Cobra Nautique 7.5 prop choice

[Matt]

Hi all,
What props are people using on their Cobra 7.5's? I've had a bit of a google here and there's a few threads mentioning the diameter & pitch - but that's not the "secret ingredient".

I'm currently running a 21" Laser 2 on an optimax 225 and it felt like it was struggling to lift the bow - ie could run max trim up and it would not feel over trimmed, but I'd start to lose grip.

The cobra is not a light boat and the console is quite a long way forward, so while the Laser 2 is a good all round prop, I'm thinking something that can carry the bow a bit more might be the way to go, such as a tempest.

Cheers
Matt

[Nos4r2]

I know not a Cobra,but that's the exact same motor and prop I ran on my Ballistic 7.8 and oddly, I thought I found the same-it struggled to lift the bow.
I put it down to having a 225L fuel tank in front of the console. I'd start to hear the exhaust (quite a way before it slipped) on max usable trim.

However, when it got properly rough, it seemed to do the job quite well, holding the bow up in a fairly hefty following sea. I never worried I might stuff the boat, despite pushing it very hard on many occasions.

[Matt]

Yeah, the laser 2 is a really good all round prop. According to my sums we were running at 19% slip, which for a conventional, non-stepped, non-padded hull, running 5-up and with 200 litres of fuel on board - is not too shabby.

However, I think I'm on the edge of the laser 2's abilities - it a small blade area prop, nice and neutral (not too much bow lift, not too much stern lift). But, I think just a little more bow lift would have got the boat running a little more nicely - the laser 2 is best suited to lighter hulls IMVHO.

I also have a 21" bravo - but obviously 4 blades is slower (unless you need the blade area).

Not trying to transform the cobra into a speed machine, the other boat is for that, but I'd like to try and make it the best I can as a good all rounder within reason.

Prop's running pretty deeply at the moment and the lasers can run quite nicely surfacing, so perhaps a little more engine lift might also help - but that feels like more aggro to lift the engine.

Had a count earlier - have got something like 12x stainless props here - but no 21" tempests (I do have a 29" Tempest though - but no chance of that being right, although maybe I should try that on the arrow one day)