242 twin prop selection
 

Looking into new props for my 242ls any suggestions?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

I'm not a prop guy, but I think they need a little more info than that!

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

86 242ls twin sbc est. 300hp per side alpha drives. is a four blade hydomotive even an option? or should I keep the stern planted?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

Try a 23 mirage if you need more RPM go to a 21 mirage. Once you find the right RPM then if want a four blade is is usually 1 pitch lower. the best thing is trial props before buying. What do you run right now for props?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

currently I am running 23p quicksilver choppers that came with the boat. I guess my big question is will this style hull bennefit more from a stern lifting prop?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

would like to see better cruise speed and maybe a couple more on top if it can be done. big thing would be a faster cruise at a lower rpm even at cruise or idle 4bucks a gallon adds up quick. cant keep hiding the bank statements from the wife forever.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

my boat came with 23 cleavers as well. I do not like the performance at all. 5000@50 GPS. 3100 cruise 38 GPS. Pulled in to the ramp put on the 23 mirages BAM [email protected] GPS 3100 cruise 42 GPS. I myself need to go to a 21 mirage to get more RPM as 4200 is too low but the performance gain and overall feel of the boat is MUCH better with the Mirage VS the cleaver. Now i have heard of some folks with formulas liking the stearn lifting Hydromotive prop. But most of us are either running a three blade mirage( bow lifter) or a 4 blade Bravo prop (bow lifter) I am not a prop guy by no means,but i hope i helped ya with the experience i have had with my boat :)

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

thanks for the info. I have heard alot about mirage props blowing out easily. have you had any issues like that?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

Nope. I blew out the Cleavers real bad tho.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

23p Mirages should be easy to come by, although you've probably got two right rotation drives? Should be able to find a pair just to install and see what happens.
I've got a 311, so different boat, but I'll be trying a set of Hydromotive's Q-IV X props this week. I'm no expert either, but I'd hazzard a guess that with twins in your 24, a stern-lifting prop may be an improvement.
Thanks,
Michael

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

Call throttle up, they have props to borrow. They can also help with selection. very knowledgable and easy to work with

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

hydomotive suggested the q4x as well let us know how they worked out for you.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

I have the same boat and found that the 21P Mirage props worked the best with the alpha drives. The 4 blade props will give you too much stern lift and make the boat unpredictable. If you have counter rotating drives, don't bother trying to spinn the props towards the center of the boat, this will result in too much bow lift.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

23p mirages did not work? That has been what most shops seem to lean towards.
What are you getting for cruise speeds and RPMS and wot speeds and RPMS ? With my cleavers cruise is 35-40 @35-3800 wot 63-65 @4800

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

The props I have are 21P mirage plus. My engines are massaged to 355HP. With the alpha drives non counter rotating 69MPH was achievable if you put the trim tabs down a hair. This will lift the back of the boat. The back end feels a little lite, but manageable. My boat has a hook built into it, don't know if it came from the factory like that or not. Engine RPM was 5000-5100rpm. Cruise speed is 42mph @3000, 50mph@3500, 57@ 4000, 65mhp@4500. The speed numbers are off of the GPS.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

that is a factory hook which is why I have been looking into the q4x not as much stern lift as the q4's get that out of the water and you can make some speed. So you never tried the 23p plus? or where happy with the21 and stopped?

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

A 300 hp SBC will not turn a 23plus more than 4200. Them plus props are harder to turn. A 21 plus is as hard to turn as a standard 23 mirage. The plus usually takes about 300 RPM away for whereever you are with a standard mirage prop.

Re: 242 twin prop selection
 

I stopped with the 21P Mirage plus because the RPM is right. These are and older solid hub version and are different then what is on the street now. I like the mirage plus better than the standard mirage, because it doesn't blow out as easy. I did try a laser II prop, but it gave too much bow lift and cavitated too easy when riding in rough water. I have switch out my drives to Bravo ones. The old alpha drives were worn. I didn't gain anything making the switch other than a little more reliability and counter rotation. With this setup I made a run with a set of 22 pitch Bravo ones. I couldn't turn them more than 4200 rpm @ 57mph. There was so much stern lift with these props that the boat would slid to the side when a gust of wind would hit you. Not a comfortable feeling. If you have trim tabs on your boat, get it going at WOT and tap the tabs in. This will lift the back of the boat slightly and gain you a couple mph. I haven't tried the hydromotive quad 4's on this boat. Since they are more of a cleaver style prop, they may work better than the bravo ones. My guess is 21 pitch prop would be a starting point. These props have a bigger diameter than the Bravo ones and may not cause the sideways slid I experienced with the Bravo's. I have run hydromotive quad fours before on a 31 scarab and found them to have good bite and very hard to cavitate. GOOD LUCK!