28 Heat Prop
 

Guys,

just purchased a new 28 Heat and opted for the 600SCI. Boat does 78 but was expecting in the low 80's. Any suggestions? Drive is Bravo XR with Lab finished Maximus 28. Im thinking of testing with the Bravo 1 32...

Hi Silverado,
Congratulations on your new Heat, and welcome to the Nordic boards.
The best props we have found (some may disagree) are the Hydromotive P5-X, and Hering 5 blades. The Maximus can be made to work but it takes some serious grinding (aka blueprinting).
I think a 27" or 28" P5-X will work for you. Hydromotive has a test/exchange program. After you find the right pitch, you can also (I would) have the prop blueprinted.
One other thing to consider is your X dimension. For some time the Heats were being sent out with 19" to 19.25" XDs, which we've found to be too high. Most of us with this XD are running a 1" spacer. This propeller depth gives better acelleration and hull lift, and will make your boat less weight sensitive.
I would test the props first. The factory can tell you what your XD is. 18" to 18.25" is ideal.
Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.
Here's a link to Hydromotive www.hydromotive.com .
Regards,
Steve

Hello Silverado
Is your boat the 2010 heat that is white, blue, gray, and black if so that is a very good looking heat. That boat was built just in front of mine and I also got the 600sci. My boat also came with a labbed 15x28 short tube maximus and it ran right on 80but it did not cruise all that good so I traded that prop to Nordic for a 30p bravo 1 witch has a little better cruise speed but only runs 78 on top. I have also run a 28 p5x that ran 80 but was real close to the rev limiter so I exchanged it for 29p p5x but I could not tell a hole lot of differance over the 28 so I now have a 30 p5x and it is my favorite so far, 80 at 5000 rpm,s witch is alittle low on rpm's but I am in the process of getting the whipple stage 2 upgrade so my rpm's should go up to about 5500-5600. I also just got a labbed 15.25 X 30p short tube maximus thinking that the bigger dia. might help the slip number alittle, the 28 max that came on my boat was a 15", but if you are going to leave your 600 stock the 28 or 29 p5x is the best I've tride for all around.
p.s all testing has been done at Lake Havasu.
Hope this helps John

Steve
Where did you get your p5x labbed and what did they do to it more cupping or what?
Thanks John

At Throttle-Up. At the time I started doing business with them they sold several lines (Merc, Hydro, etc.), and did a great job blueprinting them.
Now they only sell their own CNC props, and no longer sell or work other brands. My prop is on the way back from there now. I guess it's the end of the line for me there unless they develop some bravo props.
They did just about everything. Thinning, sharpening, balancing, cupping to the needs of the boat. Some need more, some need less. They also scanned my props so they have that in their database, not that it helps me now.............
There are plenty of other guys out there. My friends have had good luck with Brett at BBlades, and Hydromotive also does their own blueprinting.
Regards,
Steve

Stock 600sci .. 1" spacer .. Merc Lab 28 .. 80-81 mph @ 5350 rpm
Stock 600sci .. no spacer .. 28 P5x labbed by Hering .. 80-81 mph @ 5200 rpm

600sci .. Whipple Stage II .. no spacer .. 30 P5x Labbed by Hering .. 92-93 mph @ 5650 rpm.

600sci .. Whipple Stage VI .. no spacer .. gonna find out today :evilb:

Chris

Hey Chris,
Glad to hear you are back together. Good luck with the testing.
Best Regards,
Steve

Thanks everyone for responing to my prop question.
Sport...yes, my boat is the 2010 white with blue, gray, and black graphics.
CB-BLR...those are great numbers you posted!

Sounds like I need to try the 28 p5x and see what kind of numbers I can bring in. I am planning on leaving the 600 stock, for the first year of warranty, and then probably going to explore the type of setup Chris is at. I will give Nordic a call and see if they are willing to let me test several props before purchasing the one that works the best.

OK...dumb question...what advantage will blueprinting have once I choose the prop that works best for me?

P.S. Thanks John! And congrats on YOUR new Nordic.

