Revolution 4 XP prop

[Scott06]

I have a '04 Sea Ray 200 Sport with a 5.0 carbed engine. I landed on running a Mercury Revolution 4 21" pitch prop, works very well for how I use my boat and the sternlift and ability to fully trim out provided by it really help an otherwise tail heavy boat.

I have seen that Mercury under the Mercury Racing brand now has a Revolution 4 XP prop which is at I think a higher price point. Other than what is published in the literature ( "greatest prop ever....") does anyone know or have experience in what the difference between the 'standard' Rev 4 and the Rev 4 XP is ?

 

[Texasmark]

Nobody hit on this having seen it early this morning and decided not to do what I am fixin to do.

I had several SS Ballistic props and 2 were XL versions, all in the 21-24P range. The XL versions had a lot more blade area and a lot better thrust with much better high end bite and speed...with the same boat, load, water conditions and engine. I'm running the 13x24P XL in my avatar and you can see by the wake its moving right along.....stock 17 1/2 alum.BB and 2002 90 HP Merc.

So if you are comparing the basic prop to the XL in the same basic prop, then I would expect improved performance.....now would it be worth the cost, who knows.

 

[paulswagelock]

So the XP versions are really about the added pitch options. Merc racing works the standard pitches and provides the even number pitch to really fine tune the rpm achieved. That is the key difference.

 

[dingbat]

So the XP versions are really about the added pitch options. Merc racing works the standard pitches and provides the even number pitch to really fine tune the rpm achieved. That is the key difference.

Comp series prop in 1/2” increments in pitch

 

[Texasmark]

Nobody hit on this having seen it early this morning and decided not to do what I am fixin to do.

I had several SS Ballistic props and 2 were XL versions, all in the 21-24P range. The XL versions had a lot more blade area and a lot better thrust with much better high end bite and speed...with the same boat, load, water conditions and engine. I'm running the 13x24P XL in my avatar and you can see by the wake its moving right along.....stock 17 1/2 alum.BB and 2002 90 HP Merc.

So if you are comparing the basic prop to the XL in the same basic prop, then I would expect improved performance.....now would it be worth the cost, who knows.

Had a brain pfart. XL should have been XP for extra performance which is what I got.

 

[Scott06]

Had a brain pfart. XL should have been XP for extra performance which is what I got.

So you got a Ballistic or Revolution XP Prop?

 

[Texasmark]

So you got a Ballistic or Revolution XP Prop?

It was the Ballistic. Funny way they engineered the blade tips but really grab and hold running at WOT high trim angles.

 

[Scott06]

It was the Ballistic. Funny way they engineered the blade tips but really grab and hold running at WOT high trim angles.

Haven’t tried the ballistic yet , hear they are hit or mis depending on boat? You like them though?

Revolution 4 gave me real good holeshot and best top speed. Its almost too much bite coming out if the hole for my engine, allows me to use full trim gets the hull out of water for slightly better top end than Enertia.

 

[paulswagelock]

Haven’t tried the ballistic yet , hear they are hit or mis depending on boat? You like them though?

Revolution 4 gave me real good holeshot and best top speed. Its almost too much bite coming out if the hole for my engine, allows me to use full trim gets the hull out of water for slightly better top end than Enertia.

I made mistype in my post above but it won’t let me correct it. The Racing versions of the XP come in 1/2” increments in certain ranges, and 1” increments in other ranges to let you really dial in the pitch, that is the only major difference in them. In addition, they do offer a lab finish which can help with spooling up rpm’s on certain hull designs.
Sounds like the Rev4 is working well with your combination. If it is biting just a bit much on holeshot, considering opening the PVS vent system just a bit to let it slip a little on holeshot and allow the rpm’s to get up a little quicker, it is designed exactly for that reason. Will not affect midrange or top end.

 

[Scott06]

I made mistype in my post above but it won’t let me correct it. The Racing versions of the XP come in 1/2” increments in certain ranges, and 1” increments in other ranges to let you really dial in the pitch, that is the only major difference in them. In addition, they do offer a lab finish which can help with spooling up rpm’s on certain hull designs.
Sounds like the Rev4 is working well with your combination. If it is biting just a bit much on holeshot, considering opening the PVS vent system just a bit to let it slip a little on holeshot and allow the rpm’s to get up a little quicker, it is designed exactly for that reason. Will not affect midrange or top end.

