Hi folks,

I have a 1999 Baja 192 with the 5.0L Carb'd 220hp engine and Alpha One (1.62R) drive. It has the stock 3-blade propeller on it labeled "Quick Silver 23P".

The boat does great when pulling skiers, tubes and general riding around, but when I try to pull wakeboarders I have trouble.

It's not that it can't pull them, its that in order to stay on plane I have to pull them at about 20mph... and that's kinda fast, especially for beginners. If I drop much below 20, the boat comes off plane and wants to decelerate. It's also very difficult to maintain a certain speed... ie, if a wakeboarder cuts hard to the side, the boat will slow down.

I've heard that a different prop might help in two ways... first, it would help pull them out of the hole, and second, it would help the boat stay on plane at lower speeds and maintain that speed better.

My question is, is this true, and if so, what prop should I get?

Thanks in advance,
-Michael

The HighFive in a 19" or 21" is hands down the best prop to use for what you want to do. See if your local prop shop have them to try, so you can figure out what pitch works best for you.

High Five for any towing. A 23p Laser II will get you all around better performance than the QS, or a Vengeance. A Vensura 4 blade is another good option.

XT

So, when you refer to HighFive, do you actually mean the Mercruiser Quicksilver QST-5 Propeller? And when you say 19", do you mean 13.25x19"? Does anyone know the actual HighFive part number that I would need?

Several sites mention that I would also need the Flo-Torq II hub (PN: 835257Q1). What is this, and why do I need it?

Are there any special considerations that I need to make, or is a prop just a prop? Meaning, is the drive shaft, gearbox, etc. all pretty standard fare and it's just a matter of buying a prop, or do I need to know a whole bunch of measurements in order to get the right one?

Sorry for such basic questions, but I've never bought a prop before and am very new to this.

Thanks again,
Michael

Hi guys,

The more I look into this, the more confused I'm getting...

It looks like Mercury makes two 5-blade props... the HighFive and the QST-5... apparently, the HighFive's cost a lot more and in the higher pitches (ie 25"), they have vent holes in them; but at the lower pitches (ie 19 and 21) they dont. So, would the QST-5 be just as good?

Also, I called one prop shop and asked about the 19 and 21" versions. They asked my engine size (5.0L), outdrive (Alpha One, 1.62R), boat length (19'), stock prop (23P QuickSilver 3-blade) and my WOT RPM's (~5200)... and they told me I should stick to a 23" pitch; that the 19 or 21 would push my WOT RPM's too high.

They assured me that moving from a 3-blade to a 5-blade alone would make all the difference in pulling people out of the hole and provide lower planing speeds.

Most of the discussions I have read seem to push the 19 or 21" props, but always caution the max RPM's as well. I'm trying to pull 250lbs up on a wakeboard, and not slow down when he cuts to the side, or have to go so fast to keep the boat on plane.

I don't have a local prop shop, so my "try" is really a "buy" and I need a little help in understanding all of this conflicting information.

If any of you can help explain all of this to me, and give some specific recommendations, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again,
Michael