Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

[Bigjohn1]

Mercury 115 efi 4-stroke (2-07:1 gearing)

Can anyone give me feedback on the Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade ss props? I am now running a 17P Merc Trophy Plus which has been retrofitted with a Flo-Torq III hub kit. I like the way this hub helps with the shift clunk and prop rattle my engine is infamous for but my WOT rpm is still around 500 rpm short of redline. I would like to go down to a Bay Pro I in 15P BUT I?m concerned the hub on this prop will bring back the prop rattle and shift clunk I had prior to retrofitting with the Flo-Torq III.

Any thoughts? Truth be told, if Merc made the Trophy Plus in 15P, that would be my perfect prop for the way I load and use my boat.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

Have you experimented with engine height to gain rpm? Going to a smaller prop to gain rpm is an absolute last resort. Don't forget, 4 blade props like to run high and a Tro + should really like height. Since you have a performance prop we'll assume you have a jackplate.

 

[Tail_Gunner]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

I have one on a glass I/O 18.6 2800lbs 20degree v 220 hp, the prop really lifts the boat up out of the water. Fully trimmed she just skim's over the surface no wake coming from the sides of the boat at all, so much so i have to trim it back in when i want bow to cut the chop and smooth out the ride.

I also ran a 21 pitch 3 blade (Stilletto) at the same time, less lift 1 mph increase in speed but i could not trim out as high as the 4 blade nor would the boat float as much, that would be a good description

In my situation the 4 blade 20 acted like a 21 pitch 3 blade when it came to slip number's aka the 4 blade yeilded a 4% slip and the 3 blade gave a 8%. The BayPro 11 series has very agressive cupping...........And the midrange punch is very noticable...

I also ran a 22p 4 blade BayPro while i lost 500 rpm i was only 3/4 of a mile slower than the 20 @ 4900, but on a I/O there is no jack plate.....in my future...

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

Dhadley,

Agreed, Trophy Plus' like height and I have experimented with height (no jack plate). I troll offshore in sloppy water where speed is not really a concern but keeping hooked up is. The Trophy really does well in this category, I just need a few more rpm's.

Although Merc says I'm [technically] ok if my WOT rpm is in the 5,000-6,000 range, I want to be up higher closer to 6K at WOT to keep the engine warm and avoid the "making oil" thing. I spend 90% of the time slow trolling 8-10 mph.

From what I can see, the Bay Pro I has its own rubber vulcanized hub so using the Flo-Torq hub is not going to happen. I am inclined to go haead and try one.

Tail_Gunner, have you ever had a Merc (or other prop) and used the Flo-Torq series of hubs? If you have, is there any noticable difference between this and the Bay Pro I?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

The Turbo Offshore I is made for what you're doing. Most are 14 1/2" diameter but they do make a 14 3/4" diameter x 15" pitch 4 blade. Even the Offshore II (15" diameter 3 blade in even number pitches starting at 16") would be a good choice. They're made to stay hooked up in heavy following seas. They aren't a high performance prop so the don't require a jackplate.

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

Oh, and they do come in a square bore for the Flo Torque hub system.

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

OUTSTANDING - that was my worry. So if I have this right, I can simply take my Flo-Toq III hub out of the Trophy Plus and slip it into the Stiletto?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

No, the Turbo. The Stiletto is not offered in a square bore nor is the Offshore I or II offered in Stiletto.

 

[Bigjohn1]

Re: Thoughts on Stiletto Bay Pro I 4-blade

Thanks again, I contacted Stiletto about this and am very happy with their answer. Rather than trying to sell me something that may or may not have worked well, they said my current setup was about the best I could get under the circumstances. They also said if I switched back to any rubber-hub prop, my shift clunk and low-speed prop rattle would come right back.