The best way to go fast is by doing it efficiently. The start is the correct prop, and fortunately we have found some good ones that work very well right out of the box.
Some boats need more lift, some less chine walk, some more transom lift.
Water is an incompressible fluid. A propeller that has been sharpened, dynamically balanced, blades pitch matched, thinned and cupped to the specific needs of a hull/engine/drive, will turn more RPM with the same amount of horsepower.
RPM gains of 200/300 can be acheived while lowering slip % with a good "blueprint", resulting in gains of up to 5 MPH over the same propeller in stock form. There are a couple of drawbacks. Like a shapened knife or sword, it is easier to damage a thinned prop. They also have less strength since they have been thinned, which is why some companies won't warrant "blueprinted" propellers. They are more prone to "throwing blades". It hate to say this but I have run into this problem more with Merc props (particularly B1s) because they have casting voids. Not much Hydromotive. Their castings seem more precise to me, and I don't hear that much with Hering either.
Some people keep a stock or near stock, "daily driver" prop thay they use most of the time. And then they use their blueprinted killer prop for poker runs, etc.
It's always good to have a spare, regardless. I'm looking for one now :grinser010:...............
Regards,
Steve

Still have a Merc Labbed B1 28 available too small for my ap.

Thanks,
Not enough pitch for me either. I need a 31" 4 blade, or a 30" 5 blade, preferably a P5-X.
BTW, recently tested a couple of Hydro P4-Xs and one of them ran great. The other was a pig. Go figure...........
Regards,
Steve

Found that spare from a Nordic buddy.
Thanks for calling Chris. It's a pleasure doing business with you as usual.
Regards,
Steve

Steve empty your PM Box its full and I can`t send you a PM ...LOL...Here is my question

Hey Steve

Thinking about buying a Hydromotive prop for my Boat ...
Which one do I need to get do you think

2005 Nordic Heat
1 inch Spacer
XR drive
525 Merc
bout 1000 feet elevation

24p or maybe a 25p p5x I have a Whipple 496 {about 625hp}and spin a 26p to 5400

Hey Bent,
Good to hear from you. I have tried to clean out my inbox for a week or 2. I don't what's up with this?? Sorry if you haven't been able to PM me.
What are you running now, prop/speed/rpm? I think you were running a B1?. What is the RPM limiter set at on your 525? You would probably get peak HP just below your limiter with a 525.
Best Regards,
Steve

I was running like 74MPH at 4950 with a stock 4 blade 26......Well here is my Problem...I sent my prop of to Bblades to get me like 2 to 300 more RPM I tested that prop this weekend and to be honest I can`t use the Prop ....Bob at FTM thinks they took way to much cup out of it cause all I am getting is maybe 70mph at full throttle and 5310RPM .....But thats with the trim all the way down almost ...As soon as I trim up the RPM Alarm goes off and the boat gets Squirrley .......I am going to call BBlades in the AM and see what can be done but in the meantime I was thinking of one of these Hydromotive Props ....I did talk to Bob yesterday and he thought a 25 Hydromotive would be what I need

Brett is a smart guy, and I'm sure he can fix your Bravo. One of things that prop builders like to do to get extra RPM is reduce the amount of cup in the stock prop. It does work on some boats. It doesn't on the Heat. I think it's a big boat for a single engine/drive, so our one prop has push and lift the boat (as opposed to say a 29' to 35' with twin props, with a total of 8 to 10 blades).
It seems like the extra blade area of the 5 blades, particulary the Hering 5 and Hydro P5-X, lock up better, and consequently are faster and lift better. Another reason is the high XD the factory uses on our boats. The higher you go, the less blade area you have submerged, and that extra blade really helps.
I think the only downside is they are more expensive, but you get what you pay for. Some people think they're harder on drives with big power because they do lock up better, putting more stress on the gears. Maybe so..............
Since Brett is a Hydromotive dealer, he should be able to let you test a couple of P5-Xs to determine what pitch is correct.
I'm with Bob, a 25" should be close. I recently tested a couple of Q4-Xs, a 30" and 31". Even though the 30" was a dinged up, stock daily driver a friend let me test (he runs 2 on a 35' Fountain), it ran 93.2 @ 5800. It needed more lift (easy, more cup), and could have been thinned, balanced, shapened, pitch matched for more RPM and speed. So there was a lot of potential left, easily 2 or 3 MPH. I was surprised how well it worked, because 5 blades are usually better on my boat. It's also hundreds of $$ less expensive, so I would test a Q4-X too, in the 25" to 26" range.
Just about any prop can be custom ground to work on most boats if it's the correct design to begin with. I have found the Hydromotives to better out of the box than other brands (Herings and CNCs not included). I'm talking about cast props. I think their molds are more precise, their casting and heat treating seem better beause they rarely throw blades, and their finishing process is good too. It's not a blueprint, but it's pretty good. They also offer more models for specific applications, so something should work well once you find it. For instance in Bravo type drive 5 blades they have P5s, P5+, and P5-X. Merc has the Maximus which tries to cover all those bases. No wonder they usually require more grinding to work for specific applications.
I don't mean to sound like a house shill for Hydromotive (even though I probably do). They don't give me any extra service or discount (hey Tom:grinser010:?!). Their props work on my and my friend's boats.
Glad to hear you are back on the water Bent :drink:.................
Best Regards,
Steve

