1.73 to 2.0 is a 16% change. I'd say mitzysman got himself a deal with a used, apparently in good condition, replacement for $200. You can't buy a prop for that; not much of one anyway.
For prop availability, I ran some pitch numbers that may help:
15 to 19 26% change
16 to 19 18% change
17 to 19 11% change
17 to 20 17% change
Maybe you could find a prop to suit you to make up the difference. Obviously since you are looking at increasing your ratio the prop will turn slower providing less WOT mph but better hole shot. So going down in pitch would be your direction. The better hole shot would result in the fact that even though the pitch is less, with a decreased load on the engine it could spin up faster, developing hp faster and you would be farther up the torque/rpm curves and that is what turns the prop!
Considering the amount of prop slip (which helps to negate any pitch change) in the hole, I personally don't see the exact pitch comparison as relevant; as relevant as getting up your rpms. Case in point is that a 20% change in prop pitch (realizing in reality just how much of that) could increase your rpms easily by 1000 rpm. In the hole when the engine is struggling to get the boat on plane and get to 2500 rpm and 25-30 mph a 1000 rpm increase is a 50% gain assuming a 1500 rpm previous number.
Just my thoughts.
Mark
