Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

[OttawaRiver]

Hi, I bought a new 17feet aluminum fishing boat with a 60hp EFI 4-stroke Mercury!
I can do a 35-37mph WOT at 6000rpm with the original propeller. Can I gain more speed with another propeller? If yes, which one do you recommend and how much will I gain?
I will also use the boat for ski/tubing

Thanks!

 

[steelespike]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

What boat?How heavy? What size prop? (usually on the barrel)Al. or SS?
Read the helps at the top of this page and in the prop store.
Your speed (depending on the boat)seems respectable.Is it by GPS?
Is the antivent plate(just above the prop)approximately even with the botton of the boat?Fine tuning the height could gain a little speed.
Then a prop change might gain even more height and speed.

 

[OttawaRiver]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

It's a walleye oat (v-haul). The weight is around 920lbs (dry weight) with motor and all acc. I would say 1400lbs
I would like to have a SS prop
I have no idea of the size of the prop I need. I am trying to figure that out!
The motor is nearly brand new! It only went twice in the water to test it. SO the antivent is good!
The speed was is accord to the GPS. I'm hoping to get 45mph with that motor with 2 person (350lbs both) so we can use during the bass tournament

Thanks!

What boat?How heavy? What size prop? (usually on the barrel)Al. or SS?
Read the helps at the top of this page and in the prop store.
Your speed (depending on the boat)seems respectable.Is it by GPS?
Is the antivent plate(just above the prop)approximately even with the botton of the boat?Fine tuning the height could gain a little speed.
Then a prop change might gain even more height and speed.

 

[steelespike]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

Just because its new doesn't mean the setup is ideal.Antivent plate even with bottom is considered a starting point.Usually end up about an inch higher.An inch higher could net a couple of mph under ideal conditions.Prop size is usually on the barrel of the prop.Sometimes under the prop nut.
With enough info it is possible to make a prop selection in the prop calculator. the key info is the gear ratio.along with your other info.
Your present performance with your prop size In my opinion is the most accurate way to select a prop.While a stainless prop no doubt will perform well they are pricey.You might check out the Turning point Hustler prop.
Close to stainless performance at al. prices.Did you rtead the stickies at the top of the page and the helps at the top of the prop store page.
You're speed is doing very well at this point.From my limited research similar boat motor combinations are running barely into the 30s.
The likelyhood of an 8 mph increase from your speed by simple prop selection is unlikely.

 

[Irv964]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

Just because its new doesn't mean the setup is ideal.Antivent plate even with bottom is considered a starting point.Usually end up about an inch higher.An inch higher could net a couple of mph under ideal conditions.Prop size is usually on the barrel of the prop.Sometimes under the prop nut.
With enough info it is possible to make a prop selection in the prop calculator. the key info is the gear ratio.along with your other info.
Your present performance with your prop size In my opinion is the most accurate way to select a prop.While a stainless prop no doubt will perform well they are pricey.You might check out the Turning point Hustler prop.
Close to stainless performance at al. prices.Did you rtead the stickies at the top of the page and the helps at the top of the prop store page.
You're speed is doing very well at this point.From my limited research similar boat motor combinations are running barely into the 30s.
The likelyhood of an 8 mph increase from your speed by simple prop selection is unlikely.

I agree with Steelspike, in my opinion, you just don't have enough motor to reach your "wanted" speed.
Try the Turning Point prop selector and see what they recomend http://www.turningpointpropellers.com/ but I still have a feeling you won't reach your wanted speed no matter what prop you put on, if there is a slight chance you do, I am sure your boat/motor combo will suffer in other areas like holeshot, lugging your motor etc?. Good Luck.........Irv965

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

If you want 45 MPH you should have bought a 75 HP motor. Your wide open throttle RPM is where Merc wants it to be and the prop you have is correct for that. While you may get 1 or 2 MPH at best by playing with setup and a stainless prop you need to weigh the cost vs benefit. Your engine is telling you that it is pretty close to the optimum setup. Any further increases in speed will cost you and those increases will be minimal. And just so you know, towing water toys and speed are at opposite ends of the performance spectrum. You cannot have optimal performance for both activities with one prop. You can certainly do both with one prop but it will be compromise on both activities.

