need prop advice

[double hunter]

Ive got Stratos boat i have been restoring, close to putting it in the water, Ive got to have a prop, boat is a 1991 18' Stratos fish and ski, it has a 1990 Evinrude 150 XP, im going to order one off line,,im going with an aluminum,,talked to one man and he suggest I go with 23p,,any advice appreciated, someone stole the prop off the motor right before I bought it

 

[F_R]

How skinny is your water? If there is any danger of touching bottom, you will save money in the long run by buying Stainless.

 

[ondarvr]

You won't know what prop is needed until you run it, so if it has a prop now use it first if at all possible so you have an idea of what you may need. Next would be to work with a shop that will allow you to return props until you get it dialed in.

 

[double hunter]

It doesnt have a prop on it it now,,was stolen right before I bought it,,what pro would have come on it when it was new,,got to be a factory standard

 

[jimmbo]

Well, depending on how your boat is rigged, if the engine was raised to take advantage of a performance prop, a cheaper AL prop is not going to do well. Factory Standard? No such thing. Some engines were shipped with a prop years ago, but that didn't mean it was the prop that was installed when the boat was delivered. The previous owner has no idea what was on? My guess is he kept it for reuse, but...
Is the engine mounted down on the transom, or is it raised up? As I mentioned earlier, that will affect what your options can be. But you will need a starting point, so if the engine is mounted firmly on the transom I would suggest a 19 or a 21, if the engine has been raised, a 22 might be a better starting point. You will need to know your engine WOT rpm range and choose a prop that lets the engine run in the upper half of it at WOT.

 

[double hunter]

The engine is mounted down on the transom,,I talked to one man and he said he would start with a 23,,but I dont have a clue

 

[175se]

Agree with #3 you have to let the setup tell you what it wants, not you tell it what it wants. Personally I think a 23 on that rig might be a bit much,(jmho).

 

[double hunter]

Everything your saying makes sense to me but i got to start somewhere..

 

[ondarvr]

That's why you find a shop that will let you return props until you get it right. This way you can guess without any concern, it's just a starting point.

 

[randyray41]

I had basically the same boat. Couple years older. I ran a 21 pitch aluminum on mine. Though they all different as other posters have stated.

 

[racerone]

Verify condition of motor with a dynomometer or a factory test prop.-----Then you start testing with different props.

 

[Faztbullet]

21 pitch......The windshields act like ailerons and reduce bow lift on this model.