Shearwater/ Sterling / Gambler prop

[DAVESWIMM]

Hi guys, I’ve got a 2017 Shearwater x22 with a SHO 250 , 4 Blade bravo 1 prop. Cavitating , difficult to plane off. I have 4 vent hole plugged from the factory. Just way too sluggish off the start. 23 or 22 Pich prop . I could use some suggestions

[printman71]

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is that?

Never mind, I read another post.

[blakesfav]

Do you have a hydraulic jack plate? Is it set too high at take off?

[Al from Canada]

Open up some (or all) of the vent holes.

[DAVESWIMM]

Thanks AL Always nice to hear from the Prez. I’ve alway been confused weather too many or too few vent plugs should be opened to prevent cavitation. I’ll take the other 4 out and see what happens. Thanks!

[friogatto]

My experiences with a 22ft Ranger Cayman Flats boat with 250 SHO

I had problems with hole shot and had Skips Prop Shop rebuild the blade lines and add cup to a 23p Tempest Plus (holes plugged), that prop was amazing. Hole shot was good and gave best top end (70.9).
Hairline fractured a blade and retired the prop.

Switched to a 23p Fury 4 (no longer make 23p), Hole shot was incredible, top end suffered 66.8mph.
Slung a blade at WOT and it sliced a slot in my cowling.

Tried a T-1 VMax (vented), I call it a suicide prop, very unpredictable. Hole shot was terrible, vented constantly, just couldnt handle the power. Top end 66 mph
Had prop shop weld vents shut and add cup. Helped with hole shot a little but couldn't trust it at higher speeds and still cavitated.

Currently running another 23p Tempest that has been worked. Saw 69mph last weekend. Not bad for summer heat. Hole shot is good and as expected but not as crisp/tight as the Fury 4.

I tried playing with different vent plugs. Long story short the best hole shot for me with the SHO was with all vent holes plugged.

My recommendation would be to take the prop in and explain what it's doing. Any good shop can adjust the cup and give it more grip.

[friogatto]

I just saw your other post.

General rule is you drop a pitch when going to 4 blade with the exception of the Fury. Your current 24p Bravo is like running a 25p 3 blade.
Maybe give the Fury 4 24p a serious look, It's more like running a 24p 3 blade.

Really wish they still made the 23p Fury 4. That would be perfect on your setup.

[DAVESWIMM]

I just saw your other post.

General rule is you drop a pitch when going to 4 blade with the exception of the Fury. Your current 24p Bravo is like running a 25p 3 blade.
Maybe give the Fury 4 24p a serious look, It's more like running a 24p 3 blade.

Really wish they still made the 23p Fury 4. That would be perfect on your setup.

Thanks for you input. I’ve been on the phone w merc and Yamaha shops all morning, I neglected to mention that my boat is 4-500 lbs heavier than my z21. Also I’m wanting to pull a water skier. Gotta do the family thing too. Yamaha makes a salt water series 21p and mercury makes a 4 blade 21p also. The shearwater factory probably fit this boat with a top end prop. It’s still early in this boats life so I have not gone WOT, but I’m seeing 34 mph at 3400 rpms and 43mph at 4300 rpms. This leads me to believe I’d get 63 mph at 6300rpms. Correct? If I lose 3 mph per pitch reduction that would be 54 mph WOT. That’s acceptable to me and be able to pull a skier up from an idle. Any comment from you guys please. Is a 19 Pich crazy?

[LTZ25]

I have a 3 blade Fury on mine and it does great with 250 SHO , but I think removing the plugs is a great and cheap way to go , you can easily but a couple back in .

[DAVESWIMM]

Hey buddy, long time, what pitch are you talking about and I heard the Fury prop is no longer in production. Can you pm me?

[friogatto]

To clarify my statement above. The 23p Fury 4 is no longer made. They still make a bunch of other sizes in 3 and 4 blade, just stopped making the 23p 4 blade.

Your hulls heavier than I expected at 2000lb vs my 1380lbs. I'm running 23p WOT at 6000.

My guess is your probably going to be in the 20-21p 4 blade range.

[DAVESWIMM]

To clarify my statement above. The 23p Fury 4 is no longer made. They still make a bunch of other sizes in 3 and 4 blade, just stopped making the 23p 4 blade.

Your hulls heavier than I expected at 2000lb vs my 1380lbs. I'm running 23p WOT at 6000.

My guess is your probably going to be in the 20-21p 4 blade range.

After much research, i ordered a Yamaha saltwater series 4 blade 21 pitch prop.
I only lost a 1/4 inch of diameter. I may lose 6 to 10 mph. Let’s see. Results to be shared.

[Meleagris1]

There are 8 vent holes in the Bravo correct? You tried plugging 4 and keeping 4 open and it was sluggish? On every SHO I have played with they run best with all the vents plugged. I would recommend plugging all the vents and see how that works. Normally removing any plugs will hurt your holeshot with the SHO. You may need to buy some plugs because the props don't come with enough to plug them all. That should really improve holeshot with a 4 stroke like the SHO. I'm running a Fury 4 26P on my SHO with Phoenix 21 PHX which is nearly 22' long. This setup works great and rockets out of the hole. I would think a 25P Fury 4 or Bravo would work great on your rig. You are running a 22 or 23 now?