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Derwd24 wrote:
I have one more hole to go on my 22' Outrage but am hoping that the new stainless prop may give me the needed stern lift so that it won't be necessary to go up that last hole. I realize your selection of ss props is much more limited for the 40 hp, and I don't know if the same rules would apply for the smaller engines, but that may be a surprising benefit when you get the new stainless on there... Interesting thread, looking forward to seeing your results!
Dave, what kind of SS prop are you considering? You may already know this but generally speaking, the straighter the trailing edge of the blades (vs rounded), the more stern lift you get. Rounded trailing edges (and a high rake angle) generate more bow lift.
I'm going to try the Mercury MiragePLUS prop Ric as I've been told that large blade, low rake props have more stern lift ablilty. Hadn't heard that about the trailing edge though... There's a Raker on there now and it sure does lift the bow (and push the stern down), making it difficult to achieve lower rpm/speed plane, which is also negatively impacting fuel economy.
Getting this new Etec has been a real education in the importance of selecting the correct prop, and I'm amazed dealers don't pay much more attention as it can really enhance or more importantly detract from a new installation.
Dealers don't have the time, patience and often not an adequate understanding to really prop a boat right. Anyway, my previous boat (a high-powered Baja) had a Mirage Plus. Great prop, but I don't think I agree that it is a low-rake, stern lifting prop. But you may not need as much stern lift as you think, and the Raker is clearly a high-rake prop. Take a look at this website:
www.hydromotive.com/propellers.html
Look at their descriptions of the Quad IV (stern-lifting) and Quad IV-X (bow-lifting). I'm not recommending these props for your boat. It's just a good site to read about the effects of different blade designs. At the end of the day, a Mirage Plus may very well be the best bet for you.
