Propeller Help

Adam Brimage · 04 July 2011, 19:41

I have a 14 x 17 prop, and i am running a 13 7/8 x 17 prop, which is better on my boat i have a zodiac pro 550 open with a 90hp, W

dun_buyin · 04 July 2011, 23:22

So about 1/8 of an inch difference in diameter, wouldn't have thought there would be any noticeable difference. What other differences are you aware of? Brand/model name, is one stainless and the other aluminium? Different blade profiles?

How does the boat run with the current propeller, what is the max rpm you reach and what is the maximum recommended for your engine?

btw, I'm no expert in the area as I am struggling with my own propeller selection issues.

Hightower · 05 July 2011, 02:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Adam Brimage

I have a 14 x 17 prop, and i am running a 13 7/8 x 17 prop, which is better on my boat i have a zodiac pro 550 open with a 90hp, W

Try each one on your boat and see which one performs the best. Keep the other as a spare

Adam Brimage · 05 July 2011, 10:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by dun_buyin

So about 1/8 of an inch difference in diameter, wouldn't have thought there would be any noticeable difference. What other differences are you aware of? Brand/model name, is one stainless and the other aluminium? Different blade profiles?

How does the boat run with the current propeller, what is the max rpm you reach and what is the maximum recommended for your engine?

btw, I'm no expert in the area as I am struggling with my own propeller selection issues.

The one on at the moment is a viper stainless steel prop and the other one just looks like a normal steel or alu prop. the boat is a 5.5m zodiac pro 550 open and the engine is a 90hp dont know what revs i have had but i have had a top speed of 38knots.

dun_buyin · 05 July 2011, 10:44

That sounds ok. According to the current Zodiac brochure, recommended power for the Pro Open 550 is 90hp and they list a max speed of 45mph (about 39 knots). You may or may not find a better matched prop but as Hightower says, you'd have to try them out to compare.

For comparison, my Pro Open 650 hits 41 knots (on the GPS) which matches the brochure, but is going over the maximum rev range for my engine so I'm looking at changing from a 19" pitch to a 21" pitch. Unless you are also over the maximum revs, you should be good.