 

[OttawaRiver]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

Ah didn't know all these info. I though that I could gain at least 5mph with a good propeller
I guess that buying a propeller is not worth the money for the size of the engine!
Thanks for the info guyz!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

Many folks indicate they want a stainless prop but don't give a reason why. When questioned, they don't really know why other than assuming just because it's stainless that they automatically get a rocket ship in the process. It doesn't work that way. In fact you could pick a stainless prop from three or four different manufacturers and each of those props with equal diameter and pitch on the same engine would all perform differently. One will have better hole shot but poorer top end. Another will have good top end but poorer hole shot. One will perform poorer in both categories and one will be a good compromise. Unless you can actually test a bunch of props under both light load, heavy load, and towing water toys you really cannot preduct with a high degree of accuracy what the outcome will be. If you get real lucky, someone here might post their results based on having the same identical boat, same identical engine, same identical setup, and operate in the same identical fashion with the same identical load and water conditions. What chance do think there is of that happening? It is relatively easy to get within a couple miles per hour of top achievable speed using prop calculators, boat weights and application but to squeeze those last couple of MPH out of any combination requires extensive testing that the average boater simply can't afford to do unless you can find a prop shop or dealer that will let you test many different props. Those shops are hard to find in many areas.

 

[Irv964]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

Many folks indicate they want a stainless prop but don't give a reason why. When questioned, they don't really know why other than assuming just because it's stainless that they automatically get a rocket ship in the process. It doesn't work that way. In fact you could pick a stainless prop from three or four different manufacturers and each of those props with equal diameter and pitch on the same engine would all perform differently. One will have better hole shot but poorer top end. Another will have good top end but poorer hole shot. One will perform poorer in both categories and one will be a good compromise. Unless you can actually test a bunch of props under both light load, heavy load, and towing water toys you really cannot preduct with a high degree of accuracy what the outcome will be. If you get real lucky, someone here might post their results based on having the same identical boat, same identical engine, same identical setup, and operate in the same identical fashion with the same identical load and water conditions. What chance do think there is of that happening? It is relatively easy to get within a couple miles per hour of top achievable speed using prop calculators, boat weights and application but to squeeze those last couple of MPH out of any combination requires extensive testing that the average boater simply can't afford to do unless you can find a prop shop or dealer that will let you test many different props. Those shops are hard to find in many areas.

Well said Silvertip, this should be at the top of the prop section for everyone to read...........Irv964

 

[thepotroast]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

I just wanted to add that I have a similar setup as you, except mine is a 16' Triton bass boat with a 60HP merc, I changed my prop from a 13P mercury aluminum to a Turning Point Hustler 15P aluminum, and my speeds went from 31-32 up to 38 fully loaded (about 1500lbs with me in it)....made a big difference, puts my WOT RPM's to 5200. I don't know about your 4 stroke, but my 60HP is a 2 stroke year 2004 (ELPTO) and 6000 RPM's is past the redline on it per Mercury. You may be pushing yours too hard, meaning you need to add some pitch. You never mentioned which prop you are using...more specifically what dia and pitch. My guess is you might be a little under-propped....then again, perhaps the 4 stroke version of the 60HP uses a higher redline, but I would be nervous pushing my motor to 6000 RPM's. When I was using the 13P I was getting 5800RPM's at WOT....too much rotation, not enough speed. Cost me $70 for the new prop (with hub) and I am much happier with the higher speeds and lower RPM's.

I also wanted to 2nd the notion that you will not be likely to hit 45MPH with that setup...no matter what prop. If you go up a pitch or two, you will bring your RPM's down and likely your speed up...but probably only 1-2 MPH. I just think your RPM's are too high, especially if this is where to tend to cruise.

 

[FishOn123]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

I own a 2006 Lund 1660 Classic SS side console aluminun with a dry weight of 860 lbs. Engine is a 2006 Merc 4 stroke EFI. Top speed with a Merc 14 pitch alum prop is 38 mph GPS very lightly loaded at 6000 rpm. With 3 guys and fishing gear it tops out at around 35 mph. Sounds like your prop is pitched right and you may not get more top end if you switch props. I tried a SS prop and actually got worse performance than the Merc Alum. As others have stated you can speed a lot of money and time trying to get another 1-2 mph and may actually never get it especially with lower hp engines.

 

[Expidia]

Re: Propeller Question for 60hp EFI mercury

I too agree that this thread should be entered into the sticky thread status.

Silvertip and others have given a concise answer to similar questions that keep coming up at the beginning of each season as people try to squeeze more mph out of their setups.