Reply With QuoteI was told small gear-big prop.
Tuna boats like that setup.
What makes the right prop for a boat. I thought you propped for gear and handling.
WOW! Now you have asked the million dollar question.
Although dimmensions of the prop tell you a ton, there is strict science mingled with black magic to make a great propeller. If you go and get five different 11 1/4" x 15 props for your boat, no two will act the same. There is so much to making a boat leave, set and handle the way the hull, the crew chief and the dirver want it to. It is an eternal quest to get everything just right. Matching with horsepower and torque numbers throughout the rpm band is a killer too. Especially when people are always looking for more power and changing things. Todays technology is helping a ton, but when you go out and watch the big boyz play, the difference between first and third is often propellers.
Just try and get the #1 propeller from any of these #1 teams. It won't happen. Partly because they cannot re-produce it perfectly.
When you get a prop that the boat, the driver and the performance numbers like, chain it to the inside of your trailer and never let go. From there, gears are just gears.
I was told small gear-big prop.
Tuna boats like that setup.
Wannabe, Okay but how do you get a guide line on different hulls? I know runner bottoms like different props than flats but what about strut angle. I keep seeing that prop chart go around but it seems to basic for proper prop choices. What about 10* v bottom boats and the trend to 3 blades. Boy you are so right about the fact that a prop of same size will act different and i cant figure that one out either. Just trying to learn more.
good info! keep it coming!
:argue: Find a prop your boat likes and gear to it. Just my .02$ j.j.
"TRUE"
Mike
Facts About Props
Rake
Higher Lift
More Rake, More Transom Lift
More Bottom End
Pitch
Higher the Pitch, More Slip at Bottom End
Hook at Top End
Lower Pitch, More RPM
Diameter
Bigger Diameter, More Lift
More Torque, Less RPM
good info! keep it coming!
Back in the old days when we were getting our boats from Julian and running SS on the 1 2/3 mile courses Julian would always tell us to run a 11 1/4 x 14 1/4 Menkins,18 gears. On the tight turn courses you could turn the boat on a dime but the RPM's by the end of the chutes were unreal !! I couldn't afford to have my engine freshened up every couple weeks so we found a different way. Back East here we have plenty of water so for the most part we had very large turns so we did not have to turn on a dime. I had Menkins build me a different wheel and it served us very well. We still ran the 18's but were able to keep the R's down and managed to win our share of races. On todays short courses the 11 1/4 x 14 1/4 with 18 or even 15 gears may work very well
As for types of hulls and types of boats, you see the experts. Guys that have already been there and done that. If you have a Biesemeyer, a Menkins just works. Then from there, you have to play to find the right one. And when you find the right one, chain it up. Because no two props will act exactly the same. If you have a lavey, you are looking for a stellings prop. Stellings "X" more specifically. And so on. . .
Find someone who runs the boat that you do, ask them. They will tell you what maker, brand, style, etc. They will give up that type of info cheap. Approximate size will come cheap as well. Then working with one prop, or trying many to find the perfect prop is where it gets hairy.
Good luck with it.
Posting Permissions