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Propeller Question/reccomendation


JB-FOOT

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Hey fellow Malibu owners, I need some help and advice here...

There doesn't seem to be much talk about barefooting on this site....but i understand that...

My problem is that I bought a super clean 1994 Echelon Closed Bow with the 454 magnum motor...and I need advice on a good BAREFOOTING ONLY prop for this boat and motor configuration from another Malibu owner with the same or VERY similar set-up...

Hopefully there is someone out there that can help...

Thanks in advance for any guidance you can give....

Jack

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Have you called Acme and OJ? What prop are you using now and what is your max RPM and speed? Have you searched the forum? There is a lot of information here but your engine is a little unusual. Do you know what the redline of your engine is? For barefooting you are going to want to get as close as possible to redline for max speed, which means a lowpitch prop like an OJ XMP 13x11.5.

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Have you called Acme and OJ? What prop are you using now and what is your max RPM and speed? Have you searched the forum? There is a lot of information here but your engine is a little unusual. Do you know what the redline of your engine is? For barefooting you are going to want to get as close as possible to redline for max speed, which means a lowpitch prop like an OJ XMP 13x11.5.

Yes I know my engine is unusual, that is why I am searching out a few fellow Malibu owners with my set up....

I am very well aware of my boats parameters...

Max RPM for the 454 Magnum Mercruiser motor is 5000 RPM (Rev limiter kicks in at just under 5100 RPM)

Current props I have tried are as follows:

Dymex Mr. Minus 3 blade 13 x 15 x 1 1/8" L WOT 51.9mph @ 4950 rpm (41 mph @ 4000)

OJ 3 blade 13 x 15 x 1 1/8" L WOT 50.2mph @ 5050 rpm (41 mph @ 4200 rpm)

We barefoot in the 38-42 MPH range depending on which one of our crew is footing.... so speed is not a problem with this motor....

My concern is not speed or power, but how soft and flat the table is at 75'-80' behind the boat...

Calling Acme or OJ is going to help dial in speed, power and rpm's.....but it is not going to give me the "Feel of the water under my feet"...

So with all of that listed.... I am hoping to find some REAL life answers from other Malibu Footers out there as to what brand and pitches they are using on their Echelon Big Block boats...

Saving me the time to get props and try them out from several manufacture's

Thanks

JB

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  • 2 weeks later...

Like you said, not many big block Echelon's out there. I would think someone with a "barefoot" Response with the Stroker can get you information that may be valid to you. Or even better a sportster with one. I have heard they exist and are one of the best for footing. The difference is your boat will weigh a bit more.

I have a Scorpion and run an OJ XMP 3 blade 13 X 11.5. The wake is really smooth at 80 - 90 ft and I couldn't be happier with the pull for footing and slalom. I'm really surprised your getting to 5000 with a 15 pitch. What didn't you like about the OJ you tried?

I also tried the 4 blade XMP but it didn't feel as stable at max speed.

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Bretski.....I like the current OJ 13x15x1 1/8" LH 3 blade prop....it works great.....but I don't think that was the stock prop that came with it.....I am just trying to see if anyone else has my set-up and they barefoot and what they like and use....

I am going to try an ACME 13 x 14 3 blade maybe this weekend...This is my second Echelon with a Big Block 454 MPFI.....and this closed bow has NO PROBLEM turning 5000 rpm.....my 95 Echelon LX had a 13x15 pitch that only turned 4800 rpm so I re-pitched it to a 13x14" and it would run 5100 rpm all day long.....great for triple long lines and still capable of running 46 mph while pulling all three of us...Although we usually triple at just 40 mph because the other two guys don't like to foot much past 40mph....here is a link to the 95 Echelon LX pulling triples....(I am on the starboard side)...

My other Barefoot boat is a 93 Flightcraft Sportster.....another great little boat....that's a 13 x 13 1/2 SS prop.....it turns 4900 rpm and does 46mph.... (350 Mag Carb) Edited by JB-FOOT
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I think I found my confusion. The 13 X 15 your talking about is the older, cast style props. CNC specs are differen't. So for me a 13X13 cast OJ Legend or 4 Force (Cast) ran about the same range as my XMP 13X11.5 (CNC)

Keep the information flowing about your testing. I'm really curious what you end up liking.

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Bretski175, We took the boat out and footed today….it was AWESOME and with the new prop, the boat ran 52mph with a full tank of gas and all 5 of us in the boat…..

Here are the specs for the new Prop/and Boat set-up

I put a new Acme #1257 3 blade 13x14x1 1/8 L with extra cup 0.135 and it is amazing…..

2800 rpm is about 35 mph

3650 rpm is 41 mph

4100 rpm is 46 mph

And WOT is 52mph @ 5050 (just at my rev limiter)

28 Gallons of fuel

Barefoot International Boom

BFI Fly High

Water Temp was 56.5 degrees

Air Temp was 59 degrees

We are at about 780 feet above sea level on the Monongahela River

Rope length is at 70+3+5 handle Total =78' (and at 41 mph I could still shorten it up another 1-1 1/2 feet....)

Boat is 1994 Echelon Closed Bow, with 454 MPF

Boat just turned 400 hours today...

So the OJ Cast 13x15 prop was quicker out of the hole and did have an awesome wake, but was slower overall and burned more fuel and ran higher rpm's to go the same speed...

the OJ is now my back-up!!!

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WOW, Those are Malibu Corvette numbers. You have to be happy with that.

I'd bet your not burning much more gas than my 350 Scorpion at those low RPM's

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Bretski75

Yes, I am shocked at the change in performance...

I suspect the fuel consumption will be pretty good....and will keep you posted if you care to know.

My old 95 Echelon LX with the 395 HP 454 Mag ( i owned last year) used the same gas as my 93 Flightcraft Sportster does and it is just a 350 Mag Carb in it....

I have another prop to test next weekend... I had my Dymex Mr. Minus 13x15 sent out to my prop guy a few weeks ago and asked him to re-pitch and re-condition it back to factory specs and then to add more cup to reduce the RPM's as it was running to easily into the rev limiter....that is the prop I bought the boat with....it was fast, but I hated how the boat handled and sounded....way to loud and really squirrely when you would back off of the throttle...

We love the wake and maneuverability with the Flighty overall, but it is these early spring days (and late fall days) when its colder and we have more than 4 people footing in the same boat that I enjoy my "new to me" 1994 Echelon Closed Bow....having that big block means never having to say....sorry, we are full and can't take on the 5th or 6th or 7th person footing....

By the way, I would like to sell the Flightcraft Sportster, if you know of anyone wanting a great barefoot boat for practically nothing.....it is beyond immaculate and runs perfect...

Sure wish we would add a Barefoot Section to themalibucrew site...

JMHO

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