Thanks for your comments. Understood about the pitch increments, i assume some of the difference in the XP vs the base rev 4 is tolerance to spec d pitch which i think in multiple engine offshore applications is more precise than my hacking around lakes….

yes i did use the PVS plugs, the mid size holes did the best for me large slipped to the point of almost cavitating on loaded holeshot. I got my best holeshot and water sports performance with a Vensura ( also called offshore i think), just couldn’t trim out much and had 20% slip. got 3-4 more mph and slip was 12-13% with the rev 4 , but the holeshot is a little less dramatic with the better bite.

 

[Texasmark]

I didn't tuck in for my hole shots. I had the trim putting the engine vertical or slightly trimmed out. In coming out of the hole it was hammer down on the throttle to the firewall, I got grip and then ventilation as the load on the prop was such that it found ambient air a path of least of resistance. Every time it would break away, the RPMs would jump up and the boat would settle back.....when the pro would re-engage the water, it was running at a higher RPM than before and it gave the boat a shot forward. 3 of these single cycle oscillating cycles and I was gone. Great sport for a basic, stock fishing rig.

 

[QBhoy]

Haven’t tried the ballistic yet , hear they are hit or mis depending on boat? You like them though?

Revolution 4 gave me real good holeshot and best top speed. Its almost too much bite coming out if the hole for my engine, allows me to use full trim gets the hull out of water for slightly better top end than Enertia.

I’ve tried and had a ballistic on two boats now. One one a 18ft performance hull v8 inboard and the other on a cvx16 V6 outboard. There is no denying that they can be bloody quick. But also that they can be frustratingly un reliable at being quick too. The stars and the moon need to align and conditions perfect for them to be at their best. Most noticeable is also the strange behaviour at acceleration too. On the odd and rare occasion they do perform though. Jeez they are right up there with the quickest of props. Just not often enough, I found. They do take more trim than most other props I know for sure. Just depends on the boat too really.

 

[Texasmark]

The boat is a Travis Marine Fishmaster 17 1/2 ft aluminum laid out as a bass boat configuration. The bow is conventional, popular, V'd front deck, rather than flat like a John, but at the transom, there are 3 steps to the hull, the center one being about 10" wide. Kissing 50, with the 24 XP Ballistic, and like a BB pad, you are riding only on the center section, hence the clean wake like you see in my Avatar. I had the engine on the second, up off the transom about 3/4".

I donated it to the local fire rescue unit it because I thought I was through boating as my companion could no longer go with me due to her inability to get in and out of the boat. Well that lasted about 5 years and I'm back. This time with a Crestliner 17 1/2' Fish Hawk (nice smooth riding hull) with a 115 Merc. and have it propped for midrange operation.

 

[QBhoy]

The boat is a Travis Marine Fishmaster 17 1/2 ft aluminum laid out as a bass boat configuration. The bow is conventional, popular, V'd front deck, rather than flat like a John, but at the transom, there are 3 steps to the hull, the center one being about 10" wide. Kissing 50, with the 24 XP Ballistic, and like a BB pad, you are riding only on the center section, hence the clean wake like you see in my Avatar. I had the engine on the second, up off the transom about 3/4".

I donated it to the local fire rescue unit it because I thought I was through boating as my companion could no longer go with me due to her inability to get in and out of the boat. Well that lasted about 5 years and I'm back. This time with a Crestliner 17 1/2' Fish Hawk (nice smooth riding hull) with a 115 Merc. and have it propped for midrange operation.

Is she one of the new merc 115 Texas ?

 

[Texasmark]

Is she one of the new merc 115 Texas ?

No, it's a 2002, like the boat, 2+2 and runs and hole shoots like a dream.

 

[QBhoy]

No, it's a 2002, like the boat, 2+2 and runs and hole shoots like a dream.

Got you. Never had a 2+2, but been on a few boats with them. Always impressed with the power from them