Yeah i am sure BBlades will fix me up.....I just hope I ca get it back by next weekend....I might try a Hydromotive Prop from him if he will let me .....Thanks for your Response Steve.....
I will post numbers when I have some

Hey Bent, I forgot to mention I've got a couple of stock 26 Bravos. If you need one I'll be glad to lend it to you. Just pay shipping. You can bring it back to me in June. Let me know and I can get it headed your way asap.

Bob

I had a 24 that I put on there for now ..........I am hoping BBlades will turn this one around quick

Thanks again

Ok so I sent my Prop Back to BBlades and they have it as we speak ...But in the mean timi I talked Brett into letting me try out a PX5 Hydromotive everone said I would need the 25P ...Brett did not have a 25 but did have a 26 which he sent me and I tried it yesterday ....All I can say is WOW what a Diff...
Maybe just a Tad bit slower out of the hole but still Ok ...
I took it up to 75 MPH GPS at 5280/5320 RPM and had my trim just above 1/2 to 3/4 up....What my favorite part of this prop is how it hooks up in the Turns .....
Brett at BBlades has been Awesome to work with I would use them again for anything

BTW my Boat is
05 Heat
525 HP
1 Inch Spacer
I was alone in Boat
Full load of fuel
Bow Cover on
Water was like Glass 72 Degress outside but water very cold still .....I am at about 1000 Elevation
This was done on the mississippi

Now I just need a loan to buy this Prop

:grinser010: So true, but you see what I say about getting what you pay for. That's 14% slip from a stock prop. The midrage effiency should have improved too (higher speed at same RPM). This prop could be worked by Brett for even better perfomance. Sounds like like you've found your daily driver. What did Brett say about a Hydro Q4x?
The reason Bob and I thought a 25" P5-X would be close, is the B1s are actually 1" less pitch than their marked pitch, so your current prop is a 25", unless it's been reworked to a 26". And 5 blades do take a little more power to turn because of the extra blade area. If you're turning a 26" P5-X that's great, because it is a "taller" pitch propeller. Hydros are their marked pitch.
Best Regards,
Steve

Yeah i am a little afraid to just go ahead and buy this thing cause i will always wonder in the back of my mind how a 25 would do .....
No Brett and I never talked about a Q4X ...I just asked about a Hydromotive Prop and thats what he sent me.....
I really don`t know if I am gaining or loosing speed with this prop cause my 4 Blade B1 was never dialed in for the new engine ... But to be honest I really don`t care if i loose and MPH thats how well this prop works I think

Bent,
Even though you may loose a few RPMs with summer load and heat/humidity, I think a 25" would put you on your RPM limiter (unless you've had it reprogrammed). If you turned the 26" 5320, that should be close to the limiter already. Nothing wrong with that of course, as long as you're not banging it.
I would run the P5-X against your 26" B1 when you get it back on the same day, with the same load and water/weather conditions for a valid comparison. You mentioned the water was glass when you tested. Some chop should free you up, resulting in even better #s.
I think you'll like how the 5 blade handles in rough water too.
Best Regards,
Steve