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Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
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Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 12:36 pm ]
Post subject:  Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Hello gents
Im in the market for a new prop for next season
I have a 1998 h180 rs 4.3
I currently have a 3 blade aluminum prop and I am assuming it is the stock prop.
14 1/4x23 prop
rpm is about 4600 if i remember correctly



Some of my boating habbits for suggestions
I ussually have 4 people, full cooler :D and full tank when I take the boat out
I dont run the boat out at top RPM
I do however tow 2-4 people on a tube and have some blowout (reason for the change)

Basically looking for better wholeshot and pulling ability.

I have gone through and read a bunch of suggestions but is hard to decipher with someone elses needs to mine.

Im not so much looking for brand recommendation im more so seeking a pitch recommendation.

Any help would be great.
Im not set on a 4 blade, could possibly just need a SS 3 blade.

Thanks in advance
Author:  ric [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 1:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Would need to know your current prop pitch and full throttle RPM.

Other than that? Can't go wrong with a High 5 prop.
Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 2:34 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Sorry
14 1/4x23 prop
rpm is about 4600 if i remember correctly


Thanks
Author:  ric [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 3:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
4600 is right on spec.

According to the Mercury Marine prop selector (doesn't matter if you're VP), a 21 or 23 pitch High 5 would work.

Try to find a local Mercury dealer that loans out test props and give some a shot. Like the High 5 in 21/23 and Revolution 4 in 21.


My personal boat I went from a 21 pitch 3 blade to 17 pitch 4 blade, I haul a lot of people!! When the Christmas bonus comes I'll order a High 5 for myself.
Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Does the 17 4 blade work well for you?

Yea sometimes Im hauling 3 people on the tube and 3-4 in the boat including myself.
Author:  ric [ Mon Dec 02, 2013 5:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Mitsuboost30 wrote:
Does the 17 4 blade work well for you?

Yea sometimes Im hauling 3 people on the tube and 3-4 in the boat including myself.


It works well because I haul on average 5-8 people, gear, etc. My boat is a tad underpowered for such duty (220hp v8) and the 17 pitch 4 blade makes a world of a difference. With just me/gear/and a lady I slap on a 23 pitch 3 blade for long distance cruising. The 4 blade I have is an Alpha 4 aluminum and it does have noticeable flex. I paid $60 for it at a local boat shop refurbed so can't complain. My winter plans include cam/intake/carb to bring it around 320hp to solve the power issue. Since you have a v6 you can't quite do that. Don't just listen to me though, wait for other people that have the hi5 to chime in.
Author:  kd4pbs [ Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:51 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
I wouldn't look at anything other than a High-Five.
Hands down it was the single best thing I ever spent money on with my old boats.
Author:  Jake [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 11:06 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Had a 4 blade SS Vensura 19 pitch on my 18' last year that worked the best. Had over heating problems with the High Five 19 pitch as have a few other people I talked to. You probably will over rev with a 19 pitch, have to watch the tach, but the hole shot and pull is way better.
Author:  kd4pbs [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 2:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
I guess I should have said a properly pitched high 5, but I digress....
Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Really looking for a proper pitch recommendation. without sacrificing to much speed.
good hole shot and can handle the load
Author:  ric [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Mitsuboost30 wrote:
Really looking for a proper pitch recommendation. without sacrificing to much speed.
good hole shot and can handle the load


Boats only have one "gear" unlike a car that has a whole gearbox with 4-6 speeds.

You can get a crap ton of hole shot that can handle the load, but you sacrifice top end because you have to have a shorter "gear" (prop) for low end power. Really good prop design ($$$) can help make this not so big of a gap between the two. The Vensura like someone has mentioned is a mid range/top speed prop. The Revolution 4 is a all around prop and people swear by it. The High 5 is a low-mid range prop and is the miracle worker of the boat world, cause honestly nobody goes WOT so why prop for it. If you want a speed boat go buy a speed boat.

You gotta pick, or like me and a lot of people carry more than one prop with you. I use one on the weekends when my boat is basically a drunkard barge (17p 4 blade) and when I'm cruising the river going long distances with just a lady on board (21p 3 blade). Takes a minute to change.
Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
haha Drunken barge, yea Id say that accurately describes my boating habit on the weekend also

Lot of good info on that post. Thanks

I have read that same pitch in SS makes a huge difference. Accurate?

I guess I'm really not sure if I should go with a 19 or 17 pitch now for weekends. High 5 does sound like the way to go.
Author:  kd4pbs [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 4:58 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
Mitsuboost30 wrote:
Some of my boating habbits for suggestions
I ussually have 4 people, full cooler :D and full tank when I take the boat out
I dont run the boat out at top RPM
I do however tow 2-4 people on a tube and have some blowout (reason for the change)

Basically looking for better wholeshot and pulling ability.


Using that original set of parameters, I can wholeheartedly (or is that holeheartedly now?) recommend the properly pitched High-Five; likely a 17p, but there are tons of online calculators for making sure that's the proper pitch.

If you want to trade off some of what you originally asked for so that instead you don't lose much on the top end, then a 4-blade SS is what you want, but like Ric says, you'll be sacrificing.

Having a smaller engine, you need all the power you can get, so I'd rule out anything other than a stainless steel prop. It's unlikely that anything in a 3-blade prop will get you any of the above requirements.
Author:  Mitsuboost30 [ Wed Dec 04, 2013 5:48 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
I dont mind sacrificing any top end. As said i dont go WOT anyways. Just want to make sure I have the proper pitch.
Like ric I believe I will purchase 2 props depending on the days activities.

So for my application/habbits you would say a 17?
Author:  kd4pbs [ Thu Dec 05, 2013 10:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Help with prop selection H180 rs 4.3
I'm guessing a 17" pitch. Use a prop calculator to make sure, but you should be well in the ballpark with your power and weight. You might even do with a 19". I also have read that there is a prop exchange program that Mercury does offer, but I know nothing about it other than they'll let you "borrow" the prop to find the correct size.
My '87 Galaxy Weekender 2100 (21' cuddy cabin) had a 230 HP 305 in it. The 17" pitch high-five was perfect for it, and it would yank my fat ass right out of the water on a wakeboard easily. Same prop worked beautifully on my '96 Signature 24 cruiser with a 260 HP 350. Compared to the stainless 19" pitch 3-blade, it was like adding 100 horsepower for everything but top end, which wasn't too worse off.
Someone posted recently (I think it was Ric) a comparison article from a boating test magazine where the high-five won in every category except top speed. My experience would agree. I think they even used a boat very similar to your setup.
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