advice for an Australian please
 

Hi All my name is Pete from Sydney, Australia, i am putting together a 21ft mono hull with a 300xs merc, jacking plate, trim tabs, ballast tank i will be racing in the Australian offshore series next season, i am looking for advice on the right prop for this boat.

i have been told the trophy 24 or 25" but the merc site says 27 - 28" or the Pro ET prop, would anyone have any advice on what would be best suited to start for racing.

Thank in advance

Pete

Pro ET would work, I am guessing the boat is similar to a force or bullet? I would think you would want all of 27-28" as the 300XS is not a high reving engine, what gears are you running.

Lots of experience with props on this board, but mainly with bigger boats, for outboard stuff try http://forums.screamandfly.com/

Thanks Waterboy. yeh like a force or bullet has a sportsmaster 1:62.
will try the other forum as well.

Thankyou

Hey do those things have to turn the opposite direction down there? LOL, sorry I had too. Welcome to OSO.

Thanks unbroken, i think we turn left down here, although i did see 3 class 1 boats go the wrong way last weekend and all did a u turn to get back on course, that was spectacular.

thanks for the welcome its like heaven finding a site like this

Cheers

Its Sydney.....plenty go both ways there

thats tru too powerabout. buts its fun trying to figure out which way the boat coming opposite you will turn. especially the ferrys like a bus they have the right of way even if they have to go over the top of you. LOL

Hombre

Whats the score with the ferrys this year, 3 killed 4 sunk and no convictions yet. Probably safer driving through pirate infested Indonesian waters coz sometimes they just take temporary prisioners

actually 4 killed, this year, a little fishing boat didnt make national news, thats right no convictions, funny that we might have tuff gun laws but our sentencing system definetly suits the criminals over here.

Pete,

Alex and I race in Majic.We were in National A, but there are no more boats in that class so it will be production next year. You didn't see us in Botany Bay this year, but you probably will next season.

I guess you have chatted to the Melbourne boys but if you need a hand, PM me and I will get you in touch with the Sydney contingent. We probably have quite a few props between us so maybe we can help out.

Good Luck

Jim

Hi guys

I'm in Melbourne and curious about the offshore racing circuit. Are cigarette style boats still raced in Australia? Say 38ft top guns?

hombre,

I like the 4 blade ET on a hull like yours. You will need to raise the engine another 1/2 over the height when running the 3 blade ET.

The 4 blade was my baby when still at Merc Racing. We couldn't get the money to get the tooling back then even though we had all the development done.

All the pitch sizes will be available very soon!

Thankyou bblades, what pitch would you suggest? also would you recommend starting with a larger pitch and then bringing it down till we get it right?

Thanks
Pete

Hi Pete and Jim,

Antony here. Still plenty of life in National A if you two and one other get going for next year.

Give me a call or send me a PM.

Cheers

Hi Antony, thanks for josephs number organising steering with him now, hopefully the brown bros & the slick guys will also sign up for National A and we will have a great class next season.

cheers
pete

Try www.aopc.com.au. You will see the teams that run in the Australian series.

There was a Top Gun that was the start boat a while ago. Usually the cats are much faster on the water that we race on.

Thycon is in Melbourne, don't forget to go and cheer for them next race...

Thank you, What happened to that top gun? do you know what year it was and is it for sale? Whats the story with performance boating in Australia, it is basically non existant compared to America. Apparently in the 70's it was much bigger. When is the next race in Melbourne, would love to check it out!?
Did you say you have a Cigarette? If so any pics?

Pitch will be determined by testing. Racing and top end can be two completely different things. I'd guess 26 but some base line is required.

Thanks bblades, i would recon a guess from you is near right, actually i spoke with the boat builder today and he has a merc 280 and uses a 26.

will be in touch thanks again.

Pete,

Remember most of the 280 mercs run 1.87 gear boxes. Your 300xs has a 1.62 box but will not rev as high as the 280.

With todays tighter and shorter courses punch out of the corners is just as important as top speed.

Try to gety hold of some test props in the 23 -26 range and work out which is best for your boat before laying out any money.

Also in the rough you are going to want a prop that gives you plenty of punch so once again a bigger prop may not be the best as B/Blades has suggested.

Cheers

Hi Antony, thanks, Anthony mcenally (watersport marine, you know) is going to lend me a 24 & 25 trophy so we should be able to start to get an idea from there. boat is slowly coming together steering helm turned up today. yipee.

Cheers