"Joe Boater" wrote in message
. ..
Hi all, I'm new to the group. First of several (possibly many) stupid
questions.
Just upgraded from a "toy boat" to a 26 ft cruiser.
1976 Carver Santa Cruz. Volvo Penta 260_A (GM 350 CID engine, VP290 OD. My
aluminum prop is moderatly corroded ans has a significant dind. I'd like
to
replace it.
The engine runs smooth, but considering the 400+ hours on it, I'd like to
baby it a bit, but I'd like to get max cruise speed out of this old slow
boat. I'm no speed racer, I dont care about being quick, "out of the hole"
I
just want the fastest cruise with a slower RPM. The boat weighs about
7-8000
lbs and has HUGE trim tabs. What should I be looking for in a prop.
Thanks in advance for the acvice.
DB


You don't mention what your wide open throttle (WOT) RPM currently is. It
should be somewhere between 4400-4600 RPM at WOT. Assuming that the engine
is currently in proper tune and producing all the horsepower it is good for,
you should be looking for a prop that will allow the engine to reach the
recommend RPM range at WOT. No more, no less. This will be determined
primarily by the pitch of the prop. Many prop shops will help by making
recommendations as a good prop to start with, based on your description of
the boat and its powertrain. If the initial guess is a bit off, a good shop
will allow you to return the prop undamaged and exchange it for one that
allows your engine to reach proper operating speeds. Stainless versus
aluminum is a personal choice, with mine being stainless. I also highly
recommend carrying a spare prop (aluminum is fine for this) and also spare
mounting hardware and a prop wrench.