Hydromotive Versus Bravo I
 

I have a 1997 Fountain Lightning with HP500's making 5300 RPM with Hydromotive 27 Pitch props.

I am looking to run slighly less RPM and considering either a Hydromotive 28 (quad IV) or Bravo 1, ? Which should a single step fountain like mine like more for speed and handling..?

If so, what pitch Bravo should I look at?

Dan :drink:

I ran a Quad IV with stock drives, always had some blowout. I have used Bravo I's with -2 Imcos and no blow out at all. I think the Bravos are an all around better prop.

My boat ran like **** with an old School Hydromotve Quad 4 , went to Bavo and it was great ! Then bought a New school Quad 4 -X get it the XXXXXXXX is a round ear and outperformed my B-Blades labbed bravo , pitch for pitch !!!

I appreciate the feed back. So the big question is what Pitch Bravo's should I start with? I am making 5300 RPM with hydromotive Quad 4, 27s. If I want to lower my RPM by 200, what pitch do I go to i na Bravo?

Test with a 30 to determine what recipe will be needed. The 28 B1 most likely would need to be up pitched slightly.

I have a 29 Fountain and they supposedly love Hydromotive props. I have been told that they Hydromotive props are a true pitch prop whereas a 24P B1 is really more like a 23.5 or 23 if you are comparing brand new stock props. Also I tested a 24 B1 and 24 Hydro and my Hydro was 71 @ 4800 and the B1 was 69 @ 5300 GPS.

It has to do with stern lift also.

I think the hydros have a little more stern lift than the Braovs, thus less trim. If your boat can handle this than it will equal more speed, If your boat can't handle it then it will slow it down because it will make the mid section of the boat drag in the water and not allow air under the hull.

As far as where to start, I hae had pretty good luck using BBlades loaned props to get started. I havn't landed on anything yet, but I am getting close.

If you don't try at least 3 or 4 different sets of props how will you know.

Just my .02.

Have you tried calling BAJA for their opinion? :evilb:

Just kidding.

Out of the box a Hydro has more stern lift and less bow lift. Bravo 1 props have more bow lift built in. Depending on the hull, common sense tells you which prop to go with.

For years in the late 90's to early 2000's we found Hydro props to be faster on many Fountans in the top end area only. The Bravo 1 propeller beat the Hydro in planing, cruise speed and driveability. Once the Bravo 1 propeller was Labbed, it beat the Hydro across the board. This was the majority of the time not always.

In 1998ish, Reggie came to us in the Merc Racing prop lab and tried to set up a deal to deliver all boats with Merc Labbed Bravo 1 propellers because he liked the overall performance. His desire was to get a discount on the Labs and in turn they would be advertised as standard equipment. Dennis and I agred it was a win win. We approached our bean counters at Merc and they shot us down. Reggie was pissed. There in became the reason most all Fountains were delivered with Hydros. Customers would still call us to get their B1's.

True story.

I have a 27' Fever with a Hydro 28. Not sure what work was done to it as it was on the boat when I bought it. I will say this; as most have mentioned about chine walk on the 27s, mine was VERY bad around 73+. Brett loaned me a stock 26 Bravo and driveability went through the roof. The boat performed better in all areas has he described and the walk was almost non-existent. Thus, I ordered a labbed Bravo and am anxiously waiting for its delivery.