Fastbass Marine TV - 300R Cleaver Acceleration

[River Rocket]

I'm slowly pushing out some of the tests from last year. I was hoping to have a new boat this spring, but it looks like spring, summer, and fall have gone by and the boat is still in production.

Truthfully, I was so bummed to be boat less I put the videos a side for a while. I couldn't stand looking at my old boat in the videos.... This video especially hurts. It was suppose to be the first in a 5 part series on the new Mercury 300Hp 5 Blade Cleaver. Video 1 was a talking overview of my impressions (I skipped because who wants to listen to me talk), 2nd was top end run, 3rd was this test, 4th a 34P test for new top end results, and the 5th a comparison of the Hill 5 blade cleaver to the Mercury. Unfortunately, I lost a lower unit in Jasper on the river run and then sold the boat shortly afterwards to build the next Fastbass Marine TV test boat.

In my opinion this test had epic results for the XB21. I have tested a lot of props and when I started this type of testing I never thought I would be able to man handle this boat into one pass that showed how quick a loaded 21' bass boat can get to speed, let alone these speeds. I have raced boats, so I know this isn't amazing acceleration for a boat, but I believe it is for a boat with a trolling motor on it setup to fish. This single pass from idle goes up to 106 (XB21 Record tying speed), all in one pass in 35 seconds. It shows how amazing these boats are.

After running this test I was amazed at the results and really thought the cleaver was untouchable. I then decided to film a back to back test of the Cleaver vs. my 34 P4 BC (another test video I'm editing). I won't share the results, but I will say its possible to get cleaver like performance in a $1000 prop and not just a $5000 prop. Again, this confirmed the boat and motor combination are awesome.

I'm going to be a little polarizing here, but show me another bass boat that can hang with these boats loaded to fish. Allison, hats off on an amazing boat and Mercury thanks for the awesome motors and props!

[fishnfireman]

Thanks Geoff !!!
AWESOME.
Did you feather the throttle any on takeoff or was it on the carpet the whole trip ?

[River Rocket]

Thanks Geoff !!!
AWESOME.
Did you feather the throttle any on takeoff or was it on the carpet the whole trip ?

Its and Allison. You only drive it one way. To the Floor. LOL

[BlueallyXB21]

Thanks Geoff for the video and all the test you do and share for our setups! Hopefully, they will have your new boat soon.

[fishnfireman]

Its and Allison. You only drive it one way. To the Floor. LOL

Did anyone run that prop on a 250R ?

[River Rocket]

This prop was tested on a 250R I believe. it didn't have the power to turn it, but I remember right it still hit low 90's. I think it was even tested on an optimax, which really labored with it. your motor will spin it, just look for a 30p or smaller. I will have a test out soon on the Hill Cleaver.

[Alli71]

Thanks for all of your testing and information Geoff! I appreciate your knowledge and ability, which far exceeds mine. One thing I would like to get your input on. I tried to PM you but your mailbox is full. For I didn't want to mention specific brandnames. Therefore I will be a bit vague. Over the last couple of years I have been trying a number of new props with varying results. In that one prop I thought would be perfect for my set up wasn't. Then the next one I thought would be good all around prop. Turned out to be an over achieving performance dream! Finally, one I thought would be a good compromise of launch and great top speed numbers. Turned out to be a blowing out, lack of accelerating, slow top end POS! All that being said, with the frustration level mounting. I decided to send the last prop to Billy Eaves. I was shocked to learn that my BRAND NEW prop, from a reputably prop manufacturer you have mentioned, with less than 30 minutes of run time had three blades that were out of pitch! WTH? Billy re-pitched the blades and it ran great! At the Rally this year we had the pleasure of visiting Billy, Tim Hackney, and all the folks at Performance Propeller. I learned more about props in that hour than in the 20 years prior. He tweaked it during our visit and it ran even better!!! So my point behind all of this is. I think some props are just better than others out of the box. For me, if a new prop isn't what I expect it to be I will have Billy check it out. I have heard others say basically the same thing. Where they ordered a new prop just like someone else had that ran great on the exact same boat, with the exact same setup. Yet it didn't perform well on their boat. I honestly think some of the quality control in the prop manufactures isn't what it used to be. Coupled with the fact they are working with highly variable medium. Sorry to digress, in closing I think one can get what they are looking for approximately 70% of the time in a box stock prop. Yet there is that 30% of props that need to be tweaked to reach their full potential. What's your thought on this? Also what new boat you are getting? Thanks again Geoff!

[River Rocket]

I emptied my in box. It’s unfortunately true. Many new out of the box props are not balanced. I found this especially true with the bravo. My favorite stock out of the box prop is the Promax. But it can be touchy for some and if you don’t like ventilation it may not be the prop. People often assume on a prop like the P4 you just get badass out of the box. I haven’t found that to be true. In a custom prop like that it usually takes half a year of testing and shipping back and forth to get a runner. I think many give up by that point. I have a 4 p4’s right now. All are irreplaceable. They have years of tuning in them to make them crazy hard accelerators and super strong on top. That comes with a price. They run so well I don’t use them a lot because I’m scared to wreck them.

[Alli71]

Nice info Geoff, it's good to hear yet unfortunate with your experience you find the same results with the out of box props. Billy is working on a P4 with a special cut for me now. I look forward to working with it and getting everything I can out of it. I think the ProMax will be my everyday runner. Are you getting another ProSport? I have one on order and cannot wait to get it!

[BlueallyXB21]

River Rocket, can you tell me a little about how the Hill clever runs compared the mercury CNC cleaver in you testing?

[River Rocket]

The Hill cleaver has an issue with the holeshot. It is solely the reason why I have never put the video out on it while I owned the motor. I didn't want to have a warranty claim issue. On top it runs well. Well is short selling it, they are awesome and would probably run right up near the Mercury cleaver, but I have a P4 that will as well and it will launch. I have talked with others that have ran them almost side by side an the Hill falls short of the Merc by 1-2. I can believe that. I spent a year talking with Hill to get one to test back to back in a 32p comparison, but they never sent a prop and I gave up on trying.

The bad. The prop is a fixed pitch prop and it surges extremely bad. Nothing I could do fixed that. Even feathering the throttle did nothing. When I release the video you will hear it, but obviously you can't feel it. On our boats with a 300R I wouldn't run one long. The R has too much torque and the prop too much blade surface not to damage something. I call it a prop shaft breaker. That is especially true if you have the 2-piece prop shaft.

Bottom line, out of the box they will run short of a Merc, but for around 1/2 the price. That puts them at twice the price of a good custom prop. For the price I think they meet that expectation. I could get a good custom prop to run with one for 1/2 of that price, but you will probably need a year of back and forth to get it to do what the Hill cleaver does out of the box. For a big number prop that puts it in a good value spot for what it does. Bolt it on and get a big number, just don't expect to do anything else with it.

It is my understanding they were going to fix the hole shot. I'm not sure if they did that or not. I think they have a through hub version that will do that.

[BlueallyXB21]

Good information Geoff! Thanks for the report. I am currently running a MAX5 ST but if feels so much different than what I am used to... I feel like I am learning to drive all over again. The Max5 has a lot more stern lift and it changes the feel and reaction of the boat.

[River Rocket]

Yes the Max 5 is a boat lifter. It takes a little to get the feel back. Good props. Carry a load well.