Acme 537 vs 1257 on an XLV

[trayson]

So the prop I have right now on my Moomba XLV is a Acme 537 (13.5x16).

The seller of the boat is giving me the spare prop. It’s also a 537.

I have a friend that has a Acme 1257 (13x14) that he is willing to trade me for my spare 537. I looked up the 1257 and it’s only a 3 blade. . The 537 also sells for $60 more than the 1257 so I'd be on the wrong side of the price differential. Regardless, should I do it? I don’t know enough about props to know if I’d be getting a decent trade or getting ripped off.

I can certainly just keep the 537’s.

I did a top speed run the other day and I think I topped out around 38mph. I can do 30 to 32 mph at 4000 to 4200 RPM’s.

Right now I’ve been running with 1100 rear and 600 front and haven’t had any issues with power. it jumps to surf speed easily. But that could change I imagine if I add more weight (like the 2nd 1100 with a ghetto gate and increasing my center bag to the gravity 1180).

Thoughts on keeping a spare 537 vs trading for a 1257?

[sandm]

sell the 537 for a 1235. I wouldn't put a 3blade on that boat, but that's my .02

[Boonejeepin]

1235 or 2079 if you really want to go heavy and have trailer and hull clearance.

I have the 2079 and love it!

[jmvotto]

I have the 1235 with the surf engine,I put 4 k in ballast and handled great could probably go 5k easy

[beat taco]

Thoughts on keeping a spare 537 vs trading for a 1257?

Definitely go for the trade. Most of us V-drive guys running weight swapped out our four blades for three blades. That's a score!

[trayson]

Definitely go for the trade. Most of us V-drive guys running weight swapped out our four blades for three blades. That's a score!

But all the guys above are talking about the bigger 4 blades they're using... you're the only person that's mentioned going to a 3 blade.

[MLA]

If that boat has a typical 1.48:1 gear, a 3-blade is not the right prop. The only v-drives we put 3-blades on, are those with the 1:1 gears.

[jmvotto]

4 blades only on the v drives....

[rdlangston13]

i have never heard of anyone going from a 4 blade to a 3 blade on a v drive. i have heard of 4 blades to 5 blades but i think typically 4 blades are the prop of choice

[MLA]

I would caution against using the v-drive/direct-drive configuration to determine whether a 3 or 4 blade is the ideal prop, but rather the gear ratio of the v-drive. LOTS of v-drives out there with a 1:1 ratio same a DD. A v-drive doesnt arbitrarily mean a 3-blade is the best option.

[jmvotto]

every Moomba v drive I have seen since 2006 has come of the lot with a 4 blade prop, ( ie. wakeboarding prop) now we are getting into surf props so I don't believe a 3 blade is strong enough to load with ballst but I could be wrong.
Good info on the gear ratio

[MLA]

Ive outfitted dozens of 1:1 ratio v-drives and DDs, from 20 ft to 24 ft, with 653's and 911's. Most running 1000# + in ballast. Only know of one that was exceeding the 911 and he was wake-boarding. Found a blue 1.48 walter and swapped so he could run a 4 blade. Those 1:1 ratio boats just struggle to turn the 4 blade props.

[beat taco]

But all the guys above are talking about the bigger 4 blades they're using... you're the only person that's mentioned going to a 3 blade.

I know guys who have cut down their 4 blades and made them into high performance 3 blades. It's a great DIY mod to get some more push out of a 4 blade. Better fuel economy too.

[kaneboats]

I know guys who have cut down their 4 blades and made them into high performance 3 blades. It's a great DIY mod to get some more push out of a 4 blade. Better fuel economy too.

Funny. We usually take a three blade, stretch it a little and slip a 4th blade in there. Another nice DIY mod.

[beat taco]

Funny. We usually take a three blade, stretch it a little and slip a 4th blade in there. Another nice DIY mod.

I'm considering lengthening the prop shaft and adding this for a winter mod...
20928

[kaneboats]

I might do something like that after I get my air conditioning install done.