Thread: Prop Advice
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Old 03-02-2017, 07:52 AM   #14
Dave R
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Shreddy View Post
Prop difference is hgue given he has stainless dual props where I just have the 3 blade steel.
Reading this has me thinking that you may not have a stainless steel prop since you refer to the DP setup as "stainless", and your prop as "steel" as though they were two different things. If your prop is painted it's likely aluminum and upgrading to stainless steel would make a huge difference, especially if you have a V8 engine. V8s make too much torque for aluminum props, IMO, and flex the blades under load. This makes the boat feel "mushy" while accelerating as the blades flatten out and lose grip. Stainless steel blades have substantially less flex even though they are typically a lot thinner than aluminum blades. Thinner blades require less power to spin so they are also more efficient.

If you currently have a 3 blade aluminum prop, a 4 blade stainless steel prop could really make you smile. It's a nice compromise between top speed (which will be roughly equal to the aluminum 3 blade, but not as fast as a stainless 3 blade) and acceleration (which would be better than either 3 blade prop) assuming it's pitched correctly.
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