Just ordered my Hill Marine 4x4 Props!!!

Autodog61

Ok listen up ladies and Germs.  I finally got my Hill Marine 4x4 props installaed and went for a test drive.  What I did was swap OEM 3 blades 24P with Hill 4x4 22P set ups on my Rinker 342 with 6.2L MPIs.  Its important to note my engine set ups as having 320 HP each while the 5.7l's are likely 275HO each.  So, the background first.  Recall above the boat was a slug when I first took out this season so I had the bottom cleaned.  That improved performance out of the hole with the stock props from 24 down to say 17 seconds on plane.  Monday I added the Hill props.  WHOA! 10-11 seconds on plane.  And, RPM wasn't a pig out of the hole.  (All three tests were very similar conditions, 1/4 fuel each side, three 200lb+ turds on board, light chop fresh water on Lake Washington, wind 10mph or less.  Headwind, tail didn't matter). 

These things perform.  I was so Excited, I called Ron Hill to commend him on his excellent props.   These guys are masters no doubt!

Some additional observation! - There was lift at the stern and the swim step swamping coming off plane was quite a bit reduced to the point I have no fear now of the following wave washing over the hatch seam and allowing water in!  Wha-What!?

As others have noted, vibrations are WAY down.  You CAN have a conversation at high RPM now.  Its absolutely amazing.  

Only thing I say was not an improvement in a significant way was the ability to stay on plane at lower RPM.  With OEM minimum RPM was about 3400/26MPH.  With these new props I'd say its 32-3300 RPM/24 MPH?. An improvement, just not earth shattering like the hole shot and the anti-vibration and the noise.  Its by far the best 2,400 I ever spent improving this thing.  I have three videos we'll see if the upload,  The first two are hole shot with OEM props, the third is with the new Hill props.  They are large so may not load.  We'll see.  As far as speed - First response is WHO CARES but as my speedo is out currently and I have to use glasses to see the miniscule Stock GPS screen Id say there was at worst a loss of 2 MPH top end.  I can check that further if any of you care but again, 2 MPH our there abouts loss of Top end and I say WHO CARES.  40 vs 38 MPH doesn't even register with me.  Yea, as I suspected, .MOV files not allowed, that's really too bad.  Irritating but I'll get over it. 

Anybody want two sets of used OEM Bravo III -3 blade props?  Just kidding Ill keep them for backups if I ever hit anything and it only damages the props and doesn't knock the outdrive off!

BTW - No problems reaching 4,700 RPM either. 

  

J3ff

Just makes me think I should have gone 22p even more on my 270.. Anyone have the hill marine 22p on their 270??? 

reneechris14

You have too load on u tube then post a link on this page for a video. Great info I'm going to start putting penny's in a jar. Put them on my 270 years ago made it a different boat for sure. Also I think 22's is the right prop for the 342.

skuter99

J3ff,

so you have Hill Marine 20p on right now and want to go 22p?

J3ff

skuter99 said:

J3ff,

so you have Hill Marine 20p on right now and want to go 22p?

Yes. I also have a 383 stroker.. which everyone told me has more torque so I think the 20p's are not taking advantage of the extra horses/power.. 

YYZRC

@aero3113 did you have any trouble getting your old props off, and if so, any tips? Hoping to swap this weekend - weather permitting!

aero3113

No issues at all. They slid right off once the nuts were removed. If you do, have a block of wood and a mallet handy. Just tap on the backside at the root of a blade and it should come off. You’ll need the piece of wood for between the cavitation plate and the prop also to keep the props from rotating when you remove the nuts.

YYZRC

I have the 2x4, mallet, 1 7/16 socket, giant merc socket, torque wrench, grease and new nuts and thrust washers ready to go!

aero3113

Have a plastic or wooden scraper handy to help remove the old grease from the splines. Plenty of rags also!

YYZRC

Done! I did new washers and nuts at the same time. 

aero3113

Nice @YYZRC! I’m sure it wasn’t easy in the water. Let us know what you think of the props.

Aqua_Aura

Is that a dinghy system off the back? Did you have scuba gear or just a mask and hose? 

YYZRC

It was actually no problem at all! It was about 3.5 feet deep so I was able to get leverage on the torque wrench to get the nuts loose/tight. None of the props were seized on the shafts thankfully. The only hard part was indexing them underwater but I did the best I could. 

Just went for a 30 minute run and everything posted is true!! The engines sound better (less raspy) and there is less hull vibration. The boat planes way faster and I can now run 3800 on plane (couldn’t go below 4000 before). Top end is the same. 

