[Fr. Frank]

Blue, my target RPM for my 2.4L on the back of my '72 Seafari was 6000. I actually turned 6050 at WOT, trimmed out, 1 person and 30 gallons of fuel with my reman'd 2.4L XR4. Originally 150hp, it dyno'd right at 190hp after the rebuild. I was turning a custom made 15.25"X16.5"P PowerTech OFS 3 blade. (still have the prop, the motor was sold)

Fully loaded, with 7 persons, 30 gallons of fuel, fishing gear and a full live-well, I could still turn 5700-5750 rpms. I wanted to be able to turn the maximum of the reccomended maximum rpm range with the boat a maximum load. I call that running "max of max at max" That way I'm never over-propped so that I cannot take advantage of the full power of my motor in an emergency.

BTW, Tim, on a cold day, after I had about 20 hours or so on the motor and my new prop, I once ran downwind in a light chop, 2 guys on board, and about 10-15 gallons of fuel, and ran and maintained 46 knots on the GPS, or about 53 mph for more than 10 minutes with that XR4 on the back of my Seafari. Had a nosecone and LW pickup, too. Threw one heck of a rooster tail for a Seafari, had to be 8-10 ft high. And yes, that's right on the edge of chine-walking for my boat. Actually fell into a chine walk a couple of times before re-stabilizing.

The reason? Trying to get in off the Gulf of Mexico from 20 miles out before the really nasty squall hit. We made it, too.