Hey guys - this is my third boat, but first performance boat, so go easy on me

I bought a 2006 Heat with 496 HO. Running Bravo I 1.5 ratio with factory Bravo 4 blade 26p prop. I have added a 1" drive spacer, which feels like it helped. I still feel like it has a ton of slip? Like 20+ % when I do calculations for cruise and top speed.

I rented a 24p Bblades 5 speed and 25p Hydromotive P5X (the recommend prop from my reading). However, they seemed to perform exactly the same as the Bravo prop (if not slightly worse due to the little be lower pitch - mph were a few less - both cruise and top speed).

What am I missing? I don't care as much about top speed, I'd really like to gain some mph at cruise rpm though.

Thanks,
Aaron

A 20+% slip at cruise speed (45mph) in your boat seems about right. A 26 pitch 4 blade with your boat and power also seems about right. Now as you pick up speed to WOT you should see the slip fall to 12-14% as your boat reduces the wetted surface and generates less drag. Also when calculating your slip with a Bravo 4 blade prop I was told to use a pitch size 1 less than what you have. So you should be plugging in 25 as your pitch in your prop slip calculation. If you're looking to reduce slip cruise at 4500 rpm instead of 4000. Now that you have a performance boat you're going to have drive it like a performance boat

Ok, thanks! I guess I'll just have to make more power and reprop