fyi, with 5 blades, my boat will plane off by bringing the throttles to 2800 rpm, and it will lay over quick. With the 3 blades, its 4000RPM, and wait quite a while.

if your dead set on not buying a speedmaster boat (which, it seems like no matter what we tell you, your not going to change your mind) then i would buy this nortech

http://www.offshoreonly.com/classifi...o38933-en.html


Its in your price range, newer than the PQ, and you cannot even compare the build quality of a PQ to a nortech. They arent even in the same league.

I'm not dead set against the Speedmasters at all, I just read that the 5s are shorties and the dealer really steered me away from the boat for pleasure purposes because of this. I'm not a poker run junkie, just want to have some speed in big water. If this is a solid setup for this, I'm not at all opposed.

This is exactly what it is, also for pleasure boating. Have no idea why a dealer would say things like that. If a fast plane out is what you want, have a set of good 5 or 6 blade props dialed in. Heck you can even install spacers. I'd take 5's any day over B1's. You also have a great platform for upping the power.

Big water + big boat + big power + B1 drives = busted B1, aggravation, angry wife, sleepless nights, less time on the water, expensive and slow.

My 2c's.

I would forget what the dealer says. If its at the dealer I think it is, I don't think that they have been around or are too familiar with speedmaster setups. For some reason, people have thought over the years, that a offshore boat should plane off like a 21ft bayliner with a hydrofoil. So they get into a true offshore boat, rigged with SSM drives, whether they be a #3, #4,#5, or #6, and think something is wrong with it, because it blows out the props while getting on plane. That is the nature of the BEAST.

If going fast in big water tickles your fancy, without a doubt, go for the #5 boat. The bigger drives will DOMINATE over that same boat with bravos. The big SSM cleaver props do very well in big water. With those 600SC engines, you will not hurt those #5 drives.

There are spacers available for the #5 drives if needed, to drop them down a bit. Replacing the #5 with a 3A, would drop the propshaft down 6". More than likely, depending on where the propshafts are now, would kill the boats performance, and probably handle like crap.

The PQ is big and heavy. A good friend of mine has a 42ft fountain, with stock merc 525EFI motors. The boat eats bravo XR's way too often. Same story on my other friends 38 Sonic with 575's. Bravo Buster. Lake Michigan will eat bravos all day in a big boat with anything more than 450-500HP, unless you run it like a schoolgirl. Go take a look at the actual propshaft, and dimensions of a ssm V. then go look at a bravo drive. You will see. Sure, you can get the bravo boat, break a few drives, upgrade to some Bmax or similiar bravo replacements, and have lots of money in parts and downtime. Or, just change the fluid and go boating with the ssm V's.

That's very helpful, thanks again! It sounds like this is a good route for me to consider as opposed to what I was told.

Just so I understand, if I would end up wanting to drop the propshaft by a couple of inches to reduce the slip while digging out, spacers are an option? How costly is that? It sounds like I wouldn't need to do that anyway with a good 5 blade prop.

Drive the boat first. One person's opinion of poor planing might be different than yours. Tabs down, drives down, and hit it. Do not be afraid of hurting the drives. Most bravo, trs, and alpha owners take it very easy getting on plane, because its hard on the drives. With the ssm V's, don't be afraid to give it the beans while planing. For SSM boats, 4000-5000RPM while getting on plane is not uncommon. Just feather the throttles, and dont let it overrev.

Yes, 5 blades will help. Yes, spacers are avail in 1" increments. I would not worry about any of that just yet. Run the boat, get a WOT RPM and MPH reading. Calculate the prop slip. If its really high, then yes, a different prop, spacer, might be needed. If its good, than well, its good.

If you wan't skiboat type holeshots, than this might not be the boat for you. If you like not breaking drives, swinging big props, shooting a rooster tail, being able to turn those 600SC's into 750HP mills, (which is fairly easy btw), and still not break $hit, go for it. :drink:

Bam Marine should have them. Give them a call or mail.

But yes, Mild Thunder has a good point. Drive it before you do anything.

Not to highjack but can a Bravo xr drive be replaced easily with the SSM 5??
May be a trade could do the trick??
I might be interested in trading drives....I want the rooster tail.
Something to think about..

mild thunder, you find the right props for your boat???? werent you messing with them in the spring??