Props for pontoons?

[stephen25]

Just a quick ?, what is the best prop for a toon 3 or 4 blade? and is there a diffrence in props for pontoons and V Hulls?

 

[MH Hawker]

Re: Props for pontoons?

Pontoons are in a class of their own when it comes to props, a 3 blade is faster but maxes out RPM a bit slower, a 4 blade has a better hole shot but a lower top end speed. Normally a pontoon prop pitch is a 7, 9, 11 or a 13 depending on several things.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Props for pontoons?

What he said.....toon props are "push" props and are generally have more surface area since toons really don't plane. There are performance based props for toons with high hp....those props are unique.

I experimented a lot with props for mine. I have both 15p alum props (2) and a 13p stainless that has been heavily cupped.

Top end is about the same for both. But the whole shot is WAY better on the stainless.

 

[Jeep Man]

Re: Props for pontoons?

A 4 blade should be minus 1p from a 3 blade to keep the same RPM. With my 60hp, a 3 blade gave me the proper rpm. A 10p 4 blade gave me the same rpm, same max. speed with better hole shot and reverse control.

 

[WaterDR]

Re: Props for pontoons?

I wish I would have tried a 4 blade. It is really a hit or miss science. Bottom line....you want a prop that will put you at max rpms when you are running at a normal load for what you do. Toons are really hard to find the right prop because if you are lke most people, you want to be able to carry 2 or 14 people, poke around and be able to maneuver, and yet be able to pull a tube...all on a platform that does not plane.

On the upside, since toons don't plane (per se), my experience has been that props are generally linerally proportional speed and rpms so easy to predict.

SO, you need to choose between pitch, blade number, and material (stainless vs. Aluminum).

If you have a 90 hp or less motor, don't waste your money on stainless. If you have a 115 hp+ stainless helps and is a must with power above 150hp. In my case, I was running a 15P alum that came on the boat from the dealer. RPMs were perfect at 6200. Ran fine. When I went to a 15P stainless, rpms dropped below 5,000. Thats how much flex the aluminum prop had PLUS the stainless prop had more surface area. When going to a 13P stainless, rpms went too high. BUT, I loved the way both props pulled out of the hole especially the 13p. So, I had the 13P cupped a bunch. That put me at 5800. I would have prefferred to been at 6,000 so probably gave up an rpm, BUT some owners would feel that 5800 is safer on the motor than 6200. My efficiency is much better with the stainless as I making the same speed with a 13P vs a 15P.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: Props for pontoons?

Most pontoons run with 3 blades.

Yamaha's with 150 hp run the OEM Reliance stainless props. 250 hp usually use the Yamaha stainless Saltwater Series II. Most 115 hp models and below use aluminum props.

The Mercury 150 hp motors usually use the Mercury Enertia stainless props. From 115 hp and below usually run the Mercury Black Max aluminum prop.

There are other perfectly good brands of props for pontoons. Since every boat hull and engine combination performs slightly different, sometimes they don't perform as they should. It's then trial and error.

 

[BatDaddy1887]

Re: Props for pontoons?

Maybe you can find a prop shop that will lend you props to test out.......a lot of shops do that.

 

[crb478]

Re: Props for pontoons?

Most everything different between the two has already been well stated, and each boat is different so finding the best prop frequently takes trial and error. I have personally found that four bladed props are easier to control pontoons at slow/docking speeds and that they reverse or back up better than a 3 bladed prop. I have had 3 different pontoons and this was true for all of them. The right prop for you will depend on you boat and how you use it, as well as the waters you boat in.