I usually run a Bravo 1 with great results but yesterday I figured I would break out my Mirage + for the day. I ran the Mirage for the first season I had my boat. I can record pretty good speeds with it but I am all over the road. I get a lot of chine walk with the Mirage +, practically none with the Bravo 1. I hit 73.2 yesterday with one person and full gas. I think I may try to sell it and get my 26 Bravo labbed. Anybody interested? solid hub, 26 pitch.

Dave M.

Hey Dave,
After buying my boat, I asked JC what prop to run. He recommended a Mirage plus. I asked him about the Bravo I? He told me they started running them on the new 24s a few years ago, but the three blade would be fine on my boat. After speeking with you, I bought a Bravo I to have all bases covered.
Jo at Pantera told me that on my 89 Pantera the drive height was lower than on newer boats and that I would get more speed with the Mirage in calm water, and a Bravo I would give better bite in the rough.
My Pantera was about 3mph slower with the Bravo I. My Superboat is maybe 2mph slower with a Bravo I. I will say that with both boats the Bravo is much better in rough water.
I have not experienced excessive chine walking with either prop. You are going quite a bit faster than me though. I'm wondering if the drive height is higher on the stepped hull 24s.
Anyway, it does not sound like a three blade has any business being on your boat. Sell that baby, you should be able to get around $300. There is a labbed 26p Bravo for sale in the classifieds for $375. You may want to leave your stock prop alone. I have not heard of too many good results with labbed props lately. The prop guys I've spoke to said it may take a couple of tries to get it right.
Sorry to babble on, but I have not talked boats in a couple of days.

MY LAB 26 IS STILL AT MERCURY FOR THE SECOND TIME. HOPEFULLY WHEN I GET IT BACK IT WILL PICK THE NOSE UP.I MIGHT TRY A NEW STOCK 28 A, LABBED 28 DID NOT WORK AND I THOUGHT IT WAS BECAUSE IT WAS TO BIG.NOW THAT I KNOW THAT THE DRIVE IS TO HIGH FOR A LAB PROP IM GOING TO TRY A STOCK 28.THATS IF IT WEVER STOPS RAINING[THINK ZUPERFEST]

I ran my 25 Mirage plus Saturday afternoon. It is definately faster, with two guys and low gas we saw 71mph on the speedo 67.6GPS at 4500rpm. The seas were relatively calm so I did not experience the prop breaking free like I had in rougher water the last time I tried it. I did lower my tabs a little, the boat does seem to rock around more than with the four blade. I would say that the Mirage works on the straight V hull in calm water, but no doubt, the four blade is the way to go in the rough.

Any one have something to share from the NY City Poker Run??

Hey Dave,

Did you decide if you are going to lab your 4 blade?

I think my 26p is too much prop when I load my boat up. With 4 guys and full fuel the engine only reaches 4300rpm. If I drop the tabs in rough water she drops back to 4200rpm. 4200 to 4600 is the range for my engine's WOT RPM, but I think it will run better toward the high end .

What to do? Buy a 24p or lab my 26p?
I think I have my 22p sold to a friend so I can justify one or the other.

Zuperboat, Did you get your labbed prop back yet? If so, did you give it a try?

Hey Patrick,

I'm going to leave the prop as-is. I don't want to put money into props now because you never know, there could be more ponies in my future!

I was out yesterday and the water was dead calm. I was running my 4 blade and was about 2 mph slower that usual. I think I am fastest in about 1-1.5 ft waves.

More ponies! I like your thinking...
Bigger engine or mods. to your existing package??

I think most deep V hulls are faster in some chop.
I also noticed the fresh water vs salt water thing last weekend too. 10 miles up river in fresh I'm about 2mph slower than out in LI Sound; didn't think it was such a difference.

Sold the 22p Bravo I from my Pantera. Using the cash to lab my 26p for the Superboat. Hope I have better luck than ZZ and OH-Zone did with their labbed props.

Hey Dave,
Did not here back about the possibility of more ponies for your boat.
A good high performance exhaust system and a reprogrammed brain from Arizona Speed and Marine should be good for another 200rpm. Those 454mags are strong engines.

Hey Patrick,

My boat has been broke the last week, steering problems. The guy at the shop said it was the ps pump. I should be running this weekend.

As far as more ponies... If I do that I want to do it all at once. I don't want spend $ to add a few bolt-ons for minimal increases. I want 100 more HP.

I started a new job on Monday. It has severly cut down on my OSO time. I have to work now, for a while anyway!

Dave,
Congratulations on the new job. It's a tough economy right now. I looked around last year, lucky for me, my boss decided to keep me around. I hope you don't have to work Saturdays like OH-Zone, at least don't work Saturday July 26th.

100HP more!!! 500+HP is what the guy had in my boat before I bought it. He said it would go 85. That's flying!!!
So do you have a plan? Rework your engine, bolt on a blower, or buy another? You will probably need another piston for your external steering.

I would love to build another engine for my boat. Maybe this coming winter, but I have lots of other projects too.