Topnative2,
On my Native SUV17 I have a 40hp 2011 Nissan/Tohatsu. The stock 3 blade aluminum prop had a strong mid range and the best top end of the props Ive used. I kept it on thru the motor breakin period. This was with the motor's cavition plate roughly 1 inch above the bottom surface of the hull. The top 300- 500 RPM the torque curve seemed almost flat (no increase in speed). It had good grip and decent hole shot. I also have a jackplate and trim tabs. With this stock prop, if I did not use the tabs, the boat would porpoise. With minimal tabs the nose drops and the ride smooths out. To answer your question depends on what you are trying to achieve. Running very shallow? Jumping on a plane quickly? Heavy load with multiple passengers? I believe its a matter of compromises. I settled on a Powertech SWC3R12PTN40. This was recommended to me by Marcus of Powertech to meet my requirements. I was going to elevate the motor to run shallow, would be running in weeds, so would need to have good holeshot, running WOT and turning quickly, needed good grip and no cavitation, but would like to keep as much top end as possible. The 4 blade SS selection would load the engine too much and significantly reduce top end. This prop is a 3 blade SS with alot of cupping. It works great to all my expectations. One note, you have to have trim tabs to make it work. The hull works best with this prop at the highest elevations on the jackplate and tabs used partially down. With this setup the boat is nearly level in the water. Some top end is sacrificed, but the handling is retained. My GPS is not working currently, but the last time it was I was seeing roughly 30-31mph. The props torque seems to be in the bottom half of the RPM range. This is where I use it the most so it meets my needs. The negative to this setup, reverse is almost non existent. Kinda of like an airboat.
Hope this helps.
Josh
On my Native SUV17 I have a 40hp 2011 Nissan/Tohatsu. The stock 3 blade aluminum prop had a strong mid range and the best top end of the props Ive used. I kept it on thru the motor breakin period. This was with the motor's cavition plate roughly 1 inch above the bottom surface of the hull. The top 300- 500 RPM the torque curve seemed almost flat (no increase in speed). It had good grip and decent hole shot. I also have a jackplate and trim tabs. With this stock prop, if I did not use the tabs, the boat would porpoise. With minimal tabs the nose drops and the ride smooths out. To answer your question depends on what you are trying to achieve. Running very shallow? Jumping on a plane quickly? Heavy load with multiple passengers? I believe its a matter of compromises. I settled on a Powertech SWC3R12PTN40. This was recommended to me by Marcus of Powertech to meet my requirements. I was going to elevate the motor to run shallow, would be running in weeds, so would need to have good holeshot, running WOT and turning quickly, needed good grip and no cavitation, but would like to keep as much top end as possible. The 4 blade SS selection would load the engine too much and significantly reduce top end. This prop is a 3 blade SS with alot of cupping. It works great to all my expectations. One note, you have to have trim tabs to make it work. The hull works best with this prop at the highest elevations on the jackplate and tabs used partially down. With this setup the boat is nearly level in the water. Some top end is sacrificed, but the handling is retained. My GPS is not working currently, but the last time it was I was seeing roughly 30-31mph. The props torque seems to be in the bottom half of the RPM range. This is where I use it the most so it meets my needs. The negative to this setup, reverse is almost non existent. Kinda of like an airboat.
Hope this helps.
Josh
