What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

[Irv964]

I have a 2006 Lowe 165 F&S running a 2007 90h/p Merc 4 stroke/efi with the stock/oem 19 pitch aluminum prop and I am looking for better a hole shot and less cavitation in the turns. I just recently tried an older QuickSilver 19 P SS(stainless steel) and my hole shot didn't seem any better and I lost a mph or 2 and my rpm's increased from a max of 5800-5900 to over 6000! Make sense to anyone?
Anyways, I have been looking at Turningpoint props in aluminum either 19P or 17P and Stiletto props in SS 19P? My main objective is greater holeshot and less cavitation for water sports. Thanks in advance...........Irv964

 

[Irv964]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

69 views and nobody is running a prop? Just curious how many of you have tried something different from what came with your boat? Thanks.......Irv964

 

[DeepV]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Irv964,

This seems like a dead forum. That's too bad that we can't get more feedback from fellow Lowe owners.

I would like some feedback on how this boat holds up. When my FS175 is 5 years old or so what are some of the things that start showing wear and tear?

How do you like your rod box? I modified mine to improve it.

I ditched the stock speakers and installed 4 Sony's and it sounds great. Can't believe the factory only installs 2 rh speakers.

I put a Tour Edition Motorguide 82 lb trolling motor on.

I swapped out both fishing seat bases and added adjustable butt / leaning seats.

I added a bimini top and it works great.

I carpeted the front storage box to keep it quiet.

Has anyone tried a whale tail on a lowe fs hull?

Sorry to hijack your thread but no one will reply anyways. lol

 

[Irv964]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Irv964,

This seems like a dead forum. That's too bad that we can't get more feedback from fellow Lowe owners.

I would like some feedback on how this boat holds up. When my FS175 is 5 years old or so what are some of the things that start showing wear and tear?

How do you like your rod box? I modified mine to improve it.

I ditched the stock speakers and installed 4 Sony's and it sounds great. Can't believe the factory only installs 2 rh speakers.

I put a Tour Edition Motorguide 82 lb trolling motor on.

I swapped out both fishing seat bases and added adjustable butt / leaning seats.

I added a bimini top and it works great.

I carpeted the front storage box to keep it quiet.

Has anyone tried a whale tail on a lowe fs hull?

Sorry to hijack your thread but no one will reply anyways. lol

Hijack away, maybe it will stir some interest? I haven't done any modifications as of yet but I am seriously looking at a new sound system too! The stock p.o.s doesn't even deserve the title "stereo" The only good thing it came with was the Sirius satelite system (not activated yet) I have been looking at Clarion and JBL units so far but I am open to anything. I never thought about a couple extra speakers, that is a great idea, one I may just do also?
The front storage compartment carpeting is another good idea but to be honest I never hear anything in there bouncing around? My anchor fits tight in there so I assume it doesn't move much?
I am running a Minn-Kota 55Lb thrust trolling motor and it slings my 16 footer around pretty good, it is leaps and bounds above my previous Mariner trolling motor I had on my previous boat.
A butt seat is one thing I wish I had of opted for! I know to get one now would probably be twice as much as when I purchased the boat?
My boat came with the full bimini top, side curtains etc but it is rarely used any more, I purchased a trailering cover to cover it up on the boat lift when it is not in use, it is much easier and quicker to say the least!
My Lowe came pretty loaded up, it was the last one they had so I had no choice LOL. It came with the full top as mentioned, combing pads, front bow cushions, front grab rails, ski pylon, swim platform/ladder and the Sirius satelite capable radio. Just wished I had of got the jump/butt seat!! ..........Irv964

 

[Holeshot458]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Hey Guys,
I'll bite!
It is sad that, with all of the Lowe boats that have been sold over the years, there isn't more traffic on this board. Oh well...
I just bought a 1989 1730V Fish & Ski, with a 1989 Johnson 90. The guy that sold it too me took really good care of it. The boat, almost, looked brand new.
It came with a Raker 18p. I added a Jackplate because it was only turning 5000rpm. Raising the motor, along with the set back added 400rpm's and got me 40.2 mph gps. Still would like to get that up a few hundred more rpm. Also, I'm still working on the setup. The boat has a tendency to porpoise bad at anything under full throttle with any trim added.

