[Fr. Frank]

Everything you mentioned but the Rev 4 is a bow lifter, I'd hold out for Fr Franks opinion, but I think you skip over the the Bravo series and the semi-cleaver and jump into the cleaver category. Get the rear end up in the air, keep the pointy end down, "bend the throttle and let 'er eat" as has been oft repeated here. I have never run that fast so this is just theoretical not my experience...Heck I don't even like to drive that fast

Actually, the Mirage and the semi-Cleaver and Cleaver props are all stern lifters. The others mentioned are bow lifters. I use the old-time (early 1970's) definition of a semi-cleaver being a through-hub exhaust prop with true straight back cleaver blades. A full cleaver is over-the-hub exhaust.

Here is a cleaver.

Here is a semi-cleaver:



and here is an almost-semi-cleaver from PowerTech, the OFX3:


I truly don't know which will give you the best cruise performance, but I lean toward the almost semi-cleaver/semi-cleaver (or thru-hub cleaver). This may cost you a little top-end performance, but will cruise at 75% power better than a full cleaver.

75% power is defined in terms of hp produced, not in percentage of max rpms. For example, for my 90 Optimax, 75% power is 4600 rpms, which is actually 82% of max 5600 rpms. For my old t/260hp 26' Nova II, 75% power was 4400 rpms, 91% of the max 4800.

It's important to remember that any cleaver-type propeller blade is at its most efficient when it is run as a surface-piercing propeller. The amount of blade surfaced for best performance is a matter of constant trial and error.

Cleavers also ALWAYS cost you out of the hole performance, because of the cavitation induced under acceleration.

For the record, I ran thru-hub "semi-cleaver" props on my 26' Nova II (and both RH drives) after trying a lot of props. That was partly because I ran offshore a lot, and cleaver blades don't shock the drive-train as hard on re-entry after launching off the top of a swell.