I'm looking into a 5-Blade from mercury. Anyone have any real life testing with this prop?

Go for Broke, I started out wth 23 pitch 3 blade Mirage props with 502 magnums (410 hp.), 1.36 drives and ran 69 gps at about 4900 rpm. Fast forward 3 years and 400 more hp. and a change to 1.50 drives, I am in the upper eighties at 5800 rpm running 27 pitch 4 blade hydromotives. I was talked into the 4 blade hydros by a racer who is good friends with Tom Buchnell who owns the company. Plus he pointed out that all the new Fountains at the time were running 4 blade Hydros. So I said what the hell! I have heard the opinion that 3 blades are faster than 4 but if that is so, why do all new boats come with 4???? If I can pick up 2 mph by just changing props...it's done!

Three blades are faster , but on big boats the holeshot is a joke, Cruising rpm's are higher (more fuel consumption), and the handling looser. Four blades have a good enough holeshot to break your drives, lower rpm's at midrange speeds, tight handling, only negative is a little speed shaved off the top end. So I have both!

[So I have both! [/B][/QUOTE]

YOU CAN'T HIDE MONEY!

WE ARE TALKING BOATS HERE SEAN NOT LAWNMOWERS, GET BACK TO WORK

4 blade (26P) for overall, 3 blade (27P) for fun

Bajadude, how much speed difference do you see between those two props?

5 blade Heirings on bravo or Imco drives are simply incredible. The acceleration, planing, second to none as of now. Got 36 pitch on my boat, super high X. An entirely new way of building boats, higher x, 5 blade prop, more speed, 4 blade bravos 32-36 simply don't work anywhere near the Heirings. I have never tested the Hydromotive 5 blades. Heirings are worth the $$.

Thanks,
Dustin

Have you tried the new merc 5 blades?

4-blade Bravo (30P) works for me.