 

[DeepV]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Congrats on the boat Holeshot458.

Is that a hydraulic or manual jack plate?

My old Tracker Pro DeepV17 would porpoise bad if I trimmed too far. I could either add weight to the front (causing it to slow down) or take weight off the front (causing it to speed up) to make it porpoise at different times. I also added a hydrofoil to the motor and that helped alot. I am not recommending the hydrofoil but you never know. It seems they work best on poorly designed hulls as a band aid. Lowe makes a good design.

With your jack plate, you might try lowering it some and see if you can get more trim. There might be a happy medium between getting the motor out of the water (jack plate)or getting more boat out of the water (trim angle).

Either way, 40 mph is pretty good for a 90 hp.

 

[Holeshot458]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Thanks. I really like the boat so far.

I have a Vance manual J/P with 6" of set back.
I plan on more adjusting of the J/P and moving some weight forward. Everything in that boat is in the back (batteries, live well). But from what you say, Deepv, porpoising may be something inherent to the design of these boats. The boat did come with a whale-tail. I took it off before ever trying it. But, I may be giving it a look here pretty soon.
I plan on adding a removable deck in front, as I like to fish a lot. I have already taken the back-to-back seat out and replaced it with a pedestal seat for the left console. That made a little more room to move around in back.
All in all, I think it is going to be a great little boat!

 

[Irv964]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Hey Guys,
I'll bite!
It is sad that, with all of the Lowe boats that have been sold over the years, there isn't more traffic on this board. Oh well...
I just bought a 1989 1730V Fish & Ski, with a 1989 Johnson 90. The guy that sold it too me took really good care of it. The boat, almost, looked brand new.
It came with a Raker 18p. I added a Jackplate because it was only turning 5000rpm. Raising the motor, along with the set back added 400rpm's and got me 40.2 mph gps. Still would like to get that up a few hundred more rpm. Also, I'm still working on the setup. The boat has a tendency to porpoise bad at anything under full throttle with any trim added.

Thanks for chiming in Holeshot and congrats on your new boat!
An 18P eh, that is what DeepV is running & that is what my dealer recommended too. Is your Raker a stainless or aluminum prop?
40.2mph doesn't sound too bad for a 17 footer with a 90 on it, what max rpm is the motor rated for? I take it it is a 2 stroke? Not sure how much more speed you will be able to get unless you up your pitch but your holeshot will suffer slightly with each increase. As far as porpoising, I can't say my boat has that trait, I am able to trim all the way up before blowout with virtually no porpoising. That whale tale may have eliminated your porpoising problem? I would definitely try it and see for yourself and if it doesn't change the handling/speed of your boat drastically, I would run it.
It is good to hear your boat is still in great shape and working well, it is reassuring as I hope to keep mine for years to come..........Irv964

 

[Holeshot458]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Thanks Irv964.
The Raker is stainless with vent holes. The motor is two cycle.
As far as the whale tail goes. The guy I bought the boat from said it was given to him as a birthday gift. And that he could never tell any difference with it on. I will be trying it out eventually.
I was originally running 35mph when I bought the boat. With the rpms up closer to where they should be I gained 5mph. I seriously doubt I will be able to get much more than the 40mph that I am getting now. But it is always fun to try!
I believe max operating rpms are supposed to be between 4500 and 5500rpms.

 

[nbvc2001]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Congrats on the boat Holeshot458.

Is that a hydraulic or manual jack plate?

My old Tracker Pro DeepV17 would porpoise bad if I trimmed too far. I could either add weight to the front (causing it to slow down) or take weight off the front (causing it to speed up) to make it porpoise at different times. I also added a hydrofoil to the motor and that helped alot. I am not recommending the hydrofoil but you never know. It seems they work best on poorly designed hulls as a band aid. Lowe makes a good design.

With your jack plate, you might try lowering it some and see if you can get more trim. There might be a happy medium between getting the motor out of the water (jack plate)or getting more boat out of the water (trim angle).

Either way, 40 mph is pretty good for a 90 hp.

