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A Question About Props


CrystalSurf

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I'm in the early stages of thinking about getting a new prop. My boat currently has the ACME 381 13.5x17.5 four blade prop. Just before I pulled the boat out to winterize, a submerged skirope and handle picked a fight with my prop. Unfortunately, the handle ended up putting a few dings in the prop. I might just get it repaired, but I was also thinking about an upgrade as I see people raving about how much better their boat rides after upgrading.

It seems that people like the ACME 1235 because it provides better hole shot in a heavily weighted boat and gets the boat on plane quicker for wakeboarding. However, what is the benefit for surfing? Why is hole shot important when you only get to 10mph? Our boat never gets on plane at 10-11mph and 1800lb of ballast and wedge.

Our boat gets used 60/40 surfing/skiing. We don't really wakeboard much at all. Since we also ski, I'm thinking the 537 might be another option, as I understand the 1235 would cause the boat to chew up a lot of gas at the higher speeds.

Any opinion or advice would be great.

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I'm in the early stages of thinking about getting a new prop. My boat currently has the ACME 381 13.5x17.5 four blade prop. Just before I pulled the boat out to winterize, a submerged skirope and handle picked a fight with my prop. Unfortunately, the handle ended up putting a few dings in the prop. I might just get it repaired, but I was also thinking about an upgrade as I see people raving about how much better their boat rides after upgrading.

It seems that people like the ACME 1235 because it provides better hole shot in a heavily weighted boat and gets the boat on plane quicker for wakeboarding. However, what is the benefit for surfing? Why is hole shot important when you only get to 10mph? Our boat never gets on plane at 10-11mph and 1800lb of ballast and wedge.

Our boat gets used 60/40 surfing/skiing. We don't really wakeboard much at all. Since we also ski, I'm thinking the 537 might be another option, as I understand the 1235 would cause the boat to chew up a lot of gas at the higher speeds.

Any opinion or advice would be great.

Since you ski I'd stay away from the 1235, you will be nearly redlined as skiing speeds. The 537 would be a better option for your situation, I think you'll notice some increased holeshot with the 537.

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Thanks for the reply.

Out of curiosity, why do people like the 1235 for surfing? Since you don't get on plane anyway...how does the 1235 help?

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Thanks for the reply.

Out of curiosity, why do people like the 1235 for surfing? Since you don't get on plane anyway...how does the 1235 help?

People like the 1235 more for wakeboarding than surfing. Does both well though, just overkill unless you are running alot of extra weight. I was running the 381 on my boat with the HH when weighted with 3800 lbs and only turned 2700 rpm. Never had any issue getting on plane.

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Since you ski I'd stay away from the 1235, you will be nearly redlined as skiing speeds. The 537 would be a better option for your situation, I think you'll notice some increased holeshot with the 537.

:plus1:

FWIW, when I dinged my 381, I decided to purchase a second prop as a backup, along with

a prop puller kit, while having my 381 repaired. Since I didn't see the need to own two

identical props, I bought a 537. I've now used both of them extensively for the past several

seasons.

The 537 should give you more low end oomph for lugging around all the extra surf ballast.

At slalom speeds, at least on my boat, it'll result in about a plus-500 rpm difference on the

tachometer, so you can expect to burn a little bit more gas there. And, yes, it'll give you a

very noticeable difference in hole shot for deep water slalom starts (I have to remind my wife

to go easy on the takeoff when the 537 is on).

For top-end speed, the 537 comes in at right about 2mph under that for the 381 on my boat

(41 mph vs. 43 mph with 320 LCR in '06 21 Sunscape).

Edited by srab
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Holeshot is important for any activity, regardless of what your ultimate speed is, so there's a very real benefit to upgrading the prop for wakeboarding. In addition to a very minor improvement in fuel consumption, you'll also decrease the wear-and-tear on the engine and transmission/v-drive as they won't be working as hard, and the speed control system (if you've added one to your '01) will have an easier time locking in and maintaining the speed.

Based on how you use the boat I would definitely NOT recommend the 537. You're just not going to get enough of an improvement in peformance over the 381 to justify the cost versus just repairing it. If you're buying a new prop to get a performance increase (in addition to having a spare), I would suggest ACME's 1939. The 1939 is one of a new bread of hybrid props that have the oversize diameter of "power props" like the 1235, but have a lightly higher pitch. The advantage to that setup is more surface area for better power transmission at slower speeds, but higher pitch which will lower your RPMs at skiing speeds. So you get most of the hole shot and slow speed acceleration benefits of a prop like the 1235, without losing as much top end.

If you want to demo all of these props when the lakes thaw next spring just let us know and we can send them up so you can try each on on your own boat.

