Prop effect on wake

[shaneb0422]

Does the rotation of the prop have an effect on the wake.
The wake on port side is never as clean as the wake on starboard. I can get the wake near perfect on starboard.
I checked weight distribution, tried a gradual turn port direction. But it always has a bit more ripple to it. Does prop rotation have an effect on this? We couldn't figure it out.
'87 glastron I/O - 165hp - 4 blade 19p prop

 

[SeanT]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I'm not sure but I can tell you that on my direct drive the wake always seems sharper on the drivers side as well.

 

[metriccrescentwrench]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Drop in a drive with a counter-rotating prop and let us know if it makes a difference.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Yes, prop rotation does affect the wake. However, weighting has more effect. Which ever side you are having issues with... try to move as much of the equipment you carry with you to that side of the boat. Should help the small effect the prop wash has.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Can't speak to rotation, but I just swapped my 3 blade prop to a 4 blade and the wake is quite different. Much flatter/wider center.

 

[convergent]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Can't speak to rotation, but I just swapped my 3 blade prop to a 4 blade and the wake is quite different. Much flatter/wider center.

How do you like the 4 blade? I'm contemplating switching to a 4 blade on my 115 Merc.. same pitch... to lower the rpms at WOT a bit, and also increase the holeshot and speed I plane at. We are doing some tubing, wakeboarding and skiing, so the effect on the wake is of interest. What are you using it for and how do you feel about the wake effect?

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

To the original poster....

Try playign with your trim a bit more with the shifting weight. You could be tossing prop wash up little too much.

 

[shaneb0422]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Yeah, we have to play with trim to get any crispiness to the wake maybe we need to find a better balance with weight and trim.

 

[captjack111]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Yeah, we have to play with trim to get any crispiness to the wake maybe we need to find a better balance with weight and trim.

Weight distribution is the biggest difference in uneven shapes. My son is heavy into competitive wakeboarding and not only is port vs strbd important but also bow verses stern. We weight our 23 malibu wakesetter (clkwise rotation/4bld power prop) with factory ballast that is evenly distributed plus 3-4 "wake-sacks" that we fill with water and position in the bow and walkway areas. It sharpens and firms the wake. When its just me in the boat, I have added some lead weights in the port side lockers so I can still sit at the helm. When we have a boat load, we move the people around to get each side even. Sometimes the boat will list to one side even though the wakes are even and we are running straight. Could be the rotation causes this.

We fussed around with the wake of a great 22 grady white outboard to get it rght until I finally broke down and bought the wakeboard boat. These are stupid overpriced boats that suck up water instead of keeping it out of the boat. but that's another issue.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

These are stupid overpriced boats that suck up water instead of keeping it out of the boat. but that's another issue.

Odd you have that opinion after buying one. Watersports boats also hold their value longer... I see 10 year old 21' boats for selling for around $20 to $25K... dont see many 21' bow riders doing that.

I don't know how your boat came equipped, but my MB has stuff my Sea Ray never though of having. There are ways to trim cost out of it, but mainly wake boats are expensive because off all the stuff the options that come on them and the little extras you get. Plus I love not having a Prop sticking out the back, the wrap around seating is incredible for hauling a lot of people, and the stereo is awesome. Lets not even get into what people think when you show them the heater at 9pm when they are wet, the suns going down, and you have a 20minute ride back to the dock... they really love that one.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I like the effect from the rider perspective so far. The pull is a bit smoother and predictable and the wake in my riding zone is wider/flatter. The boat does pull like a tractor, but it did change a couple things. My old prop apparently had a ton of bow lift. The 4 blade does not. The first time I ran teh prop, I blew it out trying to get the bow where I was used to. I need to adjust my smart tabs down a bit and it should be good.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I like the effect from the rider perspective so far. The pull is a bit smoother and predictable and the wake in my riding zone is wider/flatter. The boat does pull like a tractor, but it did change a couple things. My old prop apparently had a ton of bow lift. The 4 blade does not. The first time I ran teh prop, I blew it out trying to get the bow where I was used to. I need to adjust my smart tabs down a bit and it should be good.

