Looking for More Hole Shot

[vodka_mann]

Hi Everyone,

I currently have a 21 foot Larson with a Volvo Penta SX 5.7 Liter GS engine with a Ballistic 14 1/4 X 23 stainless 3 fin prop and am wanting more hole shot for wake boarding (I'm kind of a big guy).

Someone recommended moving to a 21 pitch prop however I'd like to minimize RPM change.

I've never used a 4 fin prop before - any merit to that? I was thinking something like a 21 pitch 4 fin (my understanding is that a 21 pitch 4 fin would be similar to a 22 pitch 3 fin) - the pitch would keep the RPMs similar but the 4 fin would give more hole shot.... Anybody have any recomendations?

 

[Capt'n Chris]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

You'll change your RPMs by going to 4. Stick with what you have as it wil be the most universal.

 

[junior1113]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

what are your current wot rpms? i swear by 4 blades better hole shot, slower plane speeds, faster acceleration, better fuel ecconomy, and i even picked up some top end. i've owned many boats and was sceptical of 4 blades. after buying one ill never run another 3 blade. rule of thumb go down 1 pitch size for every additional blade many 4 blade manufactures make their 4 blade props in even pitch sizes so u could find a 4x22.

 

[captkevin]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

4 blade would help - 23 pitch is like alot. 21 pitch 4 blade would be a big help. Might look at hillmarine.com

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

I'll second the Ultima 4. An amazing holeshot for sure. A lot of guides around here use them because they carry a load so well especially in the mid range.

 

[vodka_mann]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

Well - I think I'm going to go with a 4 fin 21 pitch prop and see what happens. I like the sound of quicker plain as I mostly use the boat for wake boarding. With the current prop the boat does like 63 mph, but I don't really care too much about top end.

Thanks for the advise guys

Rick

 

[superpop]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

I would go further than 21P on that boat. I have a 2006 Chaparral 204SSi and it is a heavy boat with a VP 5.0L MPI 270 Horse setup and it came with a 19P 4 blade aluminum prop, I went to a 18P Stainless 4 blade and it leaps out of the water now. Top speed is only about 40MPH but that is as fast as I need to go anyway. I also have a 22P three blade stainless VP prop that I tried last weekend and it was a pig on the hole shot, my wife could barely get up on a ski and she is a very good skier boat went 55MPH but I do not need to go that fast. The 22P is now on craigslist. I am planning on getting a 19P stainless 4 blade as I think that will be a good compromise. I would try a 19P 4 blade stainless on yours as well. Going from a 23 to a 21 is not much of a change.

 

[vodka_mann]

Re: Looking for More Hole Shot

Already placed an order for a cheapy 21 pitch 4 fin so we'll see what happens with it. If it doesn't do what I'm wanting I'll go with less.

One concern with going overboard is I've got a bro-in-law who beats the hell out of everything (good guy though) and I know if I go with too low of a pitch the RPMs will go way up and it wouldn't be pretty if the engine blew up because of it.

I'll post back the results.