Another prop pitch thread.

69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
‘03 232BR 350 MAG/Bravo 3

i know we have a couple other 232 owners here. You guys running the 350 MAG, what prop pitch do you have?  Mine has 28s on, and I feel that seems a bit high?  

Let me say that we slalom ski, and pull everything imaginable behind it, and it gets out of the hole okay. I slalomed behind it last year at 220 lbs on a 66.5” competition ski that drags a lot of water, so it obviously does okay, but peak RPM at WOT should be 4600-5000 RPMS, and I’m only getting a little over 4200. We had half a tank of gas, 2 adults, and 3 kids on it today when I ran it out to see what it would turn. Trimmed up to max speed, this is what it was doing. Top end seems a little down on the 350 MAG too. 

So, if I pitched it down to achieve closer to 5000 RPMS, obviously it would plane out a little quicker, but would my top end go up or down?  It’ll turn more RPMS, but be pitched lower, so are those two things a wash?  Since it pulls hard enough, would it be better to just leave it alone? Thoughts?

Comments

  • Robs_232Robs_232 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭

    @69fastback

    I have a 2004 232 Captiva BR with 350 MAg and B3 drive. It came with 26p props. It  ran about 4500-4600 rpm with 4 adults. I usually have 5 - 8 adults on board. Last year I bought 24 p props and it did improve getting skiers up and still ran about 4800 rpm.

    I had a wild hair this spring after reading about Hill Marine 4 x 4 props so I bought them in 24p. They work great for me with 5 - 8 adults pulling skiers or 4 person tube (also adult kids). I am still under 5000 rpm WOT with 4 adults and 1/4 tank fuel and hit 46 mph on GPS.

    Speeds not my goal though. Needed to base props on what I want to use the boat for. I have the original 26p props and the 24p props I bought last year. Make you a deal on either set or both sets. PM me if interested. Both sets are like new.


  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Well that's good information. thank you


    speed isn't my goal either. I've had this boat for 8 years and am just now getting around to checking to see how many RPMs it turns. Lol. I usually cruise around at ~35 mph and we do a lot of skiing/tubing, ect... I have had 11 in the boat and 1 on the tube before, and the boat still did fine. But, I just don't see 28P props much, so I'm wondering if 26s or 24s would make my boat better for what we do. My typical load is 4-6 people. 
  • Robs_232Robs_232 Member Posts: 212 ✭✭✭
    Also, depends on drive ratio of out drive. Mine has a 2.2 to 1 gear ratio. The gear ratio should be on a tag on the outdrive that shows serial number. If your rpm is that low (4280 rpm) at WOT throttle you are lugging the engine which will cause lower engine damage over time.
  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    I know that the serial number is usually in the silver stripe at the bottom of the Mercruiser sticker, but I can’t find it anywhere on my drive. 
  • cdub88cdub88 Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    ‘03 232BR 350 MAG/Bravo 3

    i know we have a couple other 232 owners here. You guys running the 350 MAG, what prop pitch do you have?  Mine has 28s on, and I feel that seems a bit high?  

    Let me say that we slalom ski, and pull everything imaginable behind it, and it gets out of the hole okay. I slalomed behind it last year at 220 lbs on a 66.5” competition ski that drags a lot of water, so it obviously does okay, but peak RPM at WOT should be 4600-5000 RPMS, and I’m only getting a little over 4200. We had half a tank of gas, 2 adults, and 3 kids on it today when I ran it out to see what it would turn. Trimmed up to max speed, this is what it was doing. Top end seems a little down on the 350 MAG too. 

    So, if I pitched it down to achieve closer to 5000 RPMS, obviously it would plane out a little quicker, but would my top end go up or down?  It’ll turn more RPMS, but be pitched lower, so are those two things a wash?  Since it pulls hard enough, would it be better to just leave it alone? Thoughts?

    What app/software are you using?
    1996 Captiva 232
  • 69fastback69fastback Member Posts: 951 ✭✭✭
    Vessel view mobile 
  • cdub88cdub88 Member Posts: 15 ✭✭
    Vessel view mobile 
    Ah, thanks! Looks like my engine is a bit too old to support that. I guess I can add this to my “list of reasons to get a newer boat” ;)
    1996 Captiva 232
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