[The Smith Team]

I am hoping someone here can help me! I have a Carolina Skiff 198DLV Elite with a Yamaha 115 4 stroke. The hole shot on this boat is fine with just me in it but add my wife and 3 kids and it's terrible. We would like to do some tubing etc as well and will need much better hole shot than what we have. Here are the stats.

2012 Yamaha 115HP 4 stroke
By myself, smooth water very little gear
43 MPH Speedo and GPS
6200 RPM
current pitch is 13 1/4 x 17

Chatlee reccomended going to a stainless prop and dropping to a 16 pitch, the guy I spoke with didnt seem very confident in his recomendation so I am hoping for another opinion!! Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[trigger22]

You need to go bigger in prop size not smaller. The recommended RPM range for a Yamaha 115 4 stroke is 5000-6000 Rpms and you are over by 200. I pitch size equals about 200 Rpms. I personally like my rpm range to be at the top of the range but not the max. I find this gives better overall performance. I would look at going to a 19 pitch prop. Them recommending a 16 would make you turn 6400 Rpms, you need to go the other way.

 

[The Smith Team]

Thanks Trigger22. The guy I spoke with said because I was changing from aluminum to stainless that I would need to drop down one size. I think I leaft that part out. What about going to a 4 blade aluminum prop of of the original pitch? Would that help hole shot?

 

[jcole]

The best thing to do is find a prop you can borrow for a weekend. I was having issues a few years ago. Luckily I made friends with a local shop. They let me borrow a prop off of a consignment boat over the weekend. Turns out that it was the size and pitch I needed.

 

[trigger22]

The rule of thumb when going from aluminum to stainless is to go down 1 size. That rule is based off of you already running at optimal rpm which you are not. That said, I would stay with the same size. If you can find someone to let you borrow a prop or a shop that will allow you to try before you buy that would be ideal. If not check out Power Tech props http://www.ptprop.com. They make awesome props and are good people to work with. Give them a call and they'll get you right where you need to be.

 

[jcole]

Fwiw I would go with stainless. I kept thinking about one but couldn't drop 3-400 on one. Ended up buying a well used one on ebay for 40 . Had it cleaned up for 75. Can't believe the difference. And I'm not chewing it up every time I get into some oysters. I see a lot of people recommending 4 blade props for 4 strokes.

 

[Scott Hobbs]

Just get a bigger motor and you won't have to worry so much about getting up on plane and such... I know, I know just couldn't help myself.

 

[The Smith Team]

Scott, I told my wife we needed to go ahead and upgrade to a 23 foot bay boat. She is not buying into it!

 

[Bleedingblue]

You might consider adding one of the hydrofoils to the motor. Made a huge difference in the hole shot on my boat. They have multiple options that are no drill and cheaper than a prop.

 

[trigger22]

You might consider adding one of the hydrofoils to the motor. Made a huge difference in the hole shot on my boat. They have multiple options that are no drill and cheaper than a prop.

They can make a difference, but he still needs a new prop. He's over his Rpm limit by 200 rpms.

 

[Drum Runner]

I would be running a doel fin anyway. You can stay on plane at lower speeds.