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Re: WHICH PROP ?
That is a tough question to answer without knowing some important
information about your boat. This information is the same no matter
what size your motor is or how long your boat is. So, what do you need
to know?
First, you need to know. What is the maximum recommend RPMs for your
motor? You can find this out my looking at the manual for you motor.
If it is not there, look on the web or call the manufacture. The key
to getting your boat to perform is getting the motor in that range a
full throttle.
The second thing you need to know is what RPMs your motor is turning
at full throttle. For that you need a tachometer. If your boat does
not have one, I recommend one of these www.tinytach.com or www.sendec.com
these are inductive tachometers that measure RPMs by counting when the
spark plug fires. Please make sure you order the correct one for your
motor. Both manufactures offer two and four cycle models. They also
offer a model that can be used on both.
The third item you need to know is, the current pitch of the prop you
have now. This info is the most important. With out it you will not
know what size to get when you buy your next prop. It should be
stamped somewhere on the prop. If not there may be a part number you
can lookup. If either of that info is not there a prop shop may be
able to tell you.
An optional piece of equipment you might like is a GPS. This will tell
you how fast you are going. The speedometers that use a water pick up
are not accurate. The paddle wheel types are much more accurate. With
GPS receivers available for under $100.00 you can also use it to save
your favorite fishing holes.
You have gathered all the equipment from above. You are now wondering
how do I make my boat go faster or improve my hole shot. Here you go.
Load your boat to the normal load you carry when you go fishing 90% of
the time. Start your motor and head out at full throttle. Once your
boat reaches its top speed for a minute look at you tachometer. Is it
within the max RPM range from the data you gathered from above? If it
is, that is all the faster your boat will go. If it is higher that the
maximum RPM you should be able to get more speed by buying a larger
pitch prop. You should do this anyway because you risk the chance of
damaging your motor. If the RPM is below the max RPM rating you can
lower the pitch of your prop. This should allow for a better hole shot
and increase boat speed by getting the motor into the RPM range where
it makes the most horse power.
If you remember from above I said load your to what you would use it
at 90% of the time. What about the other 10%? Those other times are
when you bring or leave that extra person. One 175lb person and his
fishing equipment with change how your boat performs. If you have
great performance with just your self and a buddy with a prop with a
pitch of "Y" you may find you add another person and their equipment
you can not get on plane and you notice your motor RPMs is below the
max RPS allowed. This is where you need to have an extra prop with a
pitch of "X". The lower pitch will allow the motor RPMs to reach up to
where the motor makes the most HP allowing your boat to plane better.
Now the opposite is true. If you go out in your boat by yourself you
find out your boat get up on plane at break neck speeds, the RPMs are
way high and top speed is low. This is when you need a prop of pitch
"Z" with the lighter load you can get way with a higher pitch prop
increasing top end speed.
After experimenting you will know what prop to put on before you leave
your house. If I am going by myself I'll put on my 13" pitch prop. If
the wife or a friend come along I put on the 11" pitch prop. With the
right prop on before I leave, I always have the best performance.
On last thought to help you. Think of the pitch of a prop like a gear
in a car. The lower the pitch the lower the gear. The lower the gear
the more power but less speed. Since boats do not have multi-gear
transmissions like a car we need to change gears by changing the pitch
of the prop.
Hope this helps. |
Aug 10
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| Time to get Cruis'n Rulz! gassed up at last.
JR |
JR
Aug 10
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| Make sure you pour some anti-ethanol chems into the tank with that fill up. |
HK
Aug 11
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