Bravo "Style" Props
 

Guys,

Doing a search, I came across this:

propeller 4 blade SS. Right 30 Pitch. For Mercruiser Bravo 1. Labbed Made In USA | eBay

They are obviously not Merc props. Just curious if anybody has any experience with them.

Thanks. Brad.

I believe those are Cutting Edge Propellers. I have never heard anything bad about them and had a good rep on this forum.
I have friends that have used them with good results and a few people really like their "Lab" jobs. I have been thinking of sending a set to them to have labbed. I would not hesitate to use them.

https://cuttingedgepropellers.com/

Rookie,

I see the shipping from Santa Ana, where Cutting Edge is, but it says “Newport Marine” on the hub, and the description states the brand as “Newport Marine Propellers”. Is that Cutting Edge, in disguise? The pricing is pretty reasonable, but Cutting Edge doesn’t advertise their prices. I’m just putting some feelers out there, in anticipation of a need for more prop with the new engine nearing completion.

Thanks. Brad.

Brad,
What’s the expected power increase on the new engine and at what RPM? If the cam makes more HP at higher RPM you might want to try the prop you have before buying anything new. For example if the old engine was at 5100 RPM WOT with your current prop and the new engine can spin that same prop to 5400 RPM it could be the prop you want for overall performance. I might of just saved you some💰

SecondWind,

ProCharger advertised the 496HO kit at 615HP. Conventional wisdom says more like 500. Builder's software indicates previous power was ~530HP@5250, which pretty much lines up with observation. Software also suggests the new build will be ~600-650HP @5400RPM. We MIGHT see 5600RPM if the heads will allow it. Stock HO cam and heads. 1.8 ratio roller rockers, 1/4" smaller blower wheel, a properly tuned ECM (Holley HP), intake manifold interior modified for flow, much larger injectors and forged internals to handle the increased load were the real changes we made during the rebuild. Brett @ BBlades has suggested we will be using a 30P prop, given prior power/prop/performance metrics and the new power expectations.

I am not buying anything yet. We are going to do break-in and in-use tuning with the 28P we have now, and that will give us a baseline to go forward with. I was just having a look to see what was out there and came across these on eBay and was curious.

Thanks. Brad.

The finish on that Newport propeller doesn't look like Auggie's work from Cutting Edge. It looks more like Hill Marine, also in Santa Ana. Maybe Newport is private branding a Hill? Hill charges $589 for a bravo copy prop.

Auggie's Cutting Edge propellers are great, I have and have had several. His 4 blade bravo copy is $630.

FYI I've got a like new Hill 30p 4 blade sitting in my shop.

Been using Hill Marine SL4 propellers for a while now good balance props

BoatNT,

It’s funny. I hear/read people poo-pooing Signature props left and right, which is what Hill Marine sells. But I also hear/read plenty of good. I don’t have a dog in the fight, nor am I picking sides one way or the other. It’s just curious how people have such wildly different opinions and experiences with the same products.

Thanks. Brad.

Yeah
I know you hear all different opinions some good some bad, it is what it is and then don't forget. You also have people given an opinion without any experience, all I can tell you is from my experience they ran just as good as any bravo I had ,
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...0e1176ce9.jpeg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...7c205a115.jpeg
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.off...2acf8c925.jpeg
I used them on my fountains. I put them on my Sonic now I bought a couple sets for the 33 outlaw will test them in the spring, but I'm expecting good results.

Being that Hill and Cutting Edge are a few blocks from each other it's my speculation that they are using the same foundry. The props look like the same castings, but the finish work is obviously different. Auggie at Cutting Edge custom finishes each prop for the customer's application, while Hill has props on the shelf to sell. (obviously Hill can do custom work too)

87Mirage,

Are Signature props cast in the US? Hill doesn't say and Signature's website is still "under construction".Not that it REALLY matters. Just curious...

Thanks. Brad.

Both companies say 100% built in the US from virgin stainless. When you have the 2 side by side, I'd swear they are using the same molds. Wouldn't surprise me if Cutting Edge is buying castings from Hill or vice versa. Somewhere I heard their 4 blade bravo copies are a casting copy from the early bravo one propellers. I think the newer Mercury propellers have some differences in the webbing between the hub and the outer wall, to aid in engine exhaust exiting.

87Mirage,

Ah... I didn't see that on the Hill website. All good, then. And you're probably right; same foundry. Hell, they might even combine their orders to get a better QTY break. :ernaehrung004:

Thanks. Brad.

They are inconsistent. That's why.

how many have you owned?

I have purchased 8 pair hill signature SL4 and one pair of signature 5 blades so far the last couple of years and never had any issues,

so I ask you, do you have any experience with them if you do share it with us

I have a Signature SL5, a labb Maximus (I do not know by who.) and a Max with 15,25" dia.
The Signature holds the bow better than the other two, you can trim it very high and still have grip, but unfortunately it is too small for my speedboat and accelerates very slowly, and there is also more slip like by other two.
Both Mercury props have better matched blades. Blade angles by the Signature blades deviate much more and end finish is not so good. But I didn't notice this while driving. I don't know, maybe it affects the worse acceleration and more slip, but I don't know enough to evaluate.

If the Signature SL5 had a diameter of at least 15.5", I would buy it, but the one I have has 15", even though it says 15.25".

