Recommended Prop

[ssrgeoff]

I was wondering what anyone can tell me about the different prop blades and pitch. What would make one better than the other. With the GM Vortec 335 with about 1500 of ballast and people what prop would work best? Is it like a pipe on a bike which would create more low end torque or more top end horsepower?

[hanzj]

I think a better analogy would be like changing the gearing on your bike. Like going from a 53 rear sproket to a 49. You are getting more low end at the cost of high. It doesn't increase engine hp or torque, but you get more performance to the prop. What prop do you currently have?

[ssrgeoff]

Yeah thats what I was thinking. You give up one to get another... What would be a good in between? Currently its what comes standard. Its a three blade prop but I am unsure what the specs are

[Paublo]

I've got the same question for anyone with experience. My 22V has the 335hp with the syncrotech and came with the Acme 381 which is 13.5 x 17.5. I'm thinking about getting the Acme 537 which is 13.5 x 16 to provice a little more hole shot. Both are 4 blades, just a little less pitch- but I don't really want to lose much top end. Has anyone tried it?

[my22footer]

This is the sort of question I was asking in the other thread. I believe that the more ballast you carry the lower (to a point) you'd want the pitch to improve the hole shot and reduce cavitation (this is when the prop pulls so much water with each turn that the low pressure behind the blade actually causes the water to vaporize thus introducing air into the mix and you loose your grip on the water - common to higher pitch props) but you will definatley loose top end with a lower pitch.

With that 17.5 what RPM do you usually run when wakeboarding? I'm thinking of moving to 16 from a 11.5 currently I think I run about 2400 RPM's when wakeboarding.

It would be nice to see what RPM's Tige' recommends based on boat size and weight for certain speeds.

convential thinking used to be that lower pitch props held boat speed more constant but that may have been a conservative approach that has since been disproven.

Pitch is simply the distance the prop (boat) moves with 1 rotation of the prop.

Ian

[Paublo]

Right after posting my question yesterday, I asked my dealer what he thought and he said that I should have the 13.5 x 16, not the 17.5. His own 22V came with the 16 pitch and that works perfectly. So we'll see about getting that swithched out. I will give all of you a report after the change.

[Paublo]

The wrong prop was put on at the factory, so it got changed out with a 13.5 x 16 Acme 4 blade. That made a big difference. The boat has a much better hole shot, revs a little higher- better response. It is a much better prop choice.