Just another prop speed question

[BOWMAKER1]

Ok my turn for the prop question. I have a 2001 Fisher 24 fishin barge with a 2001 Mercury 125 2 stroke motor. When I got the boat it had a 14.25 x 15 3 blade prop on it and would only do about 4800 RPMs on the tach. I never checked the speed with a GPS because I didn't have one then. After I dinged up that prop and from reading on here a lot I replaced it with a Solas Rubex 13.23( I think) x 13 four blade prop. I like the new prop and it seems much smoother than the original especially in the 3000 to 4000 RPM range. The motor will now go up to 5200 or 5300 RPM and the manuel says between 4750 and 5200 RPMs, so it gets me right up to the top. Now that I have a GPS unit I tested the speed the other day with 3 large people and a lot of fishing gear and 2 trolling motor batteries in a storage compartment at the bow. Speed showed 22 or 23 mph, while I don't really care about top end speed I would have thought that it would have been a little higher from what people on here say. The pontoons are discolored but have nothing growing on them and we don't leave it in the water, and had some leaks fixed last year so no water in the pontoons. Load up and put in a storage shed a few miles from the lake. Does this sound right to all of the knowledgable people here? I really am fine with that speed and will not start changing motor height or things like that, but might consider a prop change if that were thought necessary.

 

[QC]

Re: Just another prop speed question

Generally speaking, despite conventional wisdom, they are often faster when propped toward the lower end of the range. Less flexible for heavy loads, but faster. It could take you many props to find the sweetest compromise which is basically what all of us are doing.

 

[The Rooster]

Re: Just another prop speed question

A 3 blade stainless steel prop might get you a bit more speed over the 4-blade but not much. As "QC" said if you could swing a slightly larger prop in the 4800-5000 range you would probably be near 25 mph, but changing props on Pontoon boats is not the same as other boats. The general rule of +/- 200 rpms per 1" pitch often doesn't apply. If you're happy w/ the performance, you could wait until the off season and talk to a prop shop about working on your current prop for additional speed. Good luck !!!