Brad Christy

OK, prop gurus....

A little back story:

Our last boat (our first boat, after literally a lifetime of growing up boating with my dad) was a Rinker 236 Sport Cuddy that we bought for a song and sung it ourselves. It had a mildly warmed over 454 (punhced .060" over, cam, dyno'd at 436HP). It had the wrong carb and distributor when we bought it. After solving those issues, we started looking at the prop. It was a 22p Bravo 4-blade, and we were told it had been reworked to 21p. The boat seemed to holeshot slow, run very wet and maxed out at ~50MPH. This was a little disappointing, as I'd read these were potentially 70MPH boats with the 502. A local marine repair shop that my dad frequented a lot had a wall of props, and he let us try a few. We eventually found a 3-blade 23p of unknown make (it might say, I just don't remember), and the boat came alive. It holeshot way better and we had it at 61MPH on the GPS. This at least satisfied me, and it was all my wife wanted (she did NOT grow up on an 85MPH 21' Nordic semi-flatbottom V-drive "Homesick Angel" as my dad called it).

Fast forward to today.....

We now have this PowerQuest 280. 4800lbs, dry, stepped hull. It has the 496MAG HO, with an M1 ProCharger and the stage 2 Whipple tuned ECM. It runs pretty good, but I try and stay off the fun stick most of the time, as I'm a little concerned about the stock B1 drive. That said, I sold the wife on the buy based on the notion of us being able to ski behind this boat (the Rinker was awesome). I didn't think it would be a problem at all, as I had spent uncountable hours on a slalom behind my dad's 27' SeaRay, at almost 1000lbs heavier and right at half the HP, and she had learned to ski behind that boat. As I said, the PQ runs pretty good, but, on it's best day, it's not overly capable on the pull-out for the skier. I'm thinking it is propped for the top end, when the ProCharger kicks in it's boost, but the prop is a little much at holeshot, which would acceptable if top end is all we were interested in.

So, here's my thinking....

What is the possibility we'll get the same results we got with the Rinker by stepping up in pitch and down one blade on the prop with the PQ? Or, at least, a step in the right direction?

I've called BBlades. "She" tells me that "He" is very busy, and he's about a hundred calls behind, so I told her to put me on the list. I'm still waiting (It's only been a couple days at this point, not panicking). He's got a reconditioned 29p Mirage for the right price that might be worth the investment if advice indicates it won't be a disappointment. I also spoke with a Lake Cumberland local prop guy, but I'm not sure about his advice, as I've heard he's really not all that knowledgeable about props, other than how to sell them (not to throw him under the bus).

I've also spoken to OSO member OnTheRiver about 26p Bravo 4-blade he's got for sale. It's very much on the table, but I also don't really want to lose top end if I can help it.

Any and all advice highly appreciated.

Thanks. Brad.
Model Machine and Precision LLC
(937)545-8991

Gimme Fuel

That 280 PQ hull won't even get on plane with a 3 blade prop, I wouldn't bother with the Mirage. The 280 is a good hull but drive heights did vary through the production years, some got on plane easily but were slow top end, others had a high x-dimension and had a difficult time getting on plane but were faster on top end.

Easiest solution would be if you want to pull a skier, drop down 4" in pitch from where you are at. Bravo drives don't like hard "hole shots" on stock engines let alone supercharged ones so beware. Procharger setups are generally a bit doggier out of the hole since they don't make boost at low rpm usually and pull much harder on the top end than roots blowers per se.

What prop are you running now? I didn't see you mention it.

underpsi68

I would run a 24 bravo one when skiing. My bone stuck 496 would run 68ish with it. Much easier on the drive like stated.

Normally I ran a 26 bravo one. Top speed almost the same, but with as much better cruise mph.

You will have to make comprises. No way you are going to run the same prop skiing and Top speed.

I wouldn't waste any money labbed prop for skiing. Out of the box should work well.

Brad Christy

Gimme Fuel,

Sheepish grin..... Prop is a Bravo 28p.

Not arguing, but....

Why won't the Mirage get the PQ 280 on a plane? My dad's 27' SR did just fine with one. I think he was running a 19p Mirage on on a B1 drive and a stock 454@315HP. That boat weighed 5500lbs dry. Is the stepped hull the difference?

Thanks. Brad.
Model Machine and Precision LLC
(937)545-8991

SB

iTrader: (1)

I agree with a 24 bravo. 22” would be great too. Anymore pitch in a single engine boat requires a bunch of power to plane a bravo dies not like.

Changing props to ski is no big deal, akthough some people dread thought of turning any wrench….lololol

Brad Christy

Underpsi,

Everything about a boat is a compromise. Been around long enough to fully understand that.

Don't want to be swapping props. The wife already accuses me of only caring about how fast it will go (she's not entirely wrong).

The prop from BBlades isn't "labbed". It's reconditioned. I'm guessing that means repaired.

Thanks. Brad.
Model Machine and Precision LLC
(937)545-8991

SB

iTrader: (1)

What is so hard about swapping props for people ?

Really ?

”Honey, what are you doing ?”
”I’m changing the prop. It just takes 3-4 minutes”
”What !!!!!!!!! Pack our ****, we are trailering 3 hrs home. Youre an azzhole !’

Says no wife ever. Lolololokololol

cone on people. Lolololol

Brad Christy

SB,

Oh, it's not that. I'm a toolmaker. I'm not afraid of wrenches at all. But the wife would just always say "Just leave that prop on. We don't have to go any faster." If I put a smaller prop on, that's the one we'd end up using unless I wanted to have that.... Discussion.... Every. Single. Time.

Thanks. Brad.
Model Machine and Precision LLC
(937)545-8991

liberator221

Go to the powerquest owner group on face book and do some research. Lot of info. Think the 280 does have issues getting on plane depending on year/ drive height as mentioned.
I have a 270 Laser and run a Bravo 22 4blade when I get the chance to ski, which isn’t much, and a 24 all the rest of time. With a 22 I can get a slolam skier up with half throttle or a little more. No way I would throw full throttle to a boat that big and heavy out of the hole. If you have to do that definitely reprop for skiing.

mountainmadness

Well hell I see the problem. Wife should never be on the boat, simple easy fix. Buy a Bayliner for you and wife and keep this rig for you and the side piece.