Prop talk velocity 280
 

Just picked up a sweet velocity 280 with a low hr mercury 575. Boat has a bravo 30 pitch now and chine walks bad around 70. I drove through it to around 80 at 4800rpm with more left. I talked to a few experienced velocity owners and they said try a labbed 28 bravo or a hydromotive p5x 28. After reading on here I might not of had her trimmed up enough to keep it on pad. Man this volt just crushes waves like nothing I've driven. It loves rough water!

Congrats on your new to you 280! The velocity facebook group may offer you a mountain of information: https://www.facebook.com/groups/126165477406359

What I would recommend is to get some seat time driving the boat in all conditions before you start buying props. The chine walk you describe is probably the point at which you are falling off the pad. Driving a pad bottom boat is a bit different than the traditional V that you were used to driving. Once you figure it out, you will never have that problem again.

I spent a lot of time running in rough water, smooth water, quartering seas etc. Find out what trim levels work best, as well as tab settings. With practice you will find out exactly what the boat "likes". Then it's time to dial in the prop.

As far as props, you probably will find the 28-30P labbed Bravo to be the best overall prop. A 27-28P Hydro might be a little better top speed but not as good overall..

Be careful and have fun. Your going to like that boat !

fantastic advice^^^
Velocity's take wheel input. its an awesome feeling when you master it

Congrats on the new boat. I loved mine and as the others stated they are a drivers boat. Some folks said they rode rough in the slop. I don't think many really master the boat and probably ran it too slow beating themselves up. Enjoy and keep us posted on your progress.

Good advise on driving and props.although I now have Velocity VR 1 I used to have a 280. I always liked the Hydromotive quad a little better then the Bravo.

Padraig

I had a 30 Bravo one and a 30 Bravo labbed minus diffuser and both got sloppy mid 70s. I borrowed a buddies 30 P5X and it was like a different boat and also took me to 85 mph with minimal input required.

Follow this advise from REVD UP and you will find that you will love that boat it is a drivers boat but once you master it you will love it. Great running and riding boat that is a ton of fun.

What I would recommend is to get some seat time driving the boat in all conditions before you start buying props. The chine walk you describe is probably the point at which you are falling off the pad. Driving a pad bottom boat is a bit different than the traditional V that you were used to driving. Once you figure it out, you will never have that problem again.

I spent a lot of time running in rough water, smooth water, quartering seas etc. Find out what trim levels work best, as well as tab settings. With practice you will find out exactly what the boat "likes". Then it's time to dial in the prop.

As far as props, you probably will find the 28-30P labbed Bravo to be the best overall prop. A 27-28P Hydro might be a little better top speed but not as good overall..

Be careful and have fun. Your going to like that boat !

280
 

Make sure steering is tight

This!! the bushing in the bracket for the external steering was sloppy. You could rock the drive back n forth. Fixed that and wow what a difference!! saw 84gps yesterday with more left on throttle. That was with a bravo 30 spinning at 5k rpm. rev limit is 5350 i think. trying a hydromotive p5x 28 pitch this weekend and also got a bravo 1 labbed for this boat from brett at bblades. Steve stepp told me to run the p5x and so did kenny at lets talk boats.

Do you have external hydraulic steering?

Yes, it works fine but the bushing bracket that holds everything still had slop

First test tonight with the p5x hydromotive and the boat is a different machine now! Much smoother no chine walk. Had a little purpose issue at 70 bit that was the drive trim. 83 mph gps tonight at 5200 full tank fuel, had more in it but my woman got scared. Feels like about 86 is possible with this prop. Cruising rpm was almost same as my bravo 30 stock prop. Next prop is a labbed bravo 30 by Brett at bbblades. The hydro is a box stock 28.

That sounds like the p5x is the prop for you.

So the p5x works pretty good, no chine walk but it does begin to pourpus above 70. I tried the labbed bravo and it barely had any pourpus but did start chine walking bad abovr 68. I believe the bravo has to much lift and the p5x needs more bow lift? I have tried to different bravo 30 and they both chine walked. After this weekend I now know either my cylinder for external steering is weak or this boat just needs dual cylinders. With the p5x prop the prop had so much torque steer under full throttle the boat wanted to torque to right and I had to keep Turing wheel to left to keep it straight. Like I was blowing through what the cylinder could hold. I have a feeling with new steering the boat won't chine with bravo prop. My boat has ziegler set up. Is that hood stuff? The joints and brackets look really strong compared to Mayfair set up. I love this murc 575 sci. Runs so good but man it drinks fuel. It's very rich low rpm.

Zeigler is good stuff. I have their dual system on my VR 1. I have the P5 on my boat. No porpoise and little chine walk. easy to drive through. I don't like that you are having a torque steer situation. I wouldn't that even with a single you would have that problem.

Padraig

I think my steering ram is weak or leaking by internal, it can't hold the pressure. I believe this boat came with this stuff from factory so it might be tired. It looks like it would be easy to add the second steering ram as the bracket on drive is already there. Just need to add the second mounting plate to the hull and run some hoses

I would also check for a worn gimbal ring.

