Has anyone done any prop testing on a 390?

I currently have a 2000 with HP500s, Bravo-1 drives,
4-blade Bravo one 30" pitch propellers. Speed is 83mph at 5000 rpms.

Like everyone else looking looking for more speed... What props have anyone experimented with? What were your results? Has anyone tried a 5-Blade?

There are several people on this site that have or have had the 390. I ran 30 labbed Bravo's on mine and needed 32 labbed. I had the best speed with my 29 labbed hydromotives.
Top speed was 86.4 gps with XZ drives. I changed the drives to XR's and lost 2 mph. The hydromotive props will be about 2 to 3 mph faster than the best bravo props.

Teet!!!!!!!!

I run 30" labbed Bravo's as well. I have 28" Hydro's that I plan to have pitched up and labbed for my "speed props". Sorry but I don't have any GPS speeds to report.

Rick Engstrom

Thanks

My Bravos are not Labbed. Next week I am going to test a pair of 28" Hydromotive four blades and hopefully a pair of Hydromotive 5 blades.

The last time I tried to test a pair of Hydromotive 4 blades I dinged one on the bottom at the boat ramp and when I tried to get it up on a plane it would just blow out. I want to try them again to see if it was the ding or my "X" is just to high. (On my boat, I know that Hydros work best on most 390s). Even with Bravos when getting on a plane it blows out initially. Thats why I think the 5 blade might work best on my set up. Throttle-Up Propellers thinks my best set up might be a 1" spacer with the 4 blade Hydros. I will post my results next week.

Would love to hear any other 390 results and there set ups.

Frank

Frank,

Let's just say it's an art to get a 390 on plane with Hydro's! Set your tabs around 4, bring it up with moderate throttle until the props break loose then "goose it" (an official Steve Stepp term!) a couple of times and the props will catch and bring you out of the hole. This approach is counter-intuitive and can't be healthy for the drives but it works. It's definitely not fun starting in churned up Poker Run water conditions! Consequently I run Bravos (w/o any blow-out).

A 1" spacer will help out of the hole but you'll lose speed - 5 blades are probably the best ticket although they're not as forgiving on Bravo drives.

Rick

Rick:

I agree with you. I think the five blades will work out best with my high-X and will be a cheaper route and less work then the four blades with a spacer. I also thought a spacer would slow the boat down. Throttle-Up Propellers through testing race boats has found that the stock X-dim. on many boats is too high and have been gaining speed by lowering the X which results in less slip and more speed.

Your technique on getting on a plane with the Hydros is basically the same I use with my Bravo 1s. I don't "goose it", I just bring it up to about 3000 until the props hook up. My tabs are also down to 3 or 4. With lots of blow out.

The weather this weekend sucks! No boating. Can you imagine? It might not reach 70 deg today

Frank

what is your x. dim. If its stock 29 hydros by hulls work the best! I have a set you can try!

Tom:

If I recall yours are 29" hydros labbed and tweaked by Halls with the difuser removed. I don't think anyone has had a 390 dialed in better than yours. Also yor drives were either XRs or XZs which have the large shafts. Mine are upgraded Bravos with the the small shafts. As far as X-dim. Not sure, the boat is on a lift in the back yard so theres no way to measure without getting wet.

Frank

Call Steve and tell him what boat you have . He sets all of the 390s the same. Unles the new owner wants dif.