole for sure...but certainly loose top end considerably and show higher rpm and prop slip cruising. Never lose grip though and less harsh going in and out of gear on the alpha drive than any other prop I’ve known. They perform exceptionally well on your average 18ft bowrider with a 3.0 in terms of towing a wakeboard or skier out the water. But always lose top end for sure. I don’t think they would be of much use over a good 3 blade well pitched, on a boat like yours with plenty power on tap. Just my thoughts.
I also had a high 5 on a bayliner 2255 with a 4.3. It did pretty well on that to be fair. Over the same pitch 3 blade ally black max. Showed the same top end but much quicker to accelerate. Didn’t have any other prop on that boat other than those two, to compare though.
Actually looking forward to see how the tempest goes on The campion now. It will certainly hit the limiter easily, but might perform well in other areas that it currently lacks in. That’s never been good out the hole with it being propped for top end...but the lower pitch tempest might see it a good all rounder, despite loosing top end from the larger enertia now fitted. Soon see !

 

[Texasmark]

I tried a spitfire after reading up on it when it came out, really doesn’t bite well was not impressed. Tempest has probably bigger blade area and cup. Spitfire has small blades if I recall.

im on the other side of the equation I generally prefer 4 blades as my main use is loaded (people) and water sports. My boat is a 2004 sea ray 200 sport, had a cracked 4.3 when I bought it, swapped in a 5.0 with a 4 bbl edlebrock so I think I probably have somewhere around 240-250 hp. Still running the 1.82 v6 drive.

trying to keep up with you in terms of number of props owned...I’ve tried the following

Vensura 21” 44mph, 5000 rpm, 20% slip
enertia 22” 47 mph, 4900 rpm, slip I can’t recall
revolution 4 -48 mph 4800-4900 slip12%
spitfire 23” 43 mph4900 rpm maybe hit 5000 couldn’t believe I basically got the same numbers with 2” more pitch, I keep this as a early spring lots of wood in the lake prop.

best holeshot was with vensura I think smaller blades and less bite allows the engine to get up in the fat part of the power band quicker, but couldn’t trim out much with out blowing out. Enteria Impressed me but holeshot was lacking for me comparatively. Rev 4 is great biggest improvement is I can trim out more to full trim and this gets about 3 more mph top end trimming from 1/4 to 1/2 out, but my boat is heavy and kind of fat in the *****. The holeshot is a tad less as I don’t think I have enough motor to swing that from a dead stop. I used medium vent plugs on both this and the vesura which helped.

the spitfire in the end I thought was junk, at least on my boat, didn’t hook up. Maybe better on a lighter less beamy boat? I had better results with a Michigan vortex 4 blade on my old boat ... for half the price.

just bought a high five to try wakeboarding with. Then I’m done with props at least for a while.

I agree on your first statements. Ballistic is a good example. Take a regular diameter and pitch vs their XL of the same D & P and you don't have to wait for performance results...eyeballs give it away.

Q, I think you are thrilled with your Tempest. Did you tell Brunswick? Grin

 

[QBhoy]

I agree on your first statements. Ballistic is a good example. Take a regular diameter and pitch vs their XL of the same D & P and you don't have to wait for performance results...eyeballs give it away.

Q, I think you are thrilled with your Tempest. Did you tell Brunswick? Grin

Haha. I get what you are meaning here. The tempest seems impressive for sure. It came fitted to my merc outboard but was a little low on pitch. Only reason it came out the box here was to try on this friends regal, whilst he waited on his own prop. Totally wasn’t expecting it to do so well, given the lesser pitch than the 4 blade his boat came with. Never really been a fan of the regal boats...but my goodness. What a fast hull they have. Definitely capable of a genuine 55 mph gps in right conditions with only thst 4.3 mpi. Very impressed with the fastrac hull. Fair play.