The "Miracle Prop"...

[roadtrip se]

Okay after talking to Haver last night and watching Mr. Revlon finally settle on the right prop, after a prop testing frenzy at LG that was insane yet
interesting to watch, I am going to have to see what this "Bravo Boyz" thing is all about.

My friend Mr. Tamm, just happens to have a Mercury-labbed 28 square bore in his arsenal that I believe numbers in the thousands. It is coming to Michitucky for a little testing on the Somerville Edition.

This won't be the first time I have slapped a Bravo on this boat, but it was shortly after the re-rig and maybe I dismissed this opportunity a little early.
Just can't let a good thing go un-noticed and that 502 "stocker" ran pretty good at LG, so back to the future we go...

So can I still be an "Evil Twin" and perhaps an honorary member of the "Bravo Boyz"?

Let you know how we do!

[BigGrizzly]

Let me know. IT could work well. What I saw was impressive except on Air 22's boat . At LG he turned 71 with that prop in chop. The tested the fusion at his lake in flat water and turned 72 GPS in 60 degree weather. I don't dismiss the labbed bravo from merc. even it didn't work for me when they sent me one courtesy of the late Dennis Cavanaugh. Try all you can. Remember the prop cost $1000.

[DonCig]

Never forget; that the water can no more read the brand name written on the propeller than a deer can tell the brand name of the rifle that launced the bullet during deer season.

It is the results that count.

[Sweet little 16]

there is only one miracle prop and Bob Haver should know THAT his name is enscribed on it
THE GOLDEN PROP OF KNOWLEDGE

[bob haver]

griz you are having alot of trouble with the bravo prop but it works trust it my brother:wink:

[blackhawk]

The Bravo prop seems to be able to be "worked" in several directions. I tried a labbed 26 and a bone stock 26 on my Pantera and it was night and day difference. I talked with Brett at Bblades and he said he could take the stocker and add bow lift, make it run "looser" and give me 200-300 rpm.

I was oh so close to doing it but changed my mind after I ran a Rev4 on my boat! :D

[BigGrizzly]

Brett was a student. of the late Dennis Cavenaugh. He does know what he is doing. Don't have a problem with the Bravo, it is just over rated. Bob your prop is a custom design now. Put a stock one on your boat then get back to me.

[roadtrip se]

Well, we finally got the 22 out and dusted her off, after a lot of neglect this summer running and learning the Scorp 18.

What a riot with the Merc labbed 28 Bravo One. I have no clue what has been done to this prop other than the "standard" Merc thin and balance.

The boat literally jumped on plane, something it has NEVER done since we did the shorty/500 conversion. Always had to coax her up.

Midrange acceleration is very aggressive. Doesn't like a lot of trim, less than the rooster level I typically run at. Wants to chine walk at more than a click or two above neutral.

The boat runs very flat, which was my original complaint after testing these things, but it doesn't plow the nose like I remember in previous testing.

Top end isn't as good as the other props in the arsenal, but it was a hot, sticky, mid-summer day at Lake Cumberland, so I will hold off judgement on this variable. Maybe a tweak or two to get the nose up to air her out and we would be golden.

I will say it absolutely spanked the Hydro Q4s I have in my collection for crisp handling and acceleration.

Byron has offered to let me try his same Bravo I Merc labbed special 28. Think I'll take him up on it.

Not the "Miracle Prop", but a real nice piece.

More research to follow!

[Carl C]

How does the Bravo differ from the M+?:confused:

[DonCig]

How does the Bravo differ from the M+?:confused:
Carl , the Bravo 1 has 4 blades and the Mirage Plus has 3 blades.........hehehe

Sorry, I could not resist the open door.

Dom

[Carl C]

Ah, you laugh at my ignorance.:rlol:I actually never heard of the Bravo. I assume the blades are round? I will be prop shopping soon.:yes:

[DonCig]

Ah, you laugh at my ignorance.:rlol:I actually never heard of the Bravo. I assume the blades are round? I will be prop shopping soon.:yes:
Carl, sorry for the laugh at your expense.

Here is the Mercury link to the prop.

http://sites.mercurymarine.com/portal/page?_pageid=126,51083,126_51093&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

[BigGrizzly]

The real answer to your question, besides of the 4 blade configuration, is the blade surface area and the pitch progression. However since this is labbed, even that may have been changed. The blades don't look alike.

[Carl C]

I read about all of the props on the link. It says the Bravo 1 "delivers increased speed, better acceleration and unparalleled top-end performance". What's not to like. Todd, keep us informed of your top end results in better conditions.

