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My concern, ATM, is getting up on plane. With two of us onboard, a bunch of fishing gear and tackle (~ 60 lbs.) moved forward and 50 gallons of gas, I can't get on plane until I hit 18 mph. Here are the stats:
Will a 4 blade prop make a discernable difference with getting up on plane at a lower speed? Will I lose a ton on the top end? I'm debating a Cyclone 4 Blade lefty SS prop. Can anyone recommend the right size prop? A couple shops (believe it or not) seem iffy on the subject.
Thanks,
Paul
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Inability to plane at low speed is a common symptom of a stern-heavy boat! Been there, done that! I had no such problem with a 300 lb motor on the transom, but a 430 lb motor set back 30" on a bracket shifts the boat's CG aft by more than a foot. The extra stern lift from a 4 blade prop will make a huge difference! I'm running a 4 blade PowerTech 15x15 prop with the old SST blade profile. On my 2 week Fl. circumnavigation trip with a very heavy load in my Seafari(with 2 170-180 lb guys, 2 large coolers, grill, 45 gallons of fuel, 6 gal of water, fishing gear, extra clothes and sleeping bags) I was able to plane at 12-13 mph, cruise at 27 mph at 3700-3800, with a top speed of about 39 at 5450 with the big Bimini top up. I averaged 4.35 mpg over 700 miles with that load. The I-Command gage will show throttle position sensor reading, and with the PowerTech prop, it has an awesome hole shot. I rarely use more than about 45% throttle to get on plane, and cruise at about 36-37%. The same rig with the top down and just me and a full tank of gas aboard has run almost 50 mph with a 14.125x20 Michigan Vortex 4B prop at about 5250 rpm, but I'm not really interested in top speed, and that's too much pitch for any kind of load. I carry a 14x18 aluminum Michigan Vortex 4B prop as a spare that will turn up to 5500-5600, but is a couple of mph slower than the SS PowerTech prop. All of these 4B props will plane the boat at 12-12 mph.
You may also want to try a Doelfin or equivalent fin on cavitation plate to help with improve low speed planning.