POLL: What gets you going? (Props)
 

I'm sure this topic has been covered before but maybe it's time for a renewal.

I am just curious what other owners are running and what props they have tried on what boats.

Size of boat: 27

Motor: 502 Mag EFT

Prop: Mercury Revolution 4 blade 23 pitch RH

Speed: Speedo indicates about 68 (a bit slower than I hoped) at about 4800 RPM

Prop Testing in the Past Results: None (purpose of this post - buy faster prop)

Thanks to all that reply and hopefully others are wondering also.

I'll be able to give you some more data soon, after I do a bit of testing of my own. (Yes, guys, for those that know - it's taken me this long to get to it
:D .)
Currently:

1996 29 Fever (step hull) with HP500 (carb), Bravo I drive 1.5:1

24 pitch 4-blade LH Hydromotive - best was 67.1 GPS in Texas heat and humidity with almost a full 130 gallons of fuel.

From test sheet: 26 4-blade LH Hydromotive should do 70 on speedo (I assume). Of course, that was winter with 30 gallons of fuel.

From the bit of testing I've done, the boat did not like the 25 3-blade Mirage (it would hardly plane) or the 24 Bravo (I hit 5300 and still had throttle to go). I'm planning to try 25 and 26 Hydro and 26 Bravo - will post results when I get them.

1997 35' single step Fountain
454 Mags with carbs 365 hp
25p Bravo1 4 blades. They were 26's with a little taken out.
Top speed with standard Bravo drive was 72.1 GPS = 76 on Speedo.
24p Hydro's netted 72 on GPS with lots of slip out of the hole.
Top speed with Bravo X drive is 70.5 on the rev limiters with the same 25p Bravo1's.

1991 27' Fountain with
502 /530hp carb

Test #1 A 23 LH Hydromotive hit 70.6 on gps at 5400rpm
the prop was good out of the hole when the boat was heavy full of gas and four people.

Test #2 A 25 Mirage it jest din't work I had a hard time geting on plane the prop would brake loos then going at about 3000 rpm you still had to fether the throttel or the prop would brake loos. I never got a topend reading.

Test #3 A 24 LH Hydromotive non labbed slow out of the hole top speed 69mhp at 4900rpm

Test #4 24 LH Hydromotive labbed beter out of the nole hit 71.9 on gps at 5100rpm I should have sent it back one more time to have the blades thind a bit or cut down a bit to pick up a cuppel hundred more rpm my motor hit peek hp at 5400rpm.

I sold the boat but still have the prop.:rolleyes: :cool:

27 Fever 2001,

500 efi, 26 RH Hydro, 5350rpm best radar was 75, cool day no wind, flat water, about 40 gallons gas. (speedo read 79.5)

Running a Fever,
I would suggest a 24 Hydro on your boat, should see radar/GPS 70-71 mph add 1 mph if labbed.

Will;)

Thanks 27Fountain

Would that be 24 hydro RH or LH? Thanks.

prop test
 

Last Sunday I tested 27' fever non stepped


28 hydromotive left hand 84 mph@ 5500

30 spinelli 84 mph@ 5500

30 labbed bravo offshore 89 mph@ 5700

650 feet altitude
92 degrees air temp
29.5 bar
85+% humidity

GPS numbers

I would run wich ever your boat is set up for now. Fountain made them both ways, I heard a rumor that the LT rotation were faster, but no one has ever been able to prove or disprove it.

Alos my first Fountain was a 1998 w/ 502 / 415 hp, it had a 24 hydro lt on it, Fountain sheet said 71mph, but I never radared it. To confirm.

Hope this helps.;)

WILL

JimV

What kind of power?

I'm Sorry I forgt to say all the props that I tested were left hand rotation. If your boat was set up for a right hand rotation and you wanted to try a left hand you could jest shift in to revers for forward or you could swap the cable on the shifter.

also I did not write down water condition or the temp it sliped my mind at the time:cool:

RUNNIN A FEVER

750 hp 565ci EFI

props
 

2002 27' fever 2
496ho xz 1.5 drive
5100
69 speedo
67 gps
any sugestions? rpms already high, have left over 25 ballistic
23 mirage that wont fit on this shaft.
26 bravo 4 blade

Fountain27ho496

I suggest the same, your HP I think is 425. I would try the Hydro 24 or put that Bravo 26 on there. You should be getting 70-71 also with right prop.

WILL;)

1996 27 Fever
HP500 carb
26P Hydro Q-4 (tweaked by Hydro a couple of times)
73.6 mph (gps) @ 5100 - 5200rpm (didn't really concentrate on watching the tach too closely, too busy driving), speedo reading 76 - 77 mph
slight chop, mid 80's temperature, no current (on a lake)
3 adults, 3/4 tank of fuel

Best I've ever seen with this boat is speedo bouncing just over 78 mph (gps not turned on) in October afternoon (upper 60's temperature), light chop with me and a friend in the boat and low on fuel. Knowing that the speedo is 2 - 3 mph high with drive trimmed up where it was, would say running just over 75 mph - boat was starting to chinewalk more than I am comfortable with, though :eek:

Reggie report for my boat says he got 75.1 mph with the stock Mach 26P at 5200 rpm, 95 degrees (July test date) 6" chop, drive at 5.8, tabs at 3.2 . I have never seen that with the Mach prop, though.