Im really suprised your smart tabs aren't causing you problems with the wake. On the Sea Ray I had, it destroyed the tops of the wake. They did everythign they were advertised to do, except they hurt the wakeboarding perfromance of the boat. Foamed the tops of the wake, plus lifted the rear so we got less wake. I just took the pistions off when we went wakeboarding and used wire ties to hold to tabs up to the top mounting points to keep them out of the water.

Do you have pictures of where you have them mounted, I am really curious to see where you have them that they don't interfere with the wake.

 

[JasonB]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I think they do make the wake mushy, but until now, I've been too lazy to try it without them.

 

[75TowerOfPower]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Most wake and ski boat usually have a single wide trim tab in the middle of the boat. With it being there it doesn't hurt the edges too much.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

75, the only ones I have seen them on is the Wake Plates on the Supras and Moombas. I don't know if I would say most... maybe the smaller tournament ski boats used them to help keep the back of the boat out of the water. Im not sure on that one as I have seen them on older boats.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I would say that it's the newer and larger boats that tend to have the wake plates to help throw a little extra wake (on top of the already monstrous wakes some of them throw). I sort of wish my 98 Moomba had one, if only for the trim help (I don't need any help with my wake at the moment). I'm not sure what year they became an option.

I see them on all of the Malibus in my area (in fact I've never seen a Malibu or Centurion without one).

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

I would say that it's the newer and larger boats that tend to have the wake plates to help throw a little extra wake (on top of the already monstrous wakes some of them throw). I sort of wish my 98 Moomba had one, if only for the trim help (I don't need any help with my wake at the moment). I'm not sure what year they became an option.

I see them on all of the Malibus in my area (in fact I've never seen a Malibu or Centurion without one).

The only think hanging off the back of the boat that helps with wake making is the Wedge from malibu... completely different than what we are talking about. There is a similar product out there called the switchblade as well, but its pretty much the same thing. All others are made to life the back of the boat to help lift it and thus reducing the wake size. Normally for skiing.

 

[SeanT]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Huh, I thought it had the opposite effect. So, it's basically for trim adjustment then, because I don't see many people skiing behind these rigs, just wakeboarding (Most Malibu owners barely know how to drive them...hah!).

I wish I had one even more now. My dad complains about my wake when he skiis behind my boat.

 

[kyle f]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Again, only Malibu really has this as a feature. The switchblad is a 3rd party manufacturere that you can purchase and install on just about any inboard. However, Centurion does install them on some of their boats, but unlike Malibu and their wedge, Centurion has nothign to do with the switchblade as far as patents and design.

These are the only two I am aware of that make MORE wake. Supra has a "wake plate" behind theirs. Its about a 2foot wide plate that when put down lifts the rear of the boat and changes the shize/shape of the wake... it allows you a little more adjustability to find a wake you really like... but for the most part it overall reduces the size. When unweighted it really helps to flatten the wake behind a 24' V-drive... but still not really good enough to do a slalom course behind.

 

[RC]

Re: Prop effect on wake

Im really suprised your smart tabs aren't causing you problems with the wake. On the Sea Ray I had, it destroyed the tops of the wake. They did everythign they were advertised to do, except they hurt the wakeboarding perfromance of the boat. Foamed the tops of the wake, plus lifted the rear so we got less wake. I just took the pistions off when we went wakeboarding and used wire ties to hold to tabs up to the top mounting points to keep them out of the water.

Do you have pictures of where you have them mounted, I am really curious to see where you have them that they don't interfere with the wake.

Nauticus sells a lever for its pro troller series that rotates the tabs down to slow you down for trolling. When mounted upside down they rotate the tab up and out of the way for when you want a good wake. I've had them on for a few years now and when we wakeboard I just reach down and rotate them up and out of the way.
http://www.nauticusinc.com/nauticus_pro_troller.html