Million dollar question ... What props for a 311 ?
 

Hey guys I am new to OSO ... What an awesome site. There are a couple of us who have 1988 311s one with 330s and the other with magnums both have bravos and currently have mirages 23 pitch tried some 22 bravos (4 blade) didn't notice a damn difference ... actually slowed the boats down.
Not looking for top end (would be nice but not my main concern) looking for the ultimate cruising 40 mph range @ 3000 , 3200 rpms looking to go to a little faster at lower rpms. My thinking is if I can get the ass end out of the water this will help with fuel economy as well and be able to handle rougher water .....
Any thoughts or direction would greatly appreciated on this matter.

Thanks Jeff

Hydomotive Quad IV's are a great choice for a 311.

Hydro's are the only way to go for a 311!!!

I'm surprized the Bravos didn't help your cruise speed. Any time I tried one the 3000/3500 rpm range always shiwed an increase of speed. What is the top rpms you're running? Could you go to a 24". When I still had 330s in my 272 and 25" Mirages 3000 got me 42/43/ mph. Now with 625hp/540s and 30" Bravos 3000 gets me......

Damn MO, you're running 30s?!?! Ooof... :D

Right now on my 311 w/454MAGs I have a set of 24p Q-IVs. These are the "cleaver" style which tend to be a stern lifting prop. At 3k I'm right at 40mph. I haven't had a real good day to check top speed with GPS but I ran 'em just long enough to see I could still get 4800-4900 rpm out of them.

I have a set of 26p Bravo I's that I want to clean up and try. Obviously I'm not expecting top end because I don't think I'll turn the revs, but if I could get a decent cruise out of 'em that would be nice.

Just my opinion, but I think a bone stock 311 would like a set of 24p B-1s, 23p Q-IV-X (X is important-round-ear bow lifting), "maybe" 23p Rev-4s or some other 4-blade round-ear prop. As much as we think the heavy stern needs lifting, I'm gonna say we still need a good bow lifting prop to get the whole boat out of the water.

I've heard the Hydromotive 24p are great on 311s just like some of the above have mentioned, but when I did my testing I opted out of Hydros and settled on labbed Bravo 1 26Ps. They really really helped my cruise. At 3000rpm I'm at 45mph.

I've got 24p Hydros on my bone stock 311 (Mags). I get about 42 mph at 3000 rpm with tabs and drives at neutral, roughly 3 on the indicators. I noticed zero, none, notta, stern lift with these props vs the stock 3 blades.

Fully trimmed at WOT it truns about 4900 rpm which is a little less than I'd like with the Mags. No increase or loss of top end. Although Hydromotive recommended the 24p, I think 23p Hydros would be better.

Griz,
Thanks for the in put ... what motors (hp) and is this a 311 and what do you top out at both rpms and mph?
Do have a problem getting out of the hole in the beginning?
The reason i ask is our other 311 in the group put big power into his boat this summer with trs drives and he is running 26 bravos ..... night and day difference between the original setup 420s w/trs vs 585s w/trs drives. I am wondering if you have bigger power than I do which is stock 330s?

Jeff

Dave,

I think the Hydros sound like the ticket for us .... according to Hydromotive the "ultimate" is there new 5 blade ... which i think will overkill with very little difference ..... my 2 cents .

Jeff

Michael,

Thanks for your input I agree with you with regards to stern lift and the need for a bow lift . So far I have had no problem getting the bow out of the water .... matter of fact sometimes to much .... I am very interested to what you think about the 26s. Hopefully you get a chance to try them sooner than latter. You guys from Florida have alot longer season then us snowbirds.

Jeff