Your thoughts on changing props for 4.3 Merc?

[quadbrowning]

I have a 22' Thompson deck boat 4.3v6 . Has a aluminum 3 blade 14.5x17 pitch. Pull power is great, full throttle pushing close to 5500 rpm. Thinking if I switch to a 4 blade stainless steel 14.5x19 pitch I will drop my room closer to 4500-5000 and being a 4 blade and stainless so less flex in prop and being 4 blade I will keep my pull power. What is everyone's thoughts on this? Honestly boat surprised me! I got behind it with ski's and it jerk you right up! And after putting a fin on it.. Holly cow.. pulls better that my buddy's ski boat!

 

[tpenfield]

:welcome: to iBoats . . .

The pitch change alone will bring your RPM down to about 4900 (17/19 x 5500 = 4921). Then there is the matter of going to stainless steel, which has more 'bite', and the 4 blades, further improving the amount of water propelled by the prop, both of which will lower your RPM for a given engine.

The material and blade change are going to be hard to judge, but I'd say you'd be down more towards 4500 RPM. . . maybe a little less.