Prop Help Please!!!!!!

[Kelly]

I'm running a Lund 1800 Pro V SE w/175 hp Evinrude ficht engine. The boat has a kicker and a transom mount troller also, so it is a load. I presently get 45 mph WOT and 5200-5300 rpms(2 people LOTS of gear) w/ 19 pitch aluminum prop. I've been told by everyone I talked with that I should run this engine at 5500-5800 rpms and I should max out at about 50 mph.(I would be real happy with that.) The motor is mounted second hole up which seems just right, but I'm having problems finding the right prop. I tried a 21 Trophy-4 blade on the weekend and couldn't get out of the hole very good at all. I'm kind of thinking an 18 or 20 Raker, a 19 Trophy, or a 19 high five. Please help, THANKS!!!!!!

[Bob(Alberta)]

I have an almost identical setup to yours. After some experimentation I am running an OMC Viper 19" stainless with the motor on the 3rd (highest) hole. This setup gets me just barely into the RPM range ~5500. Depending on conditions I get 50-52 GPS out of it. Nothing I have tried gets me any faster.

[Bob (Alberta)]

Just re-read your post and noticed that you had a transom mount troller. Mine is a bow mount. Don't think this should make much difference though. By the way I did try a 20" Raker and it did not work for me.

[chadk66]

I think you are on the right track. Definately go with stainless. But you should be able to raise your motor a hole with a stainless prop because of the better bite, this will give you better top end also. With the 4 and 5 blade props, you will get better hole shot and better handling but slower top end. Your experience with the trophy was the same as mine, bad holeshot. I think that by just raising your motor a whole and going with a 19 stainless prop, you should gain at least a couple hundred rpm's at top end. You may have to drop to a 17 pitch and if you do that, I would try a tempest of a Mirage plus because of the weight of your boat. Those props are designed to push heavier boats and have bigger blades on them. I put a 17 Mirage on mine and the hole shot is awesome.

[Tom P]

Kelly and Chadk66, Could you both please explain what you mean by bad holeshot?? Did you have to use 3/4 to full throttle to get on plane?? Or where your rpms too low so you would have needed a lower pitch?? I see these posts discounting the Trophy, I had the full throttle blues with mine until I had it reworked. I hope you tested it with ALL the holes plugged ?? For some reason Merc. can't get their final prep right. I sent back 2 props with most of the tail cupping shaved off. I have read posts just like yours on Bassboat Central too. I know the last thing you want to do is send a new prop out to have it reworked. But, I would take on a High Five any day for a holeshot contest. Even though the Trophy is a small hub and has some exhaust flow over the blades. This is why you need to start out with all the vent holes plugged. John at DAH propellers worked his magic and I gained about 2.5 mph + and almost no blowout on holeshot. The prop just grips!!!

[Tom P]

Kelly and Chadk66, Could you both please explain what you mean by bad holeshot?? Did you have to use 3/4 to full throttle to get on plane?? Or where your rpms too low so you would have needed a lower pitch?? I see these posts discounting the Trophy, I had the full throttle blues with mine until I had it reworked. I hope you tested it with ALL the holes plugged ?? For some reason Merc. can't get their final prep right. I sent back 2 props with most of the tail cupping shaved off. I have read posts just like yours on Bassboat Central too. I know the last thing you want to do is send a new prop out to have it reworked. But, I would take on a High Five any day for a holeshot contest. Even though the Trophy is a small hub and has some exhaust flow over the blades. This is why you need to start out with all the vent holes plugged. John at DAH propellers worked his magic and I gained about 2.5 mph + and almost no blowout on holeshot. The prop just grips!!!

[FJH1]

John at DAH re-worked my new Trophy Plus as well. He can work magic with those props. I have this prop on a Lund 1800 Pro V SE with a 175efi Merc and it is wonderful.

Best regards,

FJH

[chadk66]

I have had a couple different experiences with bad holeshot. One on each end of the spectrum so to speak. First off with a 21 pitch prop, when you nail the throttle to 3/4 or more throttle, the bow would raise way out of the water and just stay there for what seemed like an eternity. Really low rpm's, the engine just couldn't rev out and the boat couldn't get up and running. Oh yea, the 21 pitch waw a laser II. I could only reach 5000 rpm on top end and need to be close to 5600. Next I tried a Mirage Plus 19". The hole shot was unbelievable. No matter what throttle setting you would just pop up out of the water and were on plane immediately. And I emphasize immediately. The problem with this prop was it was a larger diameter blade package with bigger blades so I was still only able to turn 5000 rpm. So I tried a Laser II 19". The hole shot was somewhere in between. Not bad, not great. I could only turn 5200-5300 rpm. Needed less prop. So I put on a Mirage Plus 17" and it is about perfect. 5500-5600rpm, and great holeshot. I have the plugs solid on this prop. However, during all this testing I did try out a 4 blade 19" Trophy Plus. What happened to me when I nailed the throttle was that it would over-rev unbelievaby. Most of the time it would set off the rev limiter. I tried several different throttle settings and it still spun out. My opinion is that there was just way too much exhaust getting over the hub disturbing the water for the blades to be able to take ahold. I also over-reved on top end too, over 5600 rpm. I believe this is because of the smaller blade diameter. I hear alot of good things about the trophy but I don't know if it's just my setup or a bad prop or what. Maybe they don't work well with Optimax motors, I'm not sure. I guess what I'd like to try doing is raise my motor a hole or two more, and put on a 19" tempest. They are sending the Ranger boats out of the plant now with tempest props because the rangers are really heavey boats and that prop works great with heavy boats. My boat is a 17' Crestliner TP172 but in my opinion it is extremely heavy for it's size. That's why the Mirage Plus works good on it, it is a heavy boat and the Mirage Plus props also are for heavier boats. I can only get 43-44 mph out of my boat gps, and I know I should be able to get close to 50 with a 135 opti. And I should be able to spin a 19" prop I would believe. I think raise the motor to gain mph and help gain rpm.

[Kelly]

Chad, you have described exactly what I experienced with my prop problems however I'm running a 175 Evinrude as I mentioned above. My biggest problem is I don't have access to any props due to some strange circumstances and where I live. Good luck with your problem!!

[Kelly]

Thanks Bob, I appreciate the help. Are you running a 175 Ficht also on an 1800???