looking for new prop, not sure what I need

[sturgeonx]

After 2 years with a prop suggested by the members on Iboats I am looking for a new as the 4 blade amita seems to have lost some punch. Here is the info about my boat and motor set up


Boat and Motor Info
1. Year, make and model of boat
2004, Lund fisherman 1800

2. Length, width and base weight of boat, look for boat decal on back of boat
Length= 18 ft, 6inches, 1475 lbs
2a.What is the maximum recommended HP for your boat
175 HP

3. Number of people and gallons of gas normally on boat
2people, 20-30 gallons
4. What do you use the boat for
Fishing, trolling sometimes cruising with the family,
5. Is it a Deep Vee and if so how many degrees of deadrise
It is a D vee aluminum, don?t know the deadrise
6. Year, make. manufacturer and model of motor
2004 Suzuki, DF115
7. HP and gear ratio of motor IMPORTANT
115 HP, 2.59 gear ratio

8. Manufacturer?s recommended Wide Open Throttle (WOT) range
5000-6000

9. Anti-ventilation Plate height above keel of boat if it is an outboard in inches, use a board under the keel and stiking out to the anti ventilation plate for a referene
-even
10. Is it a bass boat or does it have a pad bottom
no
11. Does it have a hydrafoil, dolefin or trim tabs
yes, SE 300
12. Make, model, diameter, pitch and whether SS or aluminum prop
Suzuki, 14 x23 aluminum
Suzuki 14x 19 aluminum
Solas amita 19 pitch added 2 inches cup on trailing edge.
13. WOT RPM and speed from your current prop and how much gas and how many people were in the boat for the test data and is the speed by GPS. Make sure you trim the prop up until it starts ventilating and then just trim in until it quits ventilating. If you do not have a tach you can buy a Tiny Tach for $ 50
- Suzuki, 14 x23 aluminum- 5600 rpm 2 adults, 30 gallons GPS speed 41.8 mph
Suzuki 14 x19 aluminum, 6200 rpms, 2 adults, 2 children( 15 lbs and 38lbs), 25 gallons, GPS speed 38.9 mph
Solas 13.25 x 19 aluminum 6200 rpms, 2 adults, 2 children( 15 lbs and 38lbs), 25 gallons, GPS speed 37.8 mph


14. Are you at sea level or a higher elevation, give us the elevation in feet
Sea leavel
15. Has your motor been tuned up lately and have you checked that the carburetor butterfly is opening all the way, checked compression, and looked at the plugs and checked spark, all of the foregoing could be the reason your prop is not attaining full RPM


no


16. How long has this prop been on the boat and why, at this time, do you think it is the wrong prop

Original when I bought this year, bought the 14 x19 to get better holeshot but It ventilates, 2 years with solas but its lost a lot and the holeshot is terrible now I went back to the 14 x19 suzuki

17. Does the prop show any damage that you can see,
Solas has burn marks

18. What problems are you trying to cure or what are you looking for the boat to do that it is not doing the way you think it should or to your expectations

Better holeshot, and better handling in waves. stop porposing in waves.

19. If you are trying to attain a better cruising speed and fuel savings or trying to attain a faster speed I will want you to take your boat and run it with 1 or 2 people and give me the RPM and speed readings starting at 3,000 RPM in 500 RPM increments all the way to WOT.



Can anybody recommend me some stainless props for my boat and motor?

Thanks

sturgeonx


thanks

 

[Texasmark]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

WOW. I have never seen a question asked on this forum that had this much background information. You did your homework. Now just have to wait for the right answer. One answer could be to buy from a loaner dealer who will loan you a prop to try till you get the right one. I know iboats sells props and I have bought 2 or 3 from them but sometimes you need to do something different.

Expect to pay more but the money will be spent and you will enjoy the decision the rest of the time you own the boat.
-----------------
Interesting gear ratio on the Suzuki. Never knew anything about them. Merc runs 2:1 on their 115 and 2.33 on their 90. That was a very necessary piece of info to help someone give you the right answer as I would have just assumed 2:1, not knowing any better and steered you wrong.

Mark

 

[steelespike]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

Has the foil been on your boat right along? if the plate is about even with then bottom your probably dragging at least part of the foil in the water likely sapping some top speed.Also could cause the boat to lay down flat. Does the boat respond to up trim?
Have you changed weight placement?Perhaps more in the stern?
Burn marks are usually on the back of the prop and not likely to cause loss of performance.
In fact that can be an indication the prop is performing well.It does however have the highest slip @ 12% about high normal.
the 3 bld 19 is 9%, respectable, the 23 is 11%
I do believe aluminum boats tend to have slightly higher slip than glass boats.
I think smart tabs carefully installed and as lightly as possible applied for best performance are better than a foil.

 

[nphilbro]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

Just my $.02. I couldn't get my boat tuned in at all until I removed the fin. Have you compared performance without it? In my case the difference was night and day. I'm of the opinion that if boat/motor/weight are well matched a fin can drag the performance down.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

I had the fin installed after i tried everything. The numbers are with the fin for both 19p and the amita. I didn't see much difference with the foil or no foil with the Amita but the hole shot with the 19p was better with the foil.

The foil Is level with the bottom of the boat. On thing about this boat is that it's stern heavy, with the 115 and 9.9 kicker and it's also a bit underpowered. The max rating is 175 hp.

As for the burn marks it's on the trailing edge and I don't know what's going one with the Amira this year but it's a dog on take off. If my rear livewell is full and we are 3 it takes forever

Thanks

Sturgeonx

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

Has the foil been on your boat right along? if the plate is about even with then bottom your probably dragging at least part of the foil in the water likely sapping some top speed.Also could cause the boat to lay down flat. Does the boat respond to up trim?
Have you changed weight placement?Perhaps more in the stern?
Burn marks are usually on the back of the prop and not likely to cause loss of performance.
In fact that can be an indication the prop is performing well.It does however have the highest slip @ 12% about high normal.
the 3 bld 19 is 9%, respectable, the 23 is 11%
I do believe aluminum boats tend to have slightly higher slip than glass boats.
I think smart tabs carefully installed and as lightly as possible applied for best performance are better than a foil.

the bow raises when I trim but if it's starts to get rough the porpoising starts when it is trimmed even a little.

 

[nphilbro]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

I had problems when I was using a gas can stowed in the back with my hull tank empty (wasn't hooked up yet). Wet plane, ventilation, sluggish hole shot, and porpoising were big problems.

One by one I did the following:
I raised the motor about 2" (21 degree deadrise hull).
Removed all unnecessary weight from the stern-anchors and tools in front 1/2 of boat.
Spare fuel is stored in a plastic can in the bow.
Removed the fin.

I notice that between a 1/2 and 1/4 tank of fuel I have to trim it to plane since the fuel falls to the back.

I'd think that engine should be a really nice match for that boat but I'm not familiar with Suzukis.

I also noticed the odd gear ratio - I was thinking 2:1 until mark pointed it out so I don't have a clue what prop to use.

Keep trying things. I burned through about $250 in fuel before I got mine tuned in. Heck, I was ready to throw a 12" extension on the back! Now it's the smoothest ride I've ever been on (less than 23ft, anyway) even in big water and 4 grown men.

 

[sturgeonx]

Re: looking for new prop, not sure what I need

Anybody have any prop recommendations.

Thanks

Sturgeonx