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Anyone tried the 5 blade 2259?


Vettesetter

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It's going to be hard for anyone to be able to recommend a prop for you, since you have a one off hull/motor combo. Rocking 150HP over what most VTX's are sporting makes a bigger difference in prop selection.

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It's going to be hard for anyone to be able to recommend a prop for you, since you have a one off hull/motor combo. Rocking 150HP over what most VTX's are sporting makes a bigger difference in prop selection.

Not for me, my buddy just picked up a new Supreme 226 with 5.7 Indmar and 2 1100's in the lockers.

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Oh boy, another tastes great less filing debate!!

The only thing 5 blades will do that 3 won't is increase gas usage and decrease performance....more frictional forces slicing thru the water....friction=loss of performance. the reason golf balls have dimples, and dropping your tailgate on your pick will decrease your gas mileage.

The proper 3 blade with proper pitch is the way to go. CALL ACME!!! or OJ!!

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Oh boy, another tastes great less filing debate!!

The only thing 5 blades will do that 3 won't is increase gas usage and decrease performance....more frictional forces slicing thru the water....friction=loss of performance. the reason golf balls have dimples, and dropping your tailgate on your pick will decrease your gas mileage.

The proper 3 blade with proper pitch is the way to go. CALL ACME!!! or OJ!!

I've done just that in the past, they do not recommend a three blade for these surf/wakeboard water sleds.

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Uhhh, not sure I would run a 3 blade vs. a 4 blade on my boat.

what do you gain by going to a 4 blade??? reread my post...the correct size and pitch....4 blades ONLY increase gas consumption and reduce performance....period!

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Four blades give more lower end thrust but will sacrifice a little top speed, compared to a three blade.

Edited by Vettesetter Z06
  • Like 2
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what do you gain by going to a 4 blade??? reread my post...the correct size and pitch....4 blades ONLY increase gas consumption and reduce performance....period!

I am pretty sure you are missing something else here. Otherwise prop manufacturers, whom are experts in design and construction, would not have the 4 blade prop as the defacto standard for pretty much any v-drive on the market.

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Thought you were running a 1 and a half blade the other day??

Best I both worlds I guess. 3 1/2 blades. Didn't seem real smooth, but got excellent fuel economy.

Edited by Bobby Bright
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Oh boy, another tastes great less filing debate!!

The only thing 5 blades will do that 3 won't is increase gas usage and decrease performance....more frictional forces slicing thru the water....friction=loss of performance. the reason golf balls have dimples, and dropping your tailgate on your pick will decrease your gas mileage.

The proper 3 blade with proper pitch is the way to go. CALL ACME!!! or OJ!!

And you wonder why your LS3 doesn't perform properly, LOL. V-drives should't be running 3 blade props...PERIOD.
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His point is , by your logic that a two bladed prop would be more effiecent and offer no gain over a 3 blade as you have suggested a 4 blade is no gain over a 3 blade.

I can't think of one modern V-drive boat original spec'd with a 3 blade OEM. I have also been told personally by Eric at OJ and Acme that 3 blades don't belong on v-drive tow boats . Just not sure where this "myth" came from.

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His point is , by your logic that a two bladed prop would be more effiecent and offer no gain over a 3 blade as you have suggested a 4 blade is no gain over a 3 blade.

I can't think of one modern V-drive boat original spec'd with a 3 blade OEM. I have also been told personally by Eric at OJ and Acme that 3 blades don't belong on v-drive tow boats . Just not sure where this "myth" came from.

ANd with your fuzzy logic, 6, 7 8, heck why not a 10 blade prop??...if more is better??

and I surf fine with my 3 blade. with wedge and added weight, enough to surf all day and night. tried a 4 blade and did not care for the results...went back to the 3 blade...what I did notice was the wake was a tad flatter and softer with the 4 blade.

Merely stating the facts, that by adding more blades, you have to sacrifice something...and that is more gas consumption and reduced top end at WOT!! any logically thinking would have to agree with that.

again proper dia and pitch....

Edited by happypappy
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4 or 5 blade gives much more grip on the water, but there is more resistance due to the number of blades cutting the water. You lose top speed due to the resistance and the fact the props can limit the amount of water they can move as rpms increase. But a four blade will accelerate quicker than a three as a three will cavitation a bit on acceleration, four blades bite better. That said, I run a three as I have a dd, and don't run a lot of weight. My last boat did so much better with a four.

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I never said anything about adding more blades.

Since your so dang smart, why don't you work or consult Malibu, Acme, and OJ. Or maybe actually Michigan Wheel so they could get them up to speed. Seems off that none of the manufactures or Prop builders seem to agree..... Accept for DD.

Why is this? Because a vdrive needs more Bite due to the weight bias, and they typically see more weight. Will a 3 blade work or get you bye? Ofcourse. Is it the best prop for the application ? I'll tend to agree with the pros here. The trade off is a 3 blade will get you to 45 mph, not necessary how we use out boats. We need more of a torque prop. That's what the extra blade gives you. To get a 3 blade to perform down low were the 4 blade is at home, it would have to be 16" in diameter and a 10 pitch.

Your logic may work on a DD ski boat used for footing, but not on a large VDrive yankin 10000lbs of weight.

No need to get all sore in the rear pap.

  • Like 2
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I never said anything about adding more blades.

Since your so dang smart, why don't you work or consult Malibu, Acme, and OJ. Or maybe actually Michigan Wheel so they could get them up to speed. Seems off that none of the manufactures or Prop builders seem to agree..... Accept for DD.

