260 Stinger Props?
 

I have a 260 with twin 350's with alpha drives and I have no idea what pitch of prop to start out with. Motors are being built now, but I wanna have props ready.
:evilb:

I ran mine with mirage 3 blades 21 pitch,and those were perfect with my 275 hp engines... 23 worked well also, couple miles faster on cruising speed but 1 or 2 mph less on top end... engines not big enough to spin 23 and gain mph...

I don't know about the 4 blades though... try it out! Let us know!

psmith, are they both RT hand or RT and LFT.
I dont have opposing screws.
What motors and HP are you running, with what results?
I have not even got this boat wet yet, so have no idea what kinda numbers to expect.
Jeff what were you getting with 23's
Both of you have nice paint. I have a solid white body that is screamin for graphics:evilb:

i also run 21p ss 3 blade tweeked 2 20p to reach 5000 rpm on 320hp sm.blocks 23p only ran 4600 on my 86 260.. 20s puts me at 57mph on gps. by the way its 4 sale

I have a Stinger 260 and Have had good success with the 14x21's. The boat jumps out of the water great but the top end is a bit shy of what is should be. I also noticed my engines were reving out at almost five grand at WOT.
Last weekend I just bought new 14x23's and am getting a bit more speed and the rpm dropped about 300-400 or so. I am now cruising at WOT around 4600 rpm maxed out and the boat just flies!!!:D
To the other guy who mentioned that the smallblocks won't turn his 23's I am not sure what the problem there is? Sorry to hear about your luck.

happy boating to all..........

Ve3, you said your boat just flies now with the 23's. What kinda speeds are you seeing. Everything I have read has averaged a top speed of about high 50's low 60's is that what you are getting? You guys dont laugh but a 14x23 is what 14" long with a 23 pitch, I assume? What is the goal RPM that I should be seeing at a good cruise vs top end? If I have alpha drives do only certain props fit on them. Have seen some that say they are for bravo, but neverany that just say alphas. And did you get rid of your 14x21's?

I Believe the 14 represents the diameter & 23 is the pitch. My boat turns 23's SS 4 blade @ 4200 WOT trimed up, tabs down, very slite chop, 3 kids, 2 adults, 3/4 tank of fuel, coolers full & 1050 hrs on tired engines ( you get the point ) Best I can get is 50.5 on GPS

Bring them tabs up and gain at least 5 mph!!

hI "AS IS"
To answer your question...yes the 14 represents the diameter and the pitch is the second number.
A Scorpion will even handle a 19 pitch if you want to water ski or pull the tube behind the boat for the kids to drown in! It revs quite high with those however...
The 21's are good as I stated before but I got only about 48 or 49 mph out of the boat. With the 23's I am up to mid fifties and down to 4600 at WOT
I looked on the chart and the 260's can handle up to a 14 1/4 x 23 as a max prop (three blade) It states on this chart that it should reach 67mph (ha, not yet???) It also states that they do NOT recommend a four blade (sorry to the guy selling the props , I did not wish to rain on your parade)
I studied this for some time and made the decision for the 14's and did not want to max out on the diameter as I would have lost too many rpms?
I am at a loss right now to remember where I found this chart but, it was on the internet and specifically for our Alpha one drives and Stinger 260 applications. Just Google it and you might find it like I did.

Good luck on your search and I will be on the water this weekend tearing up the lake.

If I bring the tabs up the thing will Porpoise like crazy ( u know the stinger hop )

OK, starting to think my motors are never getting out of the machine shop. This guy is slow but good (so I am told).
I think I am going to try the 14 x 23 props. If I get he extra top end. I am not out to do any racing, but I would like to haull all the azz I can, lol Upper 4000 and lower 5000 range is still a good WOT RPM range right?
So the stinger hop, was a design flaw? Is the only way to offset it is use the tabs?
Gotta hurry these motors along, running out of summer!
Tried to tell my wife that it will be a great summer on the boat next year, wasnt what she wanted to hear lol !

The "stinger hop" not sure if it's a design flaw or not. I've read alot of posts and most if not everyone with the 260's will say they have a tendency to Porpoise in the smoother water if your drives aren't all the way down. As for the 23's I can speak for my boat only, it will turn 23/4 blades @ 4200 WOT according to the original tachs. Are they accurate? Who knows. I may try the 23/14 3 blade SS like ve3lt said he researched to get a bit more RPM's. Every boat is a little different, I would not take anything as an absolute untill I tried it myself. ( Generally speaking )

You may have been there....but I am there, and the 23's work GREAT!!!
I like them WAY better than the 21's I had on before! I hit 5 grand with the 21's at WOT but now I am cruising at 4400-4600 at around 86-87 kmh(unless my gps is lying?)
I have bone stock engines...what are you running?

I have an 86 Stinger 260 w/ 275 hp running 14x21s @ 4200 WOT. I think what you have to consider is how much Hp your motors will be producing. The more Hp the more pitch and diameter you can turn. What props were on the boat before and if you still have them giv'm a try before you speed $1000 bucks on possibly the wrong prop.

Hey to you other guys what's up with the STINGER HOP? Mine does it to, flat tabs just a touch of trim up and I get the hop. I feel like if I could get the bow up (more trim) less wetted surface I could get better top speed.

Hey TAZMAN did you mean 5200 RPM's ? Cause turning 14/21's @ 4200 WOT is real low. The hop I have found to be Frustrating to say the least, if I drag the tabs hard and trim up a good bit she works pretty good. When you do that, you don't have much boat in the water but you have to be running pretty hard in a stait line or it's like throwing an anchor out the back. My understanding the hoping is just part of it, they all do it ( the 260 stinger that is ) Not sure if it's the X demension or if they have a hook in the hull from the factory or what. :(

On a different note does anyone know how to post the little smiley faces and junk, I've done it before but don't remember how i did it. Your insite would be appreciated.

Never mind I see that the frowning face showed up after I hit the post reply tab:D :evilb: :drink:

[QUOTE=gbcoker;2197618], if I drag the tabs hard and trim up a good bit she works pretty good. When you do that, you don't have much boat in the water but you have to be running pretty hard in a stait line or it's like throwing an anchor out the back.

Jeff, so you run the tabs down (how much?) and then trim the drives up and get better WOT and speed? The 4200 on my boat may be because I cant get the bow up which would give me more rpms. I just got it and still have not figured out how to get the boat on top of the water at WOT like I think it should be. I will try your way but it seems like having the tabs down and drives up is working them against each other and would eat up power and fuel and not produce any additional speed.

they do work against one another to a point but what it does is lifts the whole boat out of the water to a degree. cause the tabs are pushing the bow down and the outdrives are trying to lift it , so it picks the stern up in the process. it works for my boat however it is not as surefooted in the water. what i mean is it will fall off its centerline and lean if you have a moderate crosswind or turn, which you wouldn't do that anyway @ WOT. I foud that it's trial & error. Each boat is a little different. mine runs best in 2-3' chop.