Switch to Enertia?

[89retta]

I've found a good deal on an Enertia prop. But here's my dilemma. Current prop is Solas 4 blade aluminum 19 pitch. My rpms are right at 4800 and 46 mph on gps. Hole shot is decent and the rpms will creep a little past 4800. Engine is a 4.3 Volvo GXI. The Enertia prop im looking at is a 20 pitch . My question is will my hole shot suffer and will I still be close to 4800 rpms ? Thanks for any advice

 

[QBhoy]

Really hard to tell, given you’ll see so much more lift and allow more trim too. A 4 blade ally in my experience will show more rpm and prop slip than same pitch 3 blade and certainly one like the enertia...at wot. Not sure how big a diameter your 4 blade is though. That might come into it.
I’d say go for it and see what happens. If it’s that good a deal, you don’t struggle to get rid of such an amazing prop.

 

[89retta]

QBhoy diameter of the 4 blade is 14.25 and the Enertia is 13.75. Also I'm right around 16% prop slip which is not good.

 

[Texasmark]

Just a generic answer.....if your proposed Enertia grabs the water better, which seems to be the case from posts by owners of that prop, lowering your slip number will load your rpms to deliver the extra thrust. Since you are running at max posted rpms (per my Merc brochure on the 4.3 V6), you could stand to loose some rpms. But getting better performance out of the prop, could bring your rpms back up with more speed as the hull could run higher in the water, reducing drag and allowing that to happen.
Don't remember but if the Enertia is ported, that will take care of your hole shot. If the current prop isn't and the Enertia is, you "will" see a marked improvement in the hole shot "and" top end....beauty of ports. (opinion)

 

[89retta]

Well all I can say is very impressed by the Enertia. Hole shot is outstanding, top speed stayed the same as with the 19 4 blade aluminum. Rpms 4800 but does continue to rise. The boat feels totally different rides a lot higher out of the water. Makes me wonder how a 21 or 22 would do

 

[Texasmark]

Well all I can say is very impressed by the Enertia. Hole shot is outstanding, top speed stayed the same as with the 19 4 blade aluminum. Rpms 4800 but does continue to rise. The boat feels totally different rides a lot higher out of the water. Makes me wonder how a 21 or 22 would do

Apparently Enertia has a lot of rake providing good bow lifting capabilities, like happens when running a Bass Boat on the pad. Get the speed up, trim it out and as you do you can feel the hull start to float (not porpoise) on the water, like it wants to go airborne.

Only answer to upping the pitch would be what about the weather (thinking.....probably the hottest right now having the worst impact on HP of the season...so forget that), and what about your normal riding load...Were you conducting the tests alone and usually take 4ish folks and do water sports and all?

 

[89retta]

I was already at my max rpms and creeping close to 5000. Had it trimmed up some and yes we could feel the hull come up. Our Caravelle does have a pad at the stern and at one time felt like the stern slid out like it was on ice . Kinda freaked the wife out. It was tried with our normal load , the wife and I along with 3/4s tank of fuel. Also probably could squeeze a few more mph if we took the tower off. Will run it without next time

 

[Texasmark]

I think you are at a crossroads: leave it be for heavy loads and "control yourself" (grin) with the throttle when lightly loaded, or upping to a 21 is seemingly in order. If permanently removing your tower, assuming you are referring to the arc over the top of boats with lights and boom boom speakers, surely that would point you towards a couple more inches of pitch. On the skidding on the pad, you don't have a "keel" when on the pad...only thing is the engine's skeg. Yes it feels different......butttttt YES!!!!!

 

[89retta]

Yup thats for sure. My keel ends a couple feet from the stern

 

[QBhoy]

Glad it’s worked out. Ain’t many better props than these. I think you may have messaged me, but I can’t read it. Keeps flickering too fast

 

[89retta]

Yes I'm quite impressed with it. The rpms will creep past 4800 once I start to trim up. And having the same problem with reading messages, wish they would fix it. Jimmbo was happy I got one