Brumby prop options

[milly]

G'day all,
Just wondering what props the brumby owners are running on their donks?
I'm due for a new prop, currently running 3x14x17 on a 80 suzy, I'm leaning towards the 4 blade alloy as my brumby is quite bum heavy and allways wants to drop off the plane and also help keep the nose up in the crappy stuff.I'll repair the old prop and keep as a spare and for the top end speed for skiing on the dam.

Any feed back would be appreciated. Also has anyone used one of those piranha bbrand of props with the replaceable blades?

Cheers guys.

[BigFella]

Be careful you dont over prop your boat!
Poly's are traditionally heavy arsed, are you running a foil on the leg?
Fitting one may be more beneficial than a change in prop size!
Keep in touch and let me know how you go?

[4.50_Drifter]

thanks goodness you aren't another stainless steel fan, with the SS props you can destroy your prop shaft if you hit something solid, alloy is definitely the way to go.

Big Fella knows his Sh*t, foils are well worth it.

[milly]

bigfella, I was thinking a 13"x18"p 4 blade

[Andy]

thanks goodness you aren't another stainless steel fan, with the SS props you can destroy your prop shaft if you hit something solid, alloy is definitely the way to go.

Big Fella knows his Sh*t, foils are well worth it.


I question that reasoning. I reckon if you hit anything hard enough to damage a prop shaft it's not going to matter if it were stainless or aluminium. The big rubber thing in your prop would pop off before any significant damage was done, after that SS V Al aint going to make much difference.

The only reason I buy aluminum is that they are significantly cheaper. I have to replace a prop each year cause I bang it up real bad pushing up small creeks to catch those big muddies. Perhaps the SS would out last aluminium in my case.

[BigFella]

,,,, and the can has been opened!

SS props are for superior to any alloy prop on the market! (End of story)
That old wives tale of breaking prop shafts if you hit something is just that, old wives tales!
That was back in the day of sheer pins and the like when blokes replaced the factory units with nails, fencing wire, some even made their own SS pins, one dude bought his boat in with a case hardened steel rod for the sheer pin?? Go figure!

Although alloy props are cheaper initially, you cant go past SS for longevity.
Purchase a good quality SS prop and you will get years of service out of it!
or purchase an Etec and get one as standard fitment!!!! (sorry guys, couldn't resist the urge)

You may need to do some straightening if you traverse rocky creeks and bars.
But hey, Id rather straighten a bent blade than try and motor back with only two blades left on a three bladed prop?

[BigFella]

bigfella, I was thinking a 13"x18"p 4 blade

yeah mate you could get away with it on your Suzy, only because they run a reduction box to keep their revs up!
You wont be able to do that with any other engine though.

Need to be mindful of keeping the engine at the top end of the manufacturers operating range?

[Doug]

Damn, that's twice this year I've agreed with Big Fella. It must be the drugs they gave me last week.

[sheebaridgeback]

Milly,


Solars now do a 4 blade SS prop for most outboards, talk with Steve Evans from Solars ( Sunshine Coast ) about a suitable prop for your boat/motor combination. Expect to pay some where around $650 dollar mark for a 4 blade Stainless Steel prop. They give a $100 discount straight up if you are a member of Ausfish. I recently replaced my 3 blade alloy prop with a 4 blade Solars stainless and am very happy with its performance. I found the original 3 blade would drop off the plane below 4,500rpm, so I had to run at between 5,000 and 6000 RPM all the time. With the 4 blade I can keep the boat on the plane at much lower revs ( 3000 RPM ). I didn't notice any real difference in top speed with the 4 blade, tops out at 28knts, used to be 26knots with the 3 blade alloy.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist and like my outboard looking pretty, I got sick of buying Black paint and doing touch ups on the alloy prop after every fishing trip. The stainless prop looks good all the time. Now when I hit a sand bar I just have to paint the leg... grrr.


Jason

[milly]

Jason,
what boat and motor have you got and what size prop?

[sheebaridgeback]

Milly,

I'm not going to be much help to you, as I have a 4.55 with a 60 E-Tec. When I spoke with Steve from Solars I honestly had no idea what prop would best suit. Everywhere I looked on the internet, everyone was running different props.

Steve knew straight away and advised on the 4 blade 13 x 1/4 x 15 Torque Master. Solars assured me that If I wasn't happy with how the boat performed with the new prop, to just send it back. Solars seem to know their stuff, he didn't have to check his book, he knew straight away which prop would suit.

Just another point worth a mention. I found with my original 3 blade Alloy prop, I had to constantly adjust the trim to get the boat to sit nicely in the water ( it was a pain the ass ), the 4 blade I can have the motor trimmed just about anywhere now and the boat sits on top of the water. Not sure if its an inheritant problem with my model ( 4.55 ) with the motor trimmed right down the boat was dangerous, it would nose dive into the water without warning. The boat no longer does this with the 4 blade, not sure why, but I'm not complaining.


Hope this helps.

Jason

[Andy]

Milly,

I'm not going to be much help to you, as I have a 4.55 with a 60 E-Tec. When I spoke with Steve from Solars I honestly had no idea what prop would best suit. Everywhere I looked on the internet, everyone was running different props.

Steve knew straight away and advised on the 4 blade 13 x 1/4 x 15 Torque Master. Solars assured me that If I wasn't happy with how the boat performed with the new prop, to just send it back. Solars seem to know their stuff, he didn't have to check his book, he knew straight away which prop would suit.

Just another point worth a mention. I found with my original 3 blade Alloy prop, I had to constantly adjust the trim to get the boat to sit nicely in the water ( it was a pain the ass ), the 4 blade I can have the motor trimmed just about anywhere now and the boat sits on top of the water. Not sure if its an inheritant problem with my model ( 4.55 ) with the motor trimmed right down the boat was dangerous, it would nose dive into the water without warning. The boat no longer does this with the 4 blade, not sure why, but I'm not complaining.


Hope this helps.

Jason

Thats odd, I have a 50hp yam on my 4.55 and solas reckon stick with the 3 blade alloy prop. Apparently their 3 blade design is ripped from the yam. I paid extra for the last prop I bought from them, this time I bought a standard yam prop for less. I cant tell the difference. I am beginning to think solas will tell you exactly what you want to hear...

[DvrDve]

horses for courses
my 8.9m boat will only run on a 4 blader as she falls off plane easy, bottoms into following seas
since fitting 4 blader had no issues- its a different boat it feels like

as for SS alloy debate

SS is heavier as a material(+-30%) and normally requires u to drop a bit of bladepitch or prop diameter to makeup for manufacturers recommended revs
if anyone really wants to see the math
pm me
i m not gonna waste typing time to prove physics the slow way i type ;p

GENERAL PROP buying TIPS
if a dealer offers u to take a prop and try it, bring it back and change for another
DO IT! expect to pay for it if u nick it tho but a lot of prop dealers do this
nothing on small boats beat trying a couple of different props (pitches, blade number, diameter)
my 2c worth