is there a prop guy on this site or sponsor? I have a 3 blade 14 pitch prop and had some questions on going to a 4 blade or different pitch. i don’t have a great hole shot and wanted to get on plane easier. I don’t mind losing a little speed on top end if i can jump out of the water a little better. I also don’t really want a whale tail either.
What hull/motor is it? Chris V at Charleston Marine is a great source.
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Make sure the motor is at the right height before playing with props.
Go see Mike at Skips Prop Shop on Cross County Rd. As long as you dont knick, ding, or damage the prop you buy, he will let you bring it back and keep swapping until you get what you want.
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4 blade will give you a better hole shot. If you spend most of your time in a heavy loaded boat that is even the slight bit under powered and going low to mid speed a 4 blade is a good choice. It’s also good in churned up water because you get more surface area off the 4 blades.
Three blade props will give you more speed, mostly due to that same surface area being less.
then you get into pitch and prop size and rpm’s, etc… but that is a basic explanation.
like stumpknocker said, skips and some swapping will be time well spent
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A buddy of mine was able to test different ones at a boat shop. He basicalky bought a used one, tried it out & then returned it for a different one. He did that a few times until he got the one that worked best for him.
thanks for the replies everybody. ill go check out the place on cross county rd. it’s close to my house and see what they recommend.
14 pitch is odd to me. You don’t see a lot of even pitch props, or you used to not see em unless special ordered. Good advise from several here. Like they are saying real world testing on different props for you boat is the best. Skips prop shop was mentioned. You can tell Mike what you are looking for and he can most likely rework your prop. Four blade will really cut down on steering torque but they’ll cost you more. Maybe just dropping to a 13 pitch three blade will do it?
If you feel froggy and don’t mind the possibility of never getting yours right again, a vise and brass hammer and put your own extra cup in your prop. just a small amount can really make a difference. I’ve had some success at it, after I learned not to get too aggressive with the bend.