Prop Test Results

[cab13367]

Hey everyone,

Today, I tested the three props below on my 2006 Mobius LSV with the 325 HP engine.

OJ #454 – 13.7 x 17.5, 0.110 cup (stock prop)
Acme #537 – 13.5 x 16, 0.105 cup
OJ #466 – 14.25 x 14, 0.090 cup (wakeboard prop)

The reason for the prop testing is that I am looking for a prop with a little more holeshot because last year, I found the limits of my stock prop. I had 1400 lbs of ballast full and 7 adults on the boat plus 1 behind the boat that I was trying to get up on a wakeboard. It took about two minutes for the boat to plane out.

The first prop is the stock prop. The second prop was recommended by my dealer (the OJ version) as well as by nettle props (the Acme version) as a good upgrade from stock for holeshot if I did not want the all out wakeboard prop which I'm told is more appropriate for heavily sacked out/bigger boats. The third prop is the wakeboard prop upgrade from Moomba/OJ (although they have a newer one out now). Tazz gave me a great deal on his 537 over the winter so I jumped on it and mandley was nice enough to let me borrow his wakeboard prop for the purpose of this test.

Of course, the wakeboard prop would take care of any holeshot concerns but since I do most of my boating with light loads, I’m not sure I want to pay the gas usage penalty as well as give up several mph on the top end all the time.

Okay, so on to the results:

[cab13367]

Only me and my 13 year old son were in the boat. I was going to also fill my 750 lb surf ballast and put in on the floor in the middle of the lounge but I realized that they have fittings on them to connect to the plumbed ballast system so there was no way I could fill it where I wanted to fill it.

Based on the test results, I am definitely keeping the Acme 537. It's a dramatic improvement in holeshot over the stock prop yet gives up no mph on the top end. The wakeboard prop is an improvement over the 537 but not nearly as much as the 537 is over the stock plus it gives up 4 mph on top. If I ran more ballast or with a boat load of adults more often, then I would consider it. But for my needs, I think the 537 fits the bill nicely.

Hope others find this useful.

Al

[cab13367]

Pics of ballast used in the test:

400 lbs in the ski locker:


455 lb X2 sacs. Good amount of weight, still leaves room for a cooler, etc in front of the bag.

[cab13367]

Tools of the trade:

[kaneboats]

Very nice job on this, Al. We are all going to learn a lot and hopefully get the info we each need to make the right choices for our prop needs. Can't wait for next weekend and the FL prop testing.

[cab13367]

Very nice job on this, Al. We are all going to learn a lot and hopefully get the info we each need to make the right choices for our prop needs. Can't wait for next weekend and the FL prop testing.

Don't forget to bring a big hammer/small sledge. Once I got home, I had a heck of a time getting the wakeboard prop off. I finally took a small sledge hammer and tapped the prop puller with it a couple of times (from under the boat, hit the back side of the prop puller) and it came right off. If this happened at the lake, I would never have gotten the prop off.

[stretch55]

Well I am glad that the acme did the best because that is the prop that I have.

[mmandley]

Well I am glad that the acme did the best because that is the prop that I have.

This explained a lot because when i was on your boat it felt like it pulled really well out of the hole, and god knows Zack likes to punch that throttle LOL. I was amazed your boat went to 40 so easily being so big, your prop explains it now lol.

I can say if Zach hit my throttle like he does when he pulls you up i bet the handle would get jerked out of your hand lol.

[cab13367]

Agreed. The "best prop" is totally dependent on the particular application.

[kaneboats]

Let's just be real efficient and do it all!