When changing from mirage to Hydro Q 4 should you stay with the same pitch or drop a pitch

You will have to go down in pitch.
Why are yougoing to a 4 blade???
If you can get on plane OK with the Mirage then the Mirage will be faster than the Hydromotive 4 blade. The Hydromotive will give you more transom lift- make sure that you need it.

F&P Boating did a test on a 25 outlaw, which is what I have and changed from mirage plus to Q 4 and gained in almost all areas, including 1.3 mph on top and better handling, I would also keep a mirage +

There was some discussion of this on another thread. Wasn't the Q4 labbed and the mirage+ stock? I haven't read the article.
You are talking $500 for the prop and another $300?? to get it labbed. That's expensive.

Call Hydromotive. They are very helpful and know what they are doing. They also know how their props compare to their competition and will get you the correct pitch / diameter as long as you have some info to give them about your performance with the Mirage. Good luck and let us know how it works for you.

"General" rule of thumb is drop when going from 3 to 4 blades to make up for the increased drag of the 4 blade. Example; if using a 25p Mirage you would go to a 24p Bravo-1, etc.

Make sure you try the 4 blade before you buy it. I tryed a Bravo 4 blade on my Sunsation Rocket, but it gave a lot of stern lift that I was not used to. It felt like the bow was plowing. I did not like the feel of the boat. Lighter boats just seem to be able to get away with the 3 blade very nicely.

I had the same experience as Whiteknuckle on my 260 Powerquest. Too much stern lift with the 4 blade.

Before you buy a Hydomotive you need to know that they break and when they break you can send them back and they will not replace them. I have broken 2 on 2 different boats with stock power. The 1st was a 280 velocity with a 365mag, and the second was a 280 velocity with a 454MPI, they both broke in the same place from the trailing edge not the leading edge. When we sent the prop back with no other damage other than the the obvious break they said we hit something and they could not cover it under warranty.

SOUND LIKE ALOT OF GOOD FEED BACK BEFORE GOING ALL OUT/ although over the past 25 years , I have never saw a hydro break at the trailing edge (UNLESS IT HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED)AND NOT COOLED DOWN PROPERLY/I think they are a good propeller?Darin