DeepV..... I've notice that you have a 2008 FS175.... I have th 2007 model and wondering what kind and pitch is your prop. I broke my aluminum one and thinking about getting SS. The old one is 12.5x23p, but I can't seem to find it anywhere online. What are you using on your 115 Optimax? What's your max speed and RPM? Do you get on plane fast? Mine seem to take a while to get on plane.

 

[DeepV]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

nbvc2001,

I just changed from the factory 13 x 19 alum prop to a 13 x 18 Merc Vengeance stainless prop. I have only tried it once so far and it was a really windy day.

I hit 44 gps at between 5500 and 5600 rpms. The hole shot was not bad but I had just 2 people and fishing gear in the boat. I want to try it with my family of 5 and pulling kids on a tube. If the hole shot is slow I may try 17 pitch alum prop for just that occasion. The 18 pitch stainless was just about perfect for fishing.

I can't believe you are running a 23 pitch prop! You need to drop down closer to 18 or 19. What speed and rpm's did the 23 pitch give you?

 

[nbvc2001]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

I was wondering the same thing, even some of the prop dealer around hear said it was odd that I have a 23p. I was doing 42 on the GPS at 5500-5600RPM WOT with 12.5x23p aluminum.....so they told me to stick with 23p. Mine was fine for fishing with just 2 people also. I got me 13 1/4x23p SS and was doing about the same on GPS, but my rpm went down to 5200 at WOT. It took a while to get on plane with 4 adults and pulling a tube. I should of went down a pitch or two with the increase in diameter, but didn't. Guess I have to find me a 19p or 21p to try it out. Hopefully it will get me on plane faster and at higher end of the rpm at WOT.

 

[Irv964]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Hey guy's, just got back from my rainy vacation but I was able to get some good boating time in during the breaks in the weather.
Just before I left I purchased a Turning Point Hustler prop (13.25 X19P) and I couldn't be happier! This prop gave me everything that I was looking for and then some! gained 2mph, got a much better holeshot and I have way less cavitation in the turns, which is great, especially for water sports.
When my wife brought it down to the trailer and I looked at it, I could not tell the difference between the 2 when looking at them side by side? The next day after I installed it I was 100% satisfied!! What a difference! And a lot cheaper than the SS stiletto that I was considering and an even bigger difference than the SS prop my stealer was trying to get me to purchase.
When I bought it, I thought this could be a waste of $150.00 bucks and a $150.00 I could have put towards a SS prop but I took the chance and I am sure glad I did. My stock 19P Black Max will now become my spare but I am also considering a 17P Turning Point for next summer as my young lad and wife have taken a shine to water skiing big time, so anything to get them out of the water quicker will be a plus imo. I highly recommend these props to anyone considering updating their stock prop..........Irv964

P.S. I forgot to add that my speedo speed reached 49mph! I also tested using a GPS and my real speed is actuall 44mph, a 5mph difference but still pretty quick imo. That is with just me in the boat (200lbs) and a 1/2 tank of fuel with maybe an extra 100lbs of gear for the extra battery, lifejackets etc?.......Irv

 

[rouge1]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Hi,

I just bought a 2009 fm165 with a 4stroke 60hp elpt mercury on it; the dealer put a Black Max 10 3/8 R 13P on it. It peaks at 31mph at 5800rpm wot, but very slow to get there and very slow to get on plane, the more weight the slower to plane out, looked at Mercury?s web site, they recommend a Black Max 10 5/8 R 12P for best all around, hole shot and top speed. Any thoughts, mostly for fishing but my kids want to tube behind it also.


Thanks,

 

[bryonthefly]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Hi,

I just bought a 2009 fm165 with a 4stroke 60hp elpt mercury on it; the dealer put a Black Max 10 3/8 R 13P on it. It peaks at 31mph at 5800rpm wot, but very slow to get there and very slow to get on plane, the more weight the slower to plane out, looked at Mercury?s web site, they recommend a Black Max 10 5/8 R 12P for best all around, hole shot and top speed. Any thoughts, mostly for fishing but my kids want to tube behind it also.


Thanks,

Post this over in the prop section and youll get all the answers from the resident prop experts. You'll also need to post your gear ratio.

