ACME vs. OJ props

[Sheboudiac]

I've read a lot about ACME props. Does anyone use OJ? How do they compare?

What are the benefits & drawbacks of 3 vs. 4 bladed props?

[dogbert]

Read http://www.tigeowners.com/forum/show...highlight=prop, it'll tell you everything you need to know. If you have the black Walter V-Drive, I can't say enough positive things about this prop, especially under heavy load. We're typically running 1200-1400 lbs of ballast plus people. The OJ just couldn't handle it. I use my OJ as a back-up now. The 3-blade Acme is way better.

[Sheboudiac]

When you wrote "The OJ just couldn't handle it" what do you mean exactly? Was it out of balance? Cavitation? I've got the same boat as you do, just running at 5,000 ft. elevation so I need a smaller pitch.

[dogbert]

Too much cavitation. The ACME is pitched pretty low (11.5). it's also got more surface area than the 4-blade OJ.

[mtnsmith]

I know my dealer runs oj props on his boat that he uses for competitive show skiing because he has experienced less flex with them. I guess it just depends on your use. I have an acme that has been great from day one. We can get it to cavitate when turning sharper, not powerturn, in the saltwater, but not in fresh. Other than that, no problems.

[Sheboudiac]

bought the ACME

Bill Weeks at ACME recommended a 13 x 10.5, so that's what I bought. My existing prop is a 13 x 13.5. Hopefully the new prop will turn my boat into a stump-puller.

Thanks for the input.

[dogbert]

I'm sure it will.

[TeamAllen]

Start working on that grip and hold on!

[dogbert]

Bill Weeks at ACME recommended a 13 x 10.5, so that's what I bought. My existing prop is a 13 x 13.5. Hopefully the new prop will turn my boat into a stump-puller.

Thanks for the input.

What model ACME was it?

[evil0ne]

Acme recommended an 801 for me. I had a 381 with the 6L. The 3 blade sounds different but performs well.

[balair]

The Acme won't kill your wife, of course the cayote never had good luck with ACME either I have an Acme and have had no problems with it at all.

[balair]

Has anyone swapped props on an RZ4 yet?

[da.bell]

Crap, I just swapped out a 537 Acme prop for a 1465 () I think... It was on a RZ2 then went to the 24Ve for Tino Santori.... Damn it, I can't remember....

[jciscott]

My 2 cents on props...

Ok... I have been avoiding this thread, but I've been drinking so here goes.....

Buy the ACME 3 blade, period....
I have a 2100V that came with a 4 blade OJ, 13.5p.. I loved my boat, still do, but when I got a 3 blade 13P ACME, WOW !!! the boat digs in like never before...
Three weeks ago, the river was low and we hit getting off the trailer, not bad, but bent about 1" of one blade over at a 90deg angle.... I put a wrence on it to get it straight enouught to ride, but switched when I got home to send it out for repair.
I put my OJ back on while the ACME was out.... The first time we went out, we had 6 people in the boat, and when we sacked up ( two 450 lb Launch pads ) it felt like the boat would never get on plane.... the OJ just does not put the power to the water like the ACME.....

Got my ACME back this week... looks like a work of art....
So there you go

[Sheboudiac]

ACME wins

So I swapped out my 4 blade OJ 13 x 13.5 for an ACME 911 13 x 10.5 this week.

We were at 5300ft elevation and my boat just wasn't performing. WOT was about 4500 RPM, and the boat struggled to pull out a slalom skier.

After swapping out the prop I didn't notice a huge improvement, just a slight improvement in the hole shot. I expected an arm-ripping experience after laying out nearly $500 for the prop and harmonic prop puller and reading other posts. It must be the movie syndrome. I heard how much better the ACME would be that I had unrealistic expectations.

The new 3 blade ACME pushes a lot more water, that's for sure. Quicker response just idling around the marina. I put the boat in gear and there's no hesitation--it's instant movement. The new 3-blade definitely has more surface area than my old 4-blader. There's definitely less prop wash when we're underway as well. What really improved was, surprisingly, my top end. With 12 satellites on my friends' GPS I hit 40-41 mph with WOT. With my old prop (and no GPS) I think I was hitting 35 or so.

One last observation is that the new prop is much easier to use in reverse. Old prop in reverse = immediate turn to starboard. New prop in reverse = only slight bias starboard.

That's made it much easier to maneuver in tight spots.

Now the next question is...any tips on what I should do to my 350 Mag SKI to get a little more chutzpah out of her?

I went out with my friend's new RZ4 last summer and it (literally) almost pulled my arms out of my sockets on a slalom ski. Now I have a serious case of hole-shot envy.

Ideas?