Another Prop Quandry-I/O Alpha

[Jon G]

My experiance with props/engines has been best when I propped for the TOP of my RPM range. The engine that came with my boat was mint except that the last owner over propped it and when I bought it I got 22hrs out of it until a rod cap came loose. The first thing I did when I bought it was re prop it but the damage was already done from the previous owner. With my current engine a DF140 the first prop I tried put me right at my minumum rpm range and I used it for a while before trying the next smaller prop and what a differance. It put me at he top of my rpm range and I noticed that the hole shot was way better and that a given cruising speed my throttle lever was back from where it used to be, the engine didn't have to work as hard as it used to and I ended getting better fuel economy. Now when my boat is fully loaded it turns in the upper end of my rpm range and its perfect. There is nothing harded on an engine than being over propped, try droping two inches of pitch and see what happens. Its definatly better to be near the top if the range than the bottom.