Speed gains
 

Just thought I would let you guys know that I managed to squeeze a few extra mph out of the ZT. I purchased a labbed 26 bravo 1 prop from Brett at Bblades. He custom labbed the prop to match my boat and engine, 99 ZT 280 with a 500 efi. He added some cup to the prop and I am sure he did some other things. I picked up the 5 mph gps like he told me. I am spinnning the at 5200 and change. I managed to run 73.8 on the gps basically 74. I know there is more left, the temp was 80 degrees, the lake was flat, there were 2 aboard the boat with a half tank of fuel. I am very happy. Like I said before, I could run 68-69 all day long, ocassionally 70 and the best ever of 71.

Bblades is the shiznit! I highly recommend them!:drink:

great news bubba!! I need to visit him.

Thanks, he's the man and in your neck of the woods. I thought you were selling the boat?????

That is an amazing gain in speed. You certainly got your moneys worth. :drink:

Thats what I thought, good investment:drink: :evilb:

magic glad you like what he did

Thanks! And thanks for helping convince me to take the plunge! I am glad I did:drink:

What prop and RPM's did you run before? I just bought a 24 pitch Bravo 1 for my 253 with a 502 and talked to him about doing some work. I only need to pick up 1 or 2 hundred rpm's so I was wondering if it would be worth it. Dont know if theres other benifits besides just picking up rpm's. Id like to pick up about 3mph but just bringing my RPM's up some wont do it alone.

It all depended on the weather. I could spin a 24 bravo 1 to 5350 in the right conditions. On a cold day I could run it to the limiter 5450. Brett will not do you wrong. Remember I went from a 24 stock to a 26 lab.

I emailed him about my 97 26' checkmate with a 500hp carb and I didn't get a response yet. I am running a hydromotive and seeing around 70-71mph. I have a spinelli custom as well and see 68mph. The spinelli doesn't blow out but the hydro does. My boat hated the 4 blade bravo, only did 65 mph!

Better off to call they are busy right now.

Its funny how different people have different results with the same props. My 253 with a 502 ran faster with a Bravo one 24 then the Hydro 23, only by about 1mph but the bravo also spun about 200 rpm's lower. I wonder if it may be a different x dimension.
My buddy ran a hydro on his AT this weekend and it ran great when the water was rough, as soon as it was calm he lost like 4mph, it was better then the bravo in the rough but worse in the calm water.

I think Ray has a Persuader if it is infact a 26' boat.

Yea, its a pursueder.

We are now talking 3 different hulls.

Thanks

What rotation you running and does the boat run flat without tabs ?
I have to drag my left tab all the time to get boat to run flat, weight is balanced in boat.
Will be calling BBlades to see what to try. Now have 32P Bravo 1 non-labbed.

I run a right handed prop. Same situation for me have to drag the left tab as well. Don't hesitate to call Brett my boat handles and runs way better with the new prop. What are you running top end.

BBlades sending a LH 32P B1 for me to test to try and get some better numbers. Hope the LH rotation eliminates the listing issue I have. Dragging the left tab srubs speed and it definitely does not help high speed handling.
Should end up with a custom 34P B1 that will put boat in that exclusive 'club'.

Definately let us know if the left had prop helps or if it just leans the other way. I also drag the left tab at cruising speed but at high speeds I pull both up and it just leans a little bit not not bad, its way worse at slower speeds.

Kelly that is sweet. The exclusive club is sick for a 28 ft check. How much power you making with that 540? I am able to lift both tabs at high speeds as well.

Got the LH prop from Brett and ran it Saturday. The listing problem seems just as great, only now it leans to right. Need to drag right tab to level boat.
Did seem good at high speeds, but was running in 2 footers that normally the boat runs real well in ( can lift the tab being dragged at higher speeds ). Did not get to test flat water handling.
Will talk to Brett later to get ideas where to go next.

I am not a big fan of left handed props on single engine boats. If it works, then great, but I have yet to see it help. If you do run that left prop, make sure you have a billet upper cap on that drive.

Have a billet top cap.
Going back to RH prop, may be something that can be helped with drive height ? Any opinions on drive height affecting the amount of listing ?