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We also typically run a prop group buy in the spring and as a crew-supporter you'll be able to take advantage of and avoid paying full retail. Eric @ OJ is also a great resource to consult as they can tweak the prop if need be. Whether it be an ACME or OJ always make sure whomever you buy from they offer the exchange program, usually you only have to cover the shipping but this is an ideal way to test them out.

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381

dia 13.50

pitch 17.50

.105 cup

1 1/8"

537 Dia13.50

pitch 16.00

.105 cup

1 1/8"

1939

Dia 14"

Pitch: 15.5"

Cup: .105

Shaft: 1 1/8"

1273

pitch14.50

dia 14.25 .

150 cup

1 1/8"

Lets re look at the OP has and needs 2003 Malibu Sunscape 21 LSV dimiond hull, running 1800# w/wedge for surfing. "Our boat gets used 60/40 surfing/skiing. We don't really wakeboard much at all."

With looking at the specs above going from the 381 to 537 will help with hole shot and loose a little on top end but nothing big.

Now the change from 537 to 1939, you do have more surface area and a little less pitch that on paper looks like it would help with the hole shot. I'm just not sure if the larger size wouldn't cancel out the less pitch and act just like a 537 :unsure: would love to see some real world testing. :thumbup: Not sure if the cost is worth the small increase in performance.

From the 537 to 1273, this has the larger size with less pitch but has a larger cup to help with top end speed. This prop would help with surfing and the pitch help out some with the top end, but in the end you will have higher RPMs when skiing/cruising.

Seeing how the OP wants to surf and Ski, (not sure at what speed) it's hard to pick just the right prop. You have to be willing to give up a little some where. That is give up a little better hole shot so you can have nice skiing/cruising speed or give up some top end/higher RPMS for surfing.

For me it would be the 537 or 1273 depending on what you are willing to give up.

Because of the demands of customers needs/wants, prop companies are making a vast selection of props for witch in-turn is making it harder to pick just the right prop.

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The extra cup of the 1273 is only going to give him another MPH, MAYBE two, which probably won't be enough based on how they use the boat.

Trust me, we do this for a living, and have encountered this same situation dozens of times. Most of our customers take advantage of our demo program so they can try the 1273, 1235 and 1939 at the same time, and nearly every single one keeps the 1939.

If CrystalSurf was really interested in wakeboard performance then the 1273 would be my recommendation, but since it's surfing and skiing, the 1939 wins.

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Thanks everyone for your replies. FWIW, ACME suggested that I get the 537. They said the 1939 would be better if I was in a 23LSV or if I had a lot more weight.

I guess I'm still not sure what to do. I'm leaning towards getting a 537, but I'm also thinking that I might not even need to as there may not be much of a benefit over the 381 for the price. I don't feel I'm lacking in hole shot for skiing and I'm not sure if I need it for surfing.

Will changing a prop affect the wash and/or wake? For skiing or surfing?

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Thanks everyone for your replies. FWIW, ACME suggested that I get the 537. They said the 1939 would be better if I was in a 23LSV or if I had a lot more weight.

That's ACME's stock response, and while they do know what they're talking about, they're also not skiers/wakeboarders/surfers, so take that with a grain of salt. All of the benefits of the 1939 will apply in your smaller (and therefore lighter boat).

Will changing a prop affect the wash and/or wake? For skiing or surfing?

Not enough that you need to factor that into your decision making process (the last thing you need is another variable to consider).

Let me make this easy for you, give us a call when things warm up in the summer and we'll send you both props for free to try out. You keep the one you like best and send the other one back. That's the only way you'll be able to find out what's best for your boat, with your typical weight setup, for you how you use it.

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Thanks, skicrave. Looking on your website, your Prop Finder suggests an ACME 1579 for this type of application. I don't see the 1939 as one of the recommended props. Also, I don't actually see the 1939 listed on the ACME website. Is this really that new of a prop?

Thanks.

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Yes, it is a very new prop, it's been around for a few months now, but it typically takes six months to a year for a lot of the retailers to become aware of new props. I've heard a rumor from a reliable source that the 1939 (or a very similar prop) will be replacing the 537 on Malibu's in the near future because it performs much better.

Our prop finder is just a little out of date, but it will be updated in the next month or so.

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After talking about all these specs is great, but testing them is really the only way to get a true perspective on which prop you feel is best. With that said if you liked the 381 and didn't have any issues w/ it the 537 would be a bit better hole shot w/o loosing top end and gas mpg. I would start w/ that and then work in others if you feel it's missing something. I would get your 381 repaired for a spare/backup.

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Might consider a OJ 14.75 X 15.5 LC 1 1/8" XMP EDGE 4-blade. This is a stock size we supply another boat builder for all around performance. It has the diameter needed to carry the extra ballast as well as keeping the RPM in a reasonable range for skiing. I would think you would see and increase of cruising and skiing RPM's going from a 13.5 X 17.5 to a 14 X 15.

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