I am thrilled. An expensive mod for sure but the boat should have came with these props. @Spyderweb you need to join team Hill!

aero3113

👍👍⚓️

YYZRC

Aqua_Aura said:

Is that a dinghy system off the back? Did you have scuba gear or just a mask and hose? 

Yes it is - I posted details in my “330 Random Topics” thread. 

I didn’t need a mask. It was only 3.5 feet deep and calm clear water. I had all new washers/nuts so I wasn’t worried about losing any hardware. 

Aqua_Aura

Oh that makes sens I guess I can see they are tilted up and almost at the surface. Nicely done. 

Spyderweb

@YYZRC I just got my props all matched up at 22p (instead of 22 and 20).  I’m enjoying that improvement for now.

LaRea

Today I almost pulled the trigger on a set of 4x4 22P, but I botched the timing.  We're leaving Friday for a 10-day cruise.  I wanted to get them this week, but the lead time is 1-2 weeks.  

YYZRC

Which forum member gets the Hill Marine referral bonus when you buy??

J3ff

None of us lol 

Dream_Inn

YYZRC said:

Which forum member gets the Hill Marine referral bonus when you buy??

Hey, I was a first to order one...if only I got money for it!!

Black_Diamond

@J3ff

Your WOT numbers at 5,000rpm are correct. Anything less you are lugging the engines. Been there!  

I’m running 20P 4x4’s now. 4k rpm gets me 30 mph in decent sea conditions. Honestly going any faster just starts significant gph use vs little mph gain. 

Black_Diamond

@Autodog61  I’ll bet you are over propped. My 342 had 24P’s. Was like a disaster getting on plane...mile or more. You gain/lose 200 rpm per 1” of pitch: more pitch = less rpm. Moving to 20P will get you in the right rpm.  Call the guys at Hill Marine with your rpm info and I bet they say 20P too. 

BTW the Hill 4x4’s are cheaper than the Merc props too. 

DarkHawk

Any 03-05 270 FV with Hill Marine props? What pitch did you get?

J3ff

Black_Diamond said:

@J3ff

Your WOT numbers at 5,000rpm are correct. Anything less you are lugging the engines. Been there!  

I’m running 20P 4x4’s now. 4k rpm gets me 30 mph in decent sea conditions. Honestly going any faster just starts significant gph use vs little mph gain. 

Weird my 20p's really only get me around 27 at 4k

JasonA

Switched to 22p 4x4 Hill Marine props today on my 2013 290 with 8.2. Boat had factory 24p on it when I got it and was a pig out of the hole, marine convinced me to switch to 20p Mercruiser props. Ran the 20p for about 18 months, boat was a monster out of the hole and you could feel it when you dropped the hammer but was IMO spinning a lot higher then I wanted (4k RPM for about 28-29mph). Boat would not stay on plan less then 26mph. I suspected that I had some prop slip occurring.

The 22p 4x4 put me at around 30-31mph at 3700rpm, at 4000rpm I am at 35-36mph. Was able to keep the boat on plane down to 3100-3200 at 24-25mph. Hole shot is a bit longer then the 20p and it they do not have the kick the 20p's did. However MPG is way up from 1.2mpg to 1.7mph! All speed/RPM/fuel is from a Vessel View/Simrad setup. Planning on taking it out again this week but so far very happy with the performance.

Michael T

.....or you could just buy the right HP for your rig in first place as I doubt any EC 360 would out accelerate or out MPH an EC 360 with 502 Mags with B lll X drives with standard Mercruiser SS B-3s. I'll pink slip anyone with a "4 blade"  combination. To me 4 blades are like puttin' lipstick on a pig.....only improves things if you have a pig!....Oh Oh bet I'm in trouble now!

Aqua_Aura

That's the biggest engine the 280/290 came with. We have the 8.1 and keep plane at about 3200 at 20-23 kts and that is the stock props. 

reneechris14

Michael  To me 4 blades are like puttin' lipstick on a pig.....only improves things if you have a pig!....Oh Oh bet I'm in trouble now!

If you want grab more water you grab more blades. Your comparing top speed to pulling a load. We drive big cruisers a good distance at a certain speed so the right gears and traction is key. Now with that being said take that yamy jet boat to turks+ cacos from Miami and put it on U tube.

Michael T

.......have some long trips planned for our supercharged Yammy jet boat next year , retracing 6 day routes made with our Rinker Cruisers. Will take an auxiliary 10 gallon gas container on the aft swim platform as extra insurance.