Why is this? Because a vdrive needs more Bite due to the weight bias, and they typically see more weight. Will a 3 blade work or get you bye? Ofcourse. Is it the best prop for the application ? I'll tend to agree with the pros here. The trade off is a 3 blade will get you to 45 mph, not necessary how we use out boats. We need more of a torque prop. That's what the extra blade gives you. To get a 3 blade to perform down low were the 4 blade is at home, it would have to be 16" in diameter and a 10 pitch.

Your logic may work on a DD ski boat used for footing, but not on a large VDrive yankin 10000lbs of weight.

No need to get all sore in the rear pap.

Then why do you see pics of the titantic, fishing boats, etc. they all have 3 blades??.....if you are sooo dang a$$ smart? Surely that fishing boat has more weight bias (whatever that is) than any v drive...just guessing on that one. and not sore, just stating basic engineering facts. and if you need more low end TQ, ie surfing at 10 mph, then ya go from a 13x13 to say a 13x12 or even 13x11. and you can even add some cup to help out.

ANd you substantiated what I origianally said, you go with your 16X10...assuming that is a 3 blade prop...again change the dia and pitch...which again is what I started out saying...I don't need to consult with Malibu, Acme or Oj, I know enough about engineering though to know what to expect when I go from a same sized and pitched 3 blade to a 4 blade prop you are going to see a decrease in top end at WOT and increased fuel consumption because you have inceased your frictional forces (drag) by 25%.

Edited by happypappy
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I'm not sure I agree that a 3 blade universally is more fuel efficient. A 4 blade is less prone to cavitation and runs more efficiently at slower and mid-range speeds. Using less RPM to achieve the same speed as a 3 blade, also using less gas. This is not a universal truth, but if you are operating at wakeboard or lower speeds, I'd bet the best sized/cupped 4 blade runs as or more efficient than the equivalent 3.

Some interesting info from the web:

What's the difference between a 3-blade and a 4-blade propeller?

Three-blade propellers are good for general purpose use and, on many boats, are faster than 4-blade props. However, 4-blade propellers offer significantly different performance characteristics compared to 3-blade props. A 4-blade compared to a 3-blade propeller usually:
dot.jpg planes the boat faster
dot.jpg keeps the boat on plane at a slower speed
dot.jpg gives improved mid-range speed at the same RPM
dot.jpg provides quicker acceleration
dot.jpg has better holding power in rough seas
dot.jpg is less likely to ventilate in sharp turns
dot.jpg offers better low-speed handling
dot.jpg is not as fast on top end

If I want to switch to a 4-blade propeller, what size should I get?

If your current three-blade propeller allows your boat's engine to operate within the upper end of the engine manufacturer's recommended RPM range, choose a 4-blade propeller of the same pitch (or next lower pitch, depending on propeller selection) as your 3-blade propeller. Keep in mind that the 4-blade should decrease your engine 50 to 100 RPM.

What is propeller ventilation?

Ventilation occurs when air from the water's surface or exhaust gases are drawn into the propeller blades. The normal water load is reduced and the engine over-revs, losing propeller thrust. This action occurs in turns, when trying to plane the boat in a sharp turn or with an excessively trimmed-out engine or sterndrive.

In general, 3- blade props are the most common. They are available in wide size ranges and cost less than 4-blades. They typically yield a slightly higher top end speed than 4-blades. They are available in a wider variety of designs and offer more left hand rotation pitch options for twin counter-rotating engine applications.
  Four-blades have some features of their own, though. They often provide more lift at the stern which will help accelerate the hull, especially if it is stern heavy. They come out of the hole strong and work well for pulling skiers and water toys. In fishing and offshore boats, they are oftentimes slightly faster than 3-blades at mid-range rpm’s, where coastal anglers most often run their engines. They also deliver slightly better fuel economy at mid-range rpm. Oftentimes, a poor-handling boat will improve by switching to a 4-blade propeller, and more often than not, a 4-blade will run smoother with better balance than the 3-blade equivalent.


  A 4-blade propeller will usually have a smaller diameter for the same pitch size of the 3-blade equivalent. This is one reason they spin up quickly and yield good acceleration. The blades are often a bit smaller but offer more total blade area because of the additional blade, so they have more grip on the water. When switching from a 3-blade prop to a 4-blade, you’ll usually need to decrease the pitch by 1 or 2 inches to keep the engine RPM in the same range.

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An anyone with half a brain would know that a 16" prop will not fit on a Malibu. So how does that calculate in to the best option for our boats and how we use them?

Good to know that we have a Member on staff here that has it all figured out and is more intellectually skilled in engineering than not just Malibu, Acme, OJ, ....but the whole inboard tow boat industry. Thanks for turning us all on our ears and getting it set straight.

Re read that last post two or three times until you understand. A three blade is not optimal for our uses. Plain and simple. The Titanic?..... would have had to have been there I guess.

Edited by Bobby Bright
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What's the deal with all those photos? Another example of the governments abuse of our tax dollars. I'm sure we could save a few million in fuel if they changed all those props to three blades. :Frustrated:

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This is getting good! Just throwing this out there. The faster a shaft spins the less prop blades you want for max speed. The slower the shaft spins the more prop blades you want for the best thrust forward. Let's not forget pitch & cup vs gear ratio/ shaft speed vs engine HP & TQ... What you use the boat for there is a lot in play here.

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