ZX 190 Prop??

[axis]

I have a 2008 ZX190 with a 175 HPDI with a Yamaha 25M prop. The boat has the Skeeter porpoise at speeds 30-32 mph and below. I feel in rough water when I go below those speeds that the porpoising worsens the ability to handle the rougher water. So, I have been doing some prop research using the search function here on the boards. A lot of the results are from some pretty old posts.

I have a good hole shot, and good top end speed, just the slower speeds need some work. I am thinking of trying a 4 blade prop, to see if that would help at the lower speeds.

Here are some of the prop recommendations from searching the posts.

Fury 25
Turbo 24
Tempest 25
Razor 24

I am wanting to know what others run. If you run one of these or another prop, what did it change?

Thanks!

[rickmb]

A four blade would help but there are other factors. Prop to pad is often over looked. Going slow is a balancing act with the pivot point at the back of the boat. With the motor/prop lower it will have more leverage to hold the nose up. Usually about 3 1/2" to 4" will hold well. Of course this may impact top speed but you will find handling will be improved. Adding more cup to the prop blades will help as well. Adding cup is similar to flaps on a plane. The lower the flaps the slower the plane can go. The more cup the better the bite of the prop and the slower it can go. Adding cup effectively increases the pitch and most likely will lower RPMs at the top end and lower top speed.
Just about everything on the ZX190 is a compromise. You have to pick the right blend for the performance you want out of it. I owned one 6 years and it was always a challenge.

[axis]

Thanks rickmb! Yea, I need to check my prop to pad, I don't remember what it is at right now. My normal lakes I fish are pretty small. We don't really have big lakes in Ohio, other than Erie. My 25M prop works fine for these lakes.

I am going to KY Lake this spring and just thinking about having more boat control in the rougher water. I definitely expect the top end speed to lose some. A hydraulic jack plate might be a better solution. I don't know.

Anyone use any other props with good success?

[mrdeath]

I have an 08 ZX200, and while porpoising isn't an issue (I rarely drive slow), I ran a Fury 4 blade 24 for a little while just playing with it and it's an excellent prop for handling. It was about 3 mph slower on my boat, but hole shot was instant and it would stay on plane at very low speeds. Another thing worth mentioning is that in order to drive one of these slow, you have to be trimmed all the way down. I also have wedges between my motor and jack plate, which allows for a little more negative trim.

[axis]

Thanks mrdeath. I do keep it trimmed all the way down when trying to go slow. I do remember looking into wedges and had forgotten about those. If I recall, there are different degrees you could get. Not sure how to determine the amount of degree to use. What degree of wedge are you running?

[rickmb]

Thanks rickmb! Yea, I need to check my prop to pad, I don't remember what it is at right now. My normal lakes I fish are pretty small. We don't really have big lakes in Ohio, other than Erie. My 25M prop works fine for these lakes.

I am going to KY Lake this spring and just thinking about having more boat control in the rougher water. I definitely expect the top end speed to lose some. A hydraulic jack plate might be a better solution. I don't know.

Anyone use any other props with good success?

A hydraulic jack plate would be the best solution. Then you can get the motor really low in rough water and for handling and pull it up for straight runs.
One other effect of having the motor too high is that the steering gets very stiff at high speed and high trim.
The props I ran on my ZX190 were the Yamaha M25, Turbo TXP 24, Fury 3 blade 24, Tempest 23. The TXP 24 ran the fastest. The Tempest 23 was a good all around summer prop. The Fury ran terrible as it didn't have lift.
Between a 24 pitch prop with maybe some extra cup added and a hyd jack plate that would solve your problem. With my boat fully loaded with two people, two livewells full and full fuel I could still hit 60......I was never late getting back to the scales.

[mrdeath]

Thanks mrdeath. I do keep it trimmed all the way down when trying to go slow. I do remember looking into wedges and had forgotten about those. If I recall, there are different degrees you could get. Not sure how to determine the amount of degree to use. What degree of wedge are you running?

I honestly don't know. They came with the boat. Someone on here might see this and know, but I've never taken the time to figure it out.

[501nmc]

A bailey's fin will help low speed porpoising. A tempest plus prop with extra cup will help also.

[axis]

Thanks for the responses.

I agree the hydraulic jack plate is probably the best solution.

I have thought about putting a fin on the motor. I just hate to drill holes on the motor, and I personally don't think I should need to.

[rxskeeter]

I’m surprised no one suggested a trophy 24 prop. For your situation I would go a 4 blade so you maintain some lift at lower speeds

[kyelkhunter]

I had the zx 190 in a 2012 model with same problem i went with 4 blade 23 pitch lost a little on top end but solved the porpoise problem. Traded boats but still have the 4 blade prop( for sale).

[axis]

Since I currently run a M25 - 3 blade, if I go with a 4 blade, should it be a 24 pitch? I have always heard to drop down 1 size.

[axis]

Well, I talked with Mark @ Mark Props. He is recommending a Fury 4 - 25P.

That seems a little much to me, but I am not the expert.