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Started By
Message
Stupid Prop question
Posted on 2/14/23 at 5:49 am
Posted on 2/14/23 at 5:49 am
My prop is pretty eaten up and I was looking to get a new one and I have been researching it but I was curious if anyone had any recommendations. 35 Vanguard surface drive.
Boat has been running pretty slow to what it should be (could be other issues that just the prop), but everything I have read has mentioned that two blade props are faster than 3 blade in many cases. Why is this?
Boat has been running pretty slow to what it should be (could be other issues that just the prop), but everything I have read has mentioned that two blade props are faster than 3 blade in many cases. Why is this?
5
Posted on 2/14/23 at 6:09 am to BorrisMart
2 blades have less drag so higher top end speed. 3 blade bites harder and will do better at take off or low speed.
Lots of stuff goes into determining what prop you want/need but as a general rule this is pretty accurate.
Lots of stuff goes into determining what prop you want/need but as a general rule this is pretty accurate.
Posted on 2/14/23 at 6:46 am to Tridentds
It’s really not an exact science, my dad tried hammers, raptors, and big blades. He ended up liking the big blades the most and almost didn’t even try those. The performance effects of the different designs are known and written down. But which one you’ll prefer the most for how you drive your boat, you have to try them to know. certainly if you have a beat up prop, you’ll enjoy probably whichever non beat up one you put on.
Posted on 2/14/23 at 12:18 pm to BorrisMart
2 blade carries a load better but is slower. 3 blade is faster but does do well with a load. On my gtr 40 the ca57 works best I’ve found with my boat. Mine is on a 18x54 uncle j
Posted on 2/14/23 at 12:59 pm to BorrisMart
Buy both and try it out!
Posted on 2/14/23 at 6:59 pm to Cracker
quote:
Buy both and try it out!
Thanks for the input. Yeah mine if pretty beat up. Catahoula can be pretty rough for the first half of the season since it's drained and the mud is fairly hard. It's a three blade but I talked to the gator tail folks and they said for a two blade Id need to round off the lower unit. (its an older straight right angle bottom lower unit, 2015 and not an XD or EFI) Not really looking to do that (not sure if that is accurate or not but I doubt they'd lead me astray). Just figured it would be a good thing to fix up over the offseason. I think getting two or so might be the best bet to test them out and see. Half the time the water is either too shallow to run a heavy boat like that, 18/50 or maybe 52 Bayou Express, and the other half its deep enough for an outboard.
This post was edited on 2/14/23 at 7:04 pm
Posted on 2/14/23 at 9:50 pm to BorrisMart
There's a guy named Todd Bucknell at Hydromotive Engineering in Ohio whose company maximizes performance of motors thru their props. If you get in touch with him, or his company, he can likely give you a good baseline prop to roll with as a start but he is more into the outboard realm.
This post was edited on 2/14/23 at 9:51 pm
Posted on 2/15/23 at 5:15 am to John_V
quote:
John_V
I appreciate it. I have a buddy who has a pretty mean river boat with an outboard and he was saying he knew a guy somewhere in LA that made props. I will reach out to both. I know the GTR is a heavy boat and only a 35 (I think my friend I bought it from bought it back when that was a newer model in like 2015) but I figure it should be pushing a little faster than 20-24 mph in open water (maybe not) I just assumed that since my little 16 hp predator SD boat goes around 22, this one should be going faster. As noted, it probably needs a few things replaced other than just the prop.
It has a tendency to not like idling, it is either full blast or dying at idle until you throw the choke back on to start it and go slow. Also, im not sure why those older ones like this decided to put the world's smallest throttle on it (a little 2 inch plastic piece), Im hoping that can be replaced. Hell the clutch for reverse on that is an oversized motorcycle/bicycle brake or metal clutch knob. It gets old running it long distances using your pinky and ring finger on that little plastic piece. Thanks again for the heads up on the Prop Guy in Ohio, I will check him out.
This post was edited on 2/15/23 at 5:18 am
Posted on 2/26/23 at 7:40 pm to Cracker
quote:
Buy both and try it out!
Welllll....the stock 3 blade is out of stock and I was gonna grab a 2 blade in the meantime but after talking to gator tail (who told me id need to round off the skeg to run it) and a guy down south who does prop work, and GT, were both saying the 2 blades were going more than likely to crack the lower unit. The guy I spoke with is named Chris and came highly recommended locally in CenLa and he said he runs a two blade with the same lower unit as mine but he is on his 3rd or 4th lower unit.
It is the old Cast Lower Unit Gator cast tail lower unit and while not expensive to buy another one I was quoted on it being a good but to install it. I know its an older non EFI 35hp GTR (not an XD either) but surely people are or were running 2 blades and not having those problems back when that particular model was more prevalent?
This post was edited on 2/26/23 at 7:44 pm
Posted on 2/26/23 at 8:46 pm to Tridentds
quote:
2 blades have less drag so higher top end speed. 3 blade bites harder and will do better at take off or low speed.
Sounds like he needs a five blade prop
Posted on 2/27/23 at 5:33 am to Mr. Hangover
I think given that cast lower unit is older more people probably have the newer XD LU or extruded LU which run 2 blades stock.
Posted on 2/27/23 at 7:35 am to BorrisMart
Location?
Posted on 2/27/23 at 2:21 pm to jmorr34
It's mostly on Catahoula Lake or the rivers north and south of there. Not really trying to "mudbro" out, just a duck boat. But I finally got in touch with the people at GT and they found a stock 3 blade so I guess I'll grab that and get it worked.
I appreciate all the input and help, bit of a learning curve when going from passenger to driver with these SD's, and it is an older model.
I appreciate all the input and help, bit of a learning curve when going from passenger to driver with these SD's, and it is an older model.
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