[BigGrizzly]

Don't believe the link That is the std Merc line. Remember the bravo todd used is slower and it is labbed. If you buy one you will have to modify it> tried some ans they were slower. Precision and Solas have the same description on their websites.

[Carl C]

Randy, I took the quote to mean that the Bravo may be the fastest prop that Mercury offers. I'm now running a M+. My new prop will be labbed.

[BigGrizzly]

OK I understand, just trying let people understand advertising verses truth.

[roadtrip se]

Grizz speaks the truth.

If Don will allow me to keep the Bravo a couple of more weeks,
I will probably try it again on the big water up at MADCOW.

You can take a look at it then.

I'm still sticking with the premise that a three blade is going
to turn faster than a four every time on our hulls, but top end
isn't always what it is about.

[roadtrip se]

I decided to run Byron's Bravo One 28 in the big water this weekend.
When mounting the prop, I noticed that it looked more like the standard Bravo Ones I had tried in the past.

Water conditions were rough all day Sunday. The Bravo One certainly helped the handling in these conditions. It did not want to lift the nose, no matter how much trim I applied, we ran nose down and flat. And because of the chop, I spent a good part of the day wet.

Don's Bravo 28 definitely runs with the nose higher and less trim.

So resident prop gurus, help me understand what was done to these props to get the different handling attributes.

Still holding Don's Bravo One hostage....

[mrfixxall]

I decided to run Byron's Bravo One 28 in the big water this weekend.
When mounting the prop, I noticed that it looked more like the standard Bravo Ones I had tried in the past.
Water conditions were rough all day Sunday. The Bravo One certainly helped the handling in these conditions. It did not want to lift the nose, no matter how much trim I applied, we ran nose down and flat. And because of the chop, I spent a good part of the day wet.
Don's Bravo 28 definitely runs with the nose higher and less trim.
So resident prop gurus, help me understand what was done to these props to get the different handling attributes.
Still holding Don's Bravo One hostage....

rake angle,,call dah propeller, ask for john..262-534-4440 o btw he use to be mercs main guru that went on his own but shhhhhhhh dont tell nobody..

[BigGrizzly]

Todd, as you know when a prop is labbed is is not the same as it was it is a completely different animal. set both on a table and look at the blade contour and the way the cupping is different. I assume both were 28 bravoi at one time So the basic rake will ne similar.

[blackhawk]

I decided to run Byron's Bravo One 28 in the big water this weekend.
When mounting the prop, I noticed that it looked more like the standard Bravo Ones I had tried in the past.
Water conditions were rough all day Sunday. The Bravo One certainly helped the handling in these conditions. It did not want to lift the nose, no matter how much trim I applied, we ran nose down and flat. And because of the chop, I spent a good part of the day wet.
Don's Bravo 28 definitely runs with the nose higher and less trim.
So resident prop gurus, help me understand what was done to these props to get the different handling attributes.
Still holding Don's Bravo One hostage....

I have talked to Brett at BBlades about this and he claims the Bravo 1 prop is a good "foundation" and a lot of handling characteristics can be added or removed. I spoke directly to a couple of Superboat 24 owners that had Brett add bow lift to their Bravo and they said it was night and day.

I hated the was a stock Bravo felt on my boat. No bow lift and it felt like it threw the boat all over. I was ready to bite the bullet and have Brett tweak a Bravo but then I tried a Rev4 and stuck with that. I am borrowing the SB Bravo at the end of the year to try though.

[roadtrip se]

Julie says more cup on the blade tips would give more bow lift.

I'm with everybody here, a good blade house and a bunch of tweaking is the only way a Bravo One is going to work on our boats. Otherwise, you got a stern-lifting, bow plowing, wet ride.

I will say that both props that I have tried just kill the Hydros for planing time and mid-range acceleration,
so we are still going to mess around with this prop for a little while.

Thanks for the tips.

[mrfixxall]

Julie says more cup on the blade tips would give more bow lift.
I'm with everybody here, a good blade house and a bunch of tweaking is the only way a Bravo One is going to work on our boats. Otherwise, you got a stern-lifting, bow plowing, wet ride.
I will say that both props that I have tried just kill the Hydros for planing time and mid-range acceleration,
so we are still going to mess around with this prop for a little while.
Thanks for the tips.

here ya go! read and good luck..

http://www.dahpropellers.com/My_Homepage_Files/Page1.html