We had the boat out this past Wednesday: 5 people, full tank of fuel, light chop, low 80's temperature and got 72.8 mph on gps. Probably could have gotten a little more out of it but the women ( my wife and my friends wife) don't like the "breeze" at that speed, sitting in the back seat. It took about 2 miles of running to get it tweaked to 72.8 mph (gps) and the women were getting unhappy :eek:

27fountain
 

Thanks for the help will,
I was misleading, the 26 bravo is on there, came with it.
Yes 425pshp, wont the 24 hydro increase my rpms?
it is suppose to run 4800-5000, I'm at 5100 now.
Of course don't want to play the prop game, It took 6
on my last boat to get it right. Any one with my combo
with different prop? thanks

fountain27ho496

Out of curosity what, does Fountain test sheet say?? I just tried to look up what Fountain says for props on their web site?? I swear a couple of weeks ago they told you what props for certain power. But I cannot find it now???? :confused:

I am pretty sure your boat came with the Bravo?? The Hydros are faster top end by 1-1.5 mph but slower out of the hole.

WILL

test sheet
 

weight 5225
15 1/4 x 26 mercury
40 gal fuel
5100 rpm
68mph
drives 5
tabs2.5
do you trim past 5? I got .2 mph with gps with tabs up on weds
instead of 2.5, where are yours at wot?

Has anyone tried to turn a 26P Hydro with 415 horse 502? I want to try it out but am weary of it being too much prop.

BTW - I called Steve H at Fountian and he is working on getting me the test report for my boat, that should help.

we tested a 1998 27 with a hp500 5100 at 70 with a 25hydro and a 1991 29 with 525sc 5300 at 84 with 29hydro all speeds were done on gps. we are finding out that you are not going to get much more than one or two mph with what ever prop you try unless you are out in left field . but the way you can get the boats to handle with different props is unbelivable .

I run a Bravo 1 30p rh at 5200 rpms at 83.1 on gps.96 27' Fever,502 mpi, stage II Procharger at 5 lbs boost.Throttle- Up propellors of Largo, Fl is currently doing a lab/blueprint on it and they say I should see a 2-4 mph gain! I have run left and right hand props and the rh handles much better and is just as fast,Before the Procharger I ran a Hyd. Qiv 24 rh at 70 on gps and tried several more Qiv's with the Procharger ranging from a 31lh to a 29rh,the 29rh ran about 83 on gps but blew out too easy after coming on plane.Hope this helps.

Thanks Indy27:) That was just the information that I was looking for. RH vs LH. I currently have the RH Mercury Revolution 23 pitch and am very happy with it's planeing ability and top speed (as a combination). I only have this one prop and didn't know if I was fooling myself or was there something much better out there. In the future I hope to do the mods you have done, I like the top speed numbers you are getting. The group of cats I run with are about that fast.

Hey David...what's the deal? You stole my boat name!

I'm running a 32 Fever with 600's, bravo drives, 1.50 gears, 27 labbed Hydros. Best performance was 87.2 gps at about 5400 to 5500 rpm.

Curt - I've always heard that great minds think alike. I'd race ya for it but I'd beat you with one engine tied behind your back:) :) .

My 1995 27 Fever with a 454mag EFI 385 HP ran a LH Mach1 24 pitch. At LOTO on memorial day with full fuel and about a foot of chop it ran 65.0 on the GPS. I trim it to about 5.5-5.7, the GPS makes it real easy to tell. By feel it feels like the prop is beginning to slip then a light stab on the switch to bring the drive in and you can feel it hook back up and wala best GPS speed. 4850 RPMs

Best speed ever was with about 15 gallons of fuel and we got 67.8, I was never able to get it to break 68. Maybe the new owner will.

I love numbers:D

42 Non-Step

3 - 540 ci @ 630ea

28 p Hydros 4 blades

5800-5900 WOT

F#@kin' Hang On:D :D :D

Midnight:cool:

MInightRider, you left out the most important number...top speed!

90-91mph - The best though is like 70-80 in 5-6's, that torque in the waves is unbelievable. Midnight:cool:

Ok guys, I'm a new Fountain owner, '97, 27 w/ 502 mag efi, stage 1 procharger and Stainless Marine exhaust. I have a 27 Hydro LH prop. It's great if your running but if you need to slow down for a really big cruiser wake it looses bite and cavitates. There is no way to get going other than stopping tabbing down, drive in and get back up on top, this sucks on a busy boating day. I'm getting a better feel for working the throttles to keep this from happening but is this common? Any ideas?
ps; this is a great boat, can't believe the difference from the old Checkmate.

Mate 229


Try welding a diffuser ring on the hub of the prop. Hydromotive sells them. Also make sure the exhaust bellows is in place.