I have owned one Hill propeller. It was a custom 4-blade Hoss-style. You could see the differences between the blades with your own eyes.

Over the years, I have used propellers from Mercury (non-Lab and Lab), OMC, Yamaha, Dewald, Spinelli Brothers, Mazco and many others.

Hill is known for inconsistency. If you don't trust me, just Google.

BoatNT,

Following the convo where it leads, with interest toward why I started it....

You've got experience, specifically with the PQ 280... How do the 5 blades do? Ever tried any Hydromotives? Tom @ Hydromotive is suggesting a P5X. Not sure I want to go the 5 blade route, but it's been suggested by a couple people now....

Otherwise... Bow-lifting, transom-lifting or neurtral? Which does the 280 like? Bravo props generally considered which?

Thanks. Brad.

That is very much my experience, too.

By the way, there is someone who blue prints Hill propellers. I no longer remember the name, but the result is supposed to be very good.

not new to boating by any means and I have owned numerous boats and purchased numerous propellers,
mercs props are no different , the variance in the blades are just as bad or maybe worst, the only way you will get them perfect is by labing.
as explained on the below video at the 40 second mark

I was always nervous using the 5 blade props, acceleration was great, mid range was great, lost a couple of miles on top end, I stuck with the 4 blades for the most part.

My understanding the Hydromotives perform better on straight bottom V hulls,
For the most part all the older straight bottom Fountains came from the factory with Hydromotives, but once Fountain went to step bottoms they switched to Bravo 1s

They switched to Bravo props because Reggie owed Mercury and they put the pressure on. Or so I have been told.
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Hydromotive has two five blade props. If I remember correctly the X model is bow lifting.

Padraig

Again, Hill is less consistent than most, and this is well known, at least among us outboard folks.

I remember a thread in some discussion forum some 20 years ago where Ron Hill described winning a race in his youth with a propeller with varying blades. Ron was no believer in precision.

My oppinion:

More slip you have less important it is consistency, less slip you have more important it is.
CNC clever for 20% slip is an unnecessary investment, but for 5% it is a necessity.
For 15+% slip it is probably Signature as good as any super matched prop with same shape.

that's what I thought but apparently not true. About 10 years ago. I caught up with Reggie down to Key West during the races and he was kind enough to have a lengthy conversation with me and that was one of the things that we talked about as i asked his opinion because I was looking for better propellers for my boat because I thought my slip numbers were hi,

he told me to stick with Bravo 1 props,
he said the reason they switched to bravos was because of the step bottom and the bravo simply grip the water better

you do know Ron doesn't own the company and he hasn't for many years His son Chad owns and runs the company.

Is it possible that chad has a different philosophy? Lol

I believe you are referring to Brad at BS propellers,

I have in the past send my props to him, and I can't say I noticed much of a difference after I got them back, but he is supposed to be the outboard prop guru

safe to say you won't be ordering Hill marine props anytime soon,LOL

Interesting because a lot of the step boats came with Hydromotives, The first time I started seeing Bravo's were on the side by side twin step 35's. They also were spinning out rather than in.

Maybe I should try bravo's again but in the past they did seem better in the mid range but pretty much made the boat want to propose and lost 2-3 top end. Mine is a single step.

I had a 2000 32 fever with the larger step and it came with 26 bravos when I bought it, I like you had heard that Hydromotives were the props use. I asked the seller if the boat always had bravos and he said no ,he told me when he bought the boat new it came with Hydromotives but somebody stole them and he bought 26 bravos because he couldn't find anyone local to him that stocked hydromotives but like the bravos better, well I can't leave well enough alone so when I brought the boat home, I bought a set of Hydromotives because I thought it would be faster, I use them a couple times and I took them off and I put the 26 bravos back on because I thought the boat behaved better

LOL

That is funny, I have the same boat, a large step 32 and thought the opposite.

I need to try Bravo's again, I tore up my fast set of Hydro's at the toy run. Not sure how, didn't feel anything but may have hit something in the water.

BoatNT,

Which Hydromotives? They have the Quad4 and Quad4-X. Not sure if that was the case whenever you had your experience or not. I've been told the Q4-X would be a better prop for a stepped hull, specifically the PQ280, but never gotten any real world testimony. Just curious....

Essentially, what I'm looking for is lift characteristics. With stepped hulls, are we looking for bow lift, transom lift, or neutral? And I'm not sure which props have what.

Thanks. Brad.

Please give me some education.
I have always believed that the stepped hull itself creates the appropriate angle of attack and in conjunction with clever propellers that lift the stern, this is a winning combination.
The classic hull must be prepared to lift the bow and you need a propeller with a bow lift.

The Hydro seems to me like a quasi-clever, and the Bravo as a bow lifter.
In my opinion, hydro should be better for a stepped hull and bravo for a classic hull.

Please, where am I wrong?

A Velocity doesn't need no stinking steps and likes hydromotive quad props. By the way, Tom at Hydromotive is a knowledgeable guy and likes talking props.
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Padraig

I preferred the bravo prop over the hydromotive on my Velocity. IMO the bravo was better all around, other than wot. It was maybe down 1-2mph over the hydro.

Interesting info!

Where's your shop located and how much do you want for the 30P prop?