It may have air in the system allowing it to compress. You would have to bleed it out.

that was all new 18 hrs ago with the new xr drive.

Talked to young performance marine, going with his updated injection set up for the 575 sci and the whipple intercooler. Just the updated injection will make a huge difference, the tune on this engine is beyond pig rich
for the fuel curve. I have some afr 315 heads with the iconel valves and a hydro roller. Just dont really want to pull engine.

Eddie is one of the good guys. You are in good hands.

Padraig

Yup, i have been around performance big blocks for 30 years and this guy knows his stuff. He told me the difference with the way the engine runs is amazing and much more efficient. Murc set this 575 up extremely rich to the point the oil smells like fuel in no time.

Got the young performance injection conversion done on my sci 575, WOW what a difference in Fuel economy and smooth power. Boat has never ran so clean!!
Yesterday we were out all day and i did the same loop we always do, normally i would use 63-67 gallons and yesterday i used 46!! ran her up to 80 a few times.
Boat is a 2003 velocity 280. The fit and finish on this kit is amazing, and only 3 wires to connect haha. Great customer service.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...8e6d86e3e7.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...33355bd7e8.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...dfd93a7cab.jpg
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...defbf65245.jpg

Boat is running strong, still playing with props. My bravo 30 pitch labbed chine walks a little much, my labbed hydromotive almost has zero chine but begins to porpois at 70, I have to trim down to stop it and then I loose speed. If I drive through it and smooths out past 80. Boat has been 88 -90 gps. I just ordered a 29 pitch max 5 prop. I feel like the p5x prop doesn't have enough bow lift, runs real wet but cruises great and has amazing hook. 10% slip.

I love this boat, I'm learning to drive the chine walk and counter steer now that my steering is tight, the boat is incredible through rough water, just loves 2ft chop.

This may seem like a dumb question but what do you have in the cabin.? The 280 can be quite sensitive to weight distribution. If you are carrying alot of "stuff " in the cabin you will need a prop with more bow lift. In my experience bow lift is usually not a problem with a 280.

Thanks for the report...it is a beautiful boat.

Padraig


'

Great question. Just basic things, life jackets. Some blankets. Nothing heavy. The boat is just sensitive to props i guess. Man what a fast hull though. From 40-80 she is a rocket

It might be too much weight in the stern, that blown big block with 80 gallons of fuel, 2 optima batts and other things is a bunch of weight back there. REALLY hope she like the max5 because they are not cheap lol. The labbed 30 pitch bravo is fast but boy she gets loose, almost maybe to much stern lift. I am learning as i go. my p5x is running 10% slip and all around is a great prop.

I checked the boat again and nothing in the front for extra weight except life jackets and some blankets and stuff. Trying to learn, the porpoise is from not enough bow lift in the prop or not enough stern lift?? it does NOT porpoise with a bravo prop but want's to chine walk with my labbed bravo, i have not tried a stock bravo 30 or 32 so that is next. Hopefully she likes the max 5 because the hydro motive p5x works better all around than my bravo.

29SC bounces through the 70s and lays down at 80. VR1 doesnt. Its a weight thing

To much weight in stern? Kenny from velocity told me these boats like a bow lifting prop.

I used to put a much weigh in the rear as I could in my 280. The lighter the bow, the better.

Both the Bravo one and hydro P5X are bow lifting. The Hydro P5 is not. My 280 would propose. But usually only in dead calm conditions. Add a nice chop and it stopped.
https://hydromotive.com/products/pro...imidator-p-5x/

Padraig

I do have the p5x, Tom at hydromotive tweaked it and it still bounces boat some. Anything past neutral trim. My top speed runs i keep her trimmed at 4 up to about 75 then trim up to 6.5 trim tab at 1.5 and hang on. At about 85 she starts to settle and will pull yo 90-92 gps. Not bad for a stock 575 sci with a 3 5 pulley. Goal is 100 in the boat. I am building a 565 as we speak. I need about 750-800 hp.

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...afd1e350f3.jpg
here she is, couldn't decide over the 28 or 29 pitch so went with 29. Beautiful prop, many people have had great luck with these max 5 props.

Velocity
 

How much does it weigh

Not sure on weight, feels like my p5x prop.

Talked props today with Scott at velocity. He said the 5 blade hydromotive is hard to beat on the 280 290 velocity, he said it would probably be even faster with a hydromotive 30 pitch 4 blade. He preferred that over the bravo. He did assure me that most if not all these boats chine walk at some point and you just need to drive through it. Very tight steering and dual hydro steering is the key to correct the chine.

The max 5 prop worked out great, best prop yet i have ran. less chine walk, almost zero porpoise. ran up to 85 a few times with minimal effort with more left.
3100 rpm is 48-50 mph
4500rpm is about 72
looked like about 5100rpm at 83 84 mph.
Prop gets up on plane fast.
works a lot like the hydro motive p5x just has less chine and porpoise.
prop is a 29 pitch max5.