#6 three blades
 

So if theoretically the less blades the faster...why is there so few people running 3 blades?

I would like to try a set on my boat as it does not like the transom lift of 5 blades, 4 blades are not bad, wondering if 3 blades would be the ticket.

Awesome question.

I could write a book on this one.
3 blades still have their place in performance boating. However, today's larger horsepower's and boat designs have become more conducive to multiple blade configurations.
Manufacturers need to invent new things too so 4,5,6 and 7 blades came along. On the right deep V a 3 blade may still be faster at WOT than anything else.

​​​​​​​Brett

A three blade was definitely best on my 30' Checkmate. Brett im sure you recall modifying 3 blade cleavers to a round ear chopper style for me.

I also think that most people set their boat up for the best "all around" functioning propeller. Not for top speed only... A 4 blade will hole shot better and have a better cruising speed than a 3 blade, making it a better choice for the "all around" boater..... but a 3 blade will definitely top end the best.

"like"

On my 30 I was only interested in the big end.😁

Was it 1998 while I was at Merc Racing. That was our first round eared 3 blades and they were done for a Checkmate. Or was it BBLADES days?
We've done so many round ears now on 3,4 and 5 blades. We're doing a set of 4 blades right now for a Black Thunder. 3rd one in the last year.

Brett

It was actually in 2001. Dennis K was my contact. We had rigged a 30' Checkmate with a single #6 and big power. You subsequently did a couple more for me at Bblades.

Could you do this to my 4 blades to give me more bow lift? My props are 16.25 diameter, does this reduce the diameter?

I remember. It is the prop I was thinking of. I had my dates wrong. Dennis and I shared a office. He had a Polaroid of that prop hanging on the wall till the day he passed.
Awesome!

Brett
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Yes we can do it to your props and yes it will increase bow lift. This is the reason we started doing it. Plus it aids in planning. We do it a lot for arneson drive set ups. You will loose some diameter. However, if we use the small template radius, it will only be a 1/4" diameter loss. My go to template is the med. 3" radius and you could loose a 1/2". I make the determination by the requirements and goals of the owner and the condition of the propeller, blade area diameter, set up etc.

Brett

Do 3 blades work on catamarans?

With deep "X" dimensions it is possible..

I've tried alot of props on my old straight bottom 38 fountain with #4s.

18x28p 3 blade cleavers that BBlades did for a friend of mine. These planed pretty decent. Overall, I liked them. Id like to try another set of 3 blades, maybe some 18x30'

17x29p 4 blade cleavers. Took FOREVER to get on plane.

17x28p 4 blade cleavers. Would NOT get on plane at all.

16 7/8x27p 4 blade cleavers. Boat planed like a ski boat, zero slip getting on plane, overall ran very good.

17x28p 4 blade cleavers. Current props. Planing is decent, rpm have been spot on with each other, overall nice set. 96.5mph at 6200RPM.

17.5x32p 3 blade Hoss Round ears. Took a while to plane, only got to run them half a day, and had an engine issue. Never really got to run them again as they were borrowed.

16.5x28p 5 blade cleavers. Non cnc props, but real nice set. Planed like a ski boat. Didnt care for the handling with them, so ebay they went.

16.75 x 28p 4 blade round ears in the pics here. Planing about the same as my current props. Didnt seem to run much differently than my current props, so I sent them back. The seller was nice enough to let me try them before buying.

Out of those props, I would say my top 3, were the 16 7/8 x27p four blades, they planed as good if not better than the 5 blades, but handled better. Next would be my current 17x28's, and then the 18x28p 3 blades.

What I have found, is these old props, nothing is consistant with them. You could try a set of 17x29's, that wont get on plane at all, and a set that planes off like a ski boat. I have so many friends who automatically think they need 18" diameter, or 5 and 6 blades, because they tried a set of 17'' 4 blades that slipped to much. It very well could have been, they just had a chitty set of 17'' 4 blades. For me, I want to get on plane fast. Many times its rough water in lake michigan, and with a full tank of fuel and gear, its no fun trying to get on plane doing 5k rpm burnouts in 5ft' swells. Then the handling. I didnt care for the handling of the particular 5 blades I tried. Boat felt like it had too much stern lift, and had a bit of chine walk on flat water. With the 17x28 four blades, at 95mph, its like its on rails in flat water. Never had the power to run in the 90s when I tried the 28 three blades, but would like to see how it does.