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Barefooting prop recommendations


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Greeting from Downunder,

Looking for some opinions regarding prop options people are using for barefooting.

Details:

  • Boat Malibu Flightcraft Sportster - Inboard
  • 5.7 Mercruiser
  • 90 % of the time we barefoot - only wakeboard/ski when the water is rubbish
  • Generally 3-4 people in the boat
  • No altitude/elevation - Brisbane is basically sea level
  • Revs at WOT 4700 - with a 'slightly damaged/deflected blade' prop: 42/43 mph
  • Currently using a 4 blade prop - the stamped details are no longer legible

Any opinions welcome.

Thanks

Douglas

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1 hour ago, Doug69 said:

Greeting from Downunder,

Looking for some opinions regarding prop options people are using for barefooting.

Details:

  • Boat Malibu Flightcraft Sportster - Inboard
  • 5.7 Mercruiser
  • 90 % of the time we barefoot - only wakeboard/ski when the water is rubbish
  • Generally 3-4 people in the boat
  • No altitude/elevation - Brisbane is basically sea level
  • Revs at WOT 4700 - with a 'slightly damaged/deflected blade' prop: 42/43 mph
  • Currently using a 4 blade prop - the stamped details are no longer legible

Any opinions welcome.

Thanks

Douglas

That sounds about right for what you listed.  What is your max RPM and top end speed with just the driver?

You will lose a bit of top end with a four-blade prop due to drag.  I would expect it to be a 13x13 or so.  Is your prop stainless or bronze?

Are you looking for more speed, or a smoother wash table, or something else?

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A 3 blade prop will be preferable as it will allow ~1-2 mph more top speed.  A light boat like yours with a 1:1 transmission should work well with an Acme 449 prop.  Acme has a decent prop selector configuration, should help guide you.

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Thanks guys. Normally (driver only) I can get to 46/47 mph at 4800 rpm  - with a bent blade it has dropped down to 42 mph. The prop is bronze.

The main aim is to get a little more top end speed for some of the 'heavy' guys who foot ... their technique needs to improve but a little more speed wouldn't hurt for the time being.

However, I didn't want to lose the 'hole shot' power that a 4 blade gives.

Thanks woodski ... I was looking at the ACME 449, good feedback. Other choice was 13 by 12.5 pitch 4 blade.

Thanks again for your feedback

Douglas

 

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16 hours ago, Doug69 said:

Thanks guys. Normally (driver only) I can get to 46/47 mph at 4800 rpm  - with a bent blade it has dropped down to 42 mph. The prop is bronze.

The main aim is to get a little more top end speed for some of the 'heavy' guys who foot ... their technique needs to improve but a little more speed wouldn't hurt for the time being.

However, I didn't want to lose the 'hole shot' power that a 4 blade gives.

Thanks woodski ... I was looking at the ACME 449, good feedback. Other choice was 13 by 12.5 pitch 4 blade.

Thanks again for your feedback

Douglas

 

A boom will help everybody with their technique.  A useful exercise that @JB-FOOT suggested to me is to get up, then slow the boat by 1 MPH at a time until the footer cannot stay up.  With a boom you don't need to let go, so you can speed up a little and let them swing around and get up again without stopping the boat.  Once you find that minimum speed, move up one or two MPH and let them practice staying up with good technique.  Once they get good on the boom, add a short handle and let them do it again. 

I used to think I had to go 42 to stay up, but now 38 or 39 is plenty for me after giving it a try.  I need to work on it again some time as a refresher.  It is also fun to see who can go the slowest.  I was able to stay up at 28-29 on a short handle.  It took a lot of concentration, but I was surprised I could go that slow.

I can't imagine needing hole shot on a 5.7L direct drive.  I never use WOT to get anybody up.  It is usually more like an easy roll to 1/3 or 1/2 throttle, then back off as RPM increases.

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A softer roll on with the throttle eliminates or reduces the prop wash bump on long line starts.  I didn’t find a great holeshot for footing is that much of a priority compared to ensuring enough top end for heavier footers.

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Hi Crew,

Before I drop $900 + shipping AUD on a prop, just confirming: For a Malibu Sportster 1996: 3 blade, 13 by 12.5 pitch Left Hand?

I'[m pretty sure this will give me the top end speed (for bigger guys) without losing the ability to pull 2 or 3 (smaller) footer on the long line.

Thanks again for your feedback

Douglas

 

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17 hours ago, Doug69 said:

Hi Crew,

Before I drop $900 + shipping AUD on a prop, just confirming: For a Malibu Sportster 1996: 3 blade, 13 by 12.5 pitch Left Hand?

I'[m pretty sure this will give me the top end speed (for bigger guys) without losing the ability to pull 2 or 3 (smaller) footer on the long line.

Thanks again for your feedback

Douglas

 

That is what I would use.  Make sure that you confirm your shaft diameter first.  I think yours should be 1-1/8" (28.6mm).

I think I would first take the existing prop to a prop shop and see if they can repitch it a bit for you while they straighten the blades.  You'll want it as a spare anyway if you buy a new prop, and if it works OK you can shop around or wait for the exchange rate to be more favorable.

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@Doug69 - which specific part number are you referencing?  The Acme website does not list a 12.5" pitch 3 blade option that will fit your application, it is either 12.0" (515) or 12.625" (449) for the 3 blade options.  The 12.5" pitch option is a 4 blade (231, 235, 421).

If I were doing your research and given you are fitting it to a flightcraft, one item I would do is weigh your boat to get an actual.  The Flighty is or should be lighter than a Response which means given the same power level it should be able to handle a bit more pitch than a heavier boat on the same hull.  Also, I would confirm the specific hull, ie: what is the beam?  The Response is a 90" beam, I recall maybe the Sportster/Flightcraft being narrower.  And maybe the most important, since a phone call is cheap compared to a $900 mistake, I would urge you to call both Acme and OJ and discuss your application and needs.  Both provide excellent customer service and feedback via live phone conversations (at least they did a few years back when I have chatted with them).

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  • 3 weeks later...

Update - bought an ACME 3 blade, 13 (diam) 13 (pitch) prop.

Very happy with the choice. My Flighty is light and generally only 3-4 people.

Now easily hit 45 mph at 4500 rpm with footer on 5 ft line.

Thanks everyone for your input.

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