 

[softtop]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

I have a 2004 FS165 with an 90 etec same year. I bought it last year used.

It came with a 17 prop 15 inch aluminum. I am not sure who makes it. It runs arround 5200 rpm at full. with a top speed of about 40 MPH with 2 people & full gas (trimmed for top speed-Fully trimmed down in will only reach about 35 mph).
I tried a 19-13.5 inch aluminum I bought as a spare (michigan wheel) and the RPM's dropped to about 4800 and speed dropped to about 36 MPH trimmed. The hole shot was much better with the 17 then the 19 with alot less cavitation.
Has anyone tried a 4 blade composite prop?
I am also considering trying the Hustler Aluminum props (I have read good things about them).

Additions...
I added a minnkota AC charger for three batteries (splits the motor charger to all the batteries). I use one battery for starting and the other 2 for the electric motor and accessories. I also added a 9.9 Merc Kicker for insurance and an adjustable mounting plate for it.
I also added some locking type snaps to the Stand up top side curtains (on the ends) So I can run the boat with the Top and curtains on without having them fly apart.
I installed a float switch for the bilge as I sometimes leave the boat in the water for up to 2 weeks (as I do have a minor rivet leak 1/2 gal over 8 hours).

The boat came with a full standup top, front cushions, Ski pole, and Siaris satelite radio/cd (Sony).

The only other problem I had was with the gas gage. (And getting gas in the bilge from over filling the tank- but thats my fault)

Its my third boat and I love it. (it handles great in rough water and has plenty of room and storage). The only thing I wish I had was a Fully welded Hull rather then rivets.

But when you buy used you can't have everything.

 

[willrush]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

Sorry, only have a 9.9 mercury 4 stroke big foot. I do not think I can be much help but enjoy the posts.
The 9.9 tops at 6.6 mph according the the GPS. Slow but good enough for the resevoir.
FS165 2004

 

[DOdGER604]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

I have an 06 fs185, 115 merc 4 stroke/efi. It came with a 13 3/4" x 15p.aluminum. I was/am pleased with the hole shot, but was looking for a little better handling, and hoping to squeeze a few more mph, as i was getting 38-40 mph @5800 rpm (speedo).

I bought a turning point hustler 13-1/4" x 17p off this site a few weeks back. The first thing I noticed is it totally crapped my hole shot. instead of 1 boat length it took 3.(not that i should be totally shocked because of the pitch change, but i was expecting somthin less drastic) It did handle a little better, and I got around the same top speed @ 5400 rpm wot. It was a little choppy that day,and I did have a full tank.The fact is the hole shot is crucial to me, so I took her off and threw OEM back on, ill keep the 17 for a spare I guess.

Moral of the story is I should have not to tried to jump pitch, but i got a little greedy. Anyway ill save my pennies over the winter and maybe try the same prop in a 15p. and throw the 17 on Craigs List. I run a nasty river on a regular basis, and i feel better with that extra prop in the trunk.

 

[briboat]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

I had 2006 FS 165 with 90 2 stroke. Used 17 pitch prop BLACK MAX would cavitate in turns 19P poor hole shot,I believe it's a hull issue as dealer could not correct but said a SS prop would hold better.

 

[overload]

Re: What prop pitch/material are you running on your Lowe?

I had 2006 FS 165 with 90 2 stroke. Used 17 pitch prop BLACK MAX would cavitate in turns 19P poor hole shot,I believe it's a hull issue as dealer could not correct but said a SS prop would hold better.

I have the same boat and motor and battling the same issue. I talked to a Lowe tech rep from the factory, he said that hull design limits top speed. Did not comment on the venting but I imagine it's due to the same reason. Mine came with a 19p black max. Power and hole shot are excellent, 36 mph at redline, 38 mph at 6000 rpm with throttle left over. Changed to a 4 blade aluminum with 20" pitch. Venting on turns improved and reach 42 mph at 6000 rpm, wot. Still am not satisfied. I would shoot for a three blade high quality aluminum or SS with alot of cupping. 17" would seem way to short as my motor already over revs even with a 20". I also lowered the motor to the lowest holes, improved but still vents. GL!