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  1. #1
    Member 185Dale's Avatar
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    Thinking about going from a 3 blade to a 4 blade

    New to me, 2003 Ranger 185VS with a Yamaha Vmax 150.

    Currently has a 3 blade 23M stainless. Hole shot is great with 450#s of passengers, but top speed is 50 at 5800+- rpms. Feels like I could get another 100-200rpms out of it too.

    Prop looks to be in great condition but not sure how old it is. Ranger build sheet shows this boat was supplied with a Yamaha Select Pro Series 14 1/4 X 23. The current prop is just stamped 23m. Is this the same prop.

    Thinking about the Powertech 4 blade but not sure if I should stay at 23 or move down since I'm adding a blade.

    20 years ago I had a Stratos and going from a 3 blade to 4 blade was night and day.

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    #2
    Isn't the vmax 150 max rpm around 5500?

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    #3
    Quote Originally Posted by grout-scout View Post
    Isn't the vmax 150 max rpm around 5500?
    My tach may be off then. I noticed that sometimes with the engine off, the tach reads 1000rpms.

    At 5500 rpms, I'm running around 45.

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    #4
    What's your prop to pad? Do you have a jack plate? I'm thinking you should be in the mid to upper 50's. The 23M is a Yamaha prop, so I assume it's the same as what's on the build sheet.

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    #5
    Quote Originally Posted by mrdeath View Post
    What's your prop to pad? Do you have a jack plate? I'm thinking you should be in the mid to upper 50's. The 23M is a Yamaha prop, so I assume it's the same as what's on the build sheet.
    I have a manual jackplate. Not sure on prop to pad.

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    #6
    I have a 2000 skeeter zx185 with a yami vmax 150 ox66 and at 5500rpm with a Yamaha 25m I can get 62mph. Now I'm sure your boat is a little heavier, but it shouldn't be that different than mine. I bet your tach is wrong.

    You are using gps for speed, right?

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    #7
    Quote Originally Posted by grout-scout View Post
    I have a 2000 skeeter zx185 with a yami vmax 150 ox66 and at 5500rpm with a Yamaha 25m I can get 62mph. Now I'm sure your boat is a little heavier, but it shouldn't be that different than mine. I bet your tach is wrong.

    You are using gps for speed, right?
    Yes. GPS for speed.

    May need to get this prop looked at too.

    Anyway to calibrate the Tach?

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    #8
    Had a 4 blade power tech on a 185 stratosphere with a 150 vmax 03 model. I was running 62.4 by myself, 60 loaded 2 people ,tournament loaded. I was turning 6000rpms, don't remember prop to pad , but did adjust to get peak performance.

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    #9
    My prop to pad is 4 1/2 inches. I'm going to move it to 3 1/2 inches and see what I get tomorrow.

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    #10
    From the slip numbers your prop needs some work

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    #11
    I'm thinking his tach is off, surely 5800 would hit the rev limiter???

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    #12
    Limiter should be over 6000.

  13. Member 185Dale's Avatar
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    #13
    Well it looks like I'm having to start over.

    Opposite the 23m stamping on my prop is a 5-6 digit number which I'm being told is the stamping of a re-worked prop. So who knows what the heck kinda prop I'm running.

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    #14
    Well they can't change the pitch more than 1", so it's either a 22" or 24".

    Post the number here, usually they stamp the pitch in it.

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    #15
    Actually they can change it more than 1" but most good reputable prop guys won't. That could just be a repair number depending on who did the repair. You can have a prop guy check it and tell you what it's close to now.

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    #16
    It's had to have been worked down or his tach is way off. It would not be putting out those rpms at a 25".
    Last edited by grout-scout; 01-09-2017 at 08:37 PM. Reason: Typo

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    #17
    Quote Originally Posted by grout-scout View Post
    It's had to have been worked down or his tach is way off. It would be putting out those rpms at a 25".
    Here is a pic of the stamp


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    #18
    Well crap, there is no other stamping on it? The few I've seen always had the new pitch. Maybe yours was just balanced & blueprinted???

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    #19
    It is just a repair number or invoice number and the only way to know what the numbers mean is to contact who ever did the repair. Some probably stamp the new pitch if it's been repitched or if it's been B&B.

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    #20
    Picked up another 23M prop. Noticed this prop did not have the "vents" on the hub. The new prop also has a more pronounced flair on the tip of the hub.

    Anyways with the new prop I hit 5800 rpms and could not get anymore out of it. I finally felt a prop "hook up" and when it did, I finally had the bow lift I was looking for.

    Boat ran 55mph upriver and 58mph downriver.

    Happy camper right now.

    Does this other prop need to have plugs?

    Last edited by 185Dale; 01-16-2017 at 06:24 PM.

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