another prop question

[dgb]

I have a Alumacraft 190 Trophy with a 150 Merc. XR6. The motor currently has an alum. 4 bladed 17p prop. Top end is about 43 mph gps. I am thinking about getting a s/s prop and am looking for suggestions on what to get. I like the 4 blades because I get better bite. I addition to fishing I also pull skiers. I am looking for top end of about 45 -50 mph. Any help would be great.

[REW]

The best thing to do is to work closely with your dealer or prop shop and get a dozen props to try.

Also, if possible, also install an electric or manual jack plate.
It doesn't need to have a large setback, but the jackplate will allow you to tweak the height of your motor.

I would think that by going to a 3 blade high rake 20-22 pitch stainless prop, that you should be nudging 50.

You will be slow out of the hole, and it won't be much good for skiing, but it should give you a great top end.

At times you find that it is tough to satisfy the need for Speed !!!!!!!!!

Typically, the only way to satisfy the need for speed, is to get more power!!!!!!!!!!

Or, you can get a boat with a hull that is designed for speed.

Take the same motor and put it on a clean 19 foot pointy flat bottomed bass boat, and you will be in the mid to upper 60's.

Take care
REW

p.s.
When you have a high sided, high windshield, draggy hull, that is not necessarily the cleanest from a hydrodynamic point of view - it is tough to get really great top end from the rig.

Lighten the boat, remove all protrusions from the hull like rivets, windshields, and half the height of the hull and you will be pushing 70 - just before you go under.

Everything is a balancing act. If you want good safe big water performance, you will need to give up on speed.

[Jerry S]

how high is your motor mounted (what holes) & what kind of RPMs are you getting?

[wiredog]

At best a ss prop will give 3 mph. The only way that boat and motor combo will see 50mph is being pulled on its trailer.

[Box]

Test a Tempest 19" SS or a 4 bladed Trophy 19" SS , and since you mention skiing, I would suggest you also try a 19" Hi-5, just to see how it works. The hi-5 will be sower, but it "bites" the best and would be great for skiing.

Also try a cheaper 3 bladed SS (inset brand name here...) 19" or 18" to see what the extra $$ are getting you with the better ones. With a 150 and a big alum hull, you most likely won't be able to hit 50, but 45-48 gps is likely.

(I have Alumacraft TP175 and merc 150efi - with hi-5 21" we get 49 gps tops, with a 21" tempest we got 53 gps, but rpms were too low - havent tried a 19" tempest yet... The hi-5 is great cause always have several people and lots of weight, but the extra 3 or 4 mph or a 3 blade might be nice - the hi-5 is just so smooooooth though.)

Good luck!
-Box

[dgb]

The boat is in storage currently and I don't remember what hole it is mounted in. As far as RPMs, it will run about 5300 - 5400.