A day on the water with BigGrizzly and props

[Stevo440]

Well yesterday I took my boat over to Lake Lanier to spend the day at BigGrizzly's testing props. Well what a great day it was to be able to test and switch and test all day long. To set the scene my boat is a 2001 22 classic w/454 Mag mpi w/bravo 1. We tested 5 props bein that I got to his place around 2 in the afternoon. The water was calm with no chop and hardly any boats were on the part of the lake where he lives. Bein that I don't have a GPS to check actual speed and he does also made things that much better, as now I know how far off my speedo really is. Well all the props tested were ofcourse what he deals with Turbo props. We tested for base line my favorite prop out of the three that I have (Mirage+ 14.625 x 23p 3 blade, Turbo 2+2 14.25 x 24p 4 blade, Turbo 1 14.25 x 25p 3 blade).
Base line Turbo 1 14.25 x 25p x 3 blade-- I can only spin to 46-4700 rpm with indicated (speedo) speed of 70mph which turns out to be GPS speed of 64.8mph.
Turbo TXP 14.75 x 25p x 3 blade-- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 67.9mph
Turbo OSI 14.50 x 23p x 4 blade-- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 65.7mph
Turbo OSII 15.00 x 24p x 3 blade- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 65.4mph
Turbo Fusion 14.50 x 24p x 4 blade-- 4500 rpm with GPS speed of 62.2mph
Well as you can see the rpm's are all around 46-4700 with all the tested props except the Fusion which the motor could not swing.
I gained mph with all the other props from .6 to 3.1.
So 3.1 mph gain for just a prop change and all props were stock from the factory NO LABBING.
Testing is not done yet we are going to try some more props to bring the engine rpm's up to 4900-5000 to see if there is any more speed to be found.
Winner Round One TXP 67.9mph by along shot....
Stay tuned for Round Two.
PS Boy did I have fun and so did BigGrizzly (Randy)
PSS Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou ...................... Randy!!!!
Steve

[BigGrizzly]

Steve it was my pleasure. Your boat is in new show room condition. Steve's boat is totally stock, exhaust and all. My asked " Did you boys have fun playing on the water today?" I replied "YES WE DID!"

[blackhawk]

Well yesterday I took my boat over to Lake Lanier to spend the day at BigGrizzly's testing props. Well what a great day it was to be able to test and switch and test all day long. To set the scene my boat is a 2001 22 classic w/454 Mag mpi w/bravo 1. We tested 5 props bein that I got to his place around 2 in the afternoon. The water was calm with no chop and hardly any boats were on the part of the lake where he lives. Bein that I don't have a GPS to check actual speed and he does also made things that much better, as now I know how far off my speedo really is. Well all the props tested were ofcourse what he deals with Turbo props. We tested for base line my favorite prop out of the three that I have (Mirage+ 14.625 x 23p 3 blade, Turbo 2+2 14.25 x 24p 4 blade, Turbo 1 14.5 x 25p 3 blade).
Base line Turbo 1 14.5 x 25p x 3 blade-- I can only spin to 46-4700 rpm with indicated (speedo) speed of 70mph which turns out to be GPS speed of 64.8mph.
Turbo TXP 14.75 x 25p x 3 blade-- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 67.9mph
Turbo OSI 14.50 x 23p x 4 blade-- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 65.7mph
Turbo OSII 15.00 x 24p x 3 blade- 46-4700 rpm with GPS speed of 65.4mph
Turbo Fusion 14.50 x 24p x 4 blade-- 4500 rpm with GPS speed of 62.2mph
Well as you can see the rpm's are all around 46-4700 with all the tested props except the Fusion which the motor could not swing.
I gained mph with all the other props from .6 to 3.1.
So 3.1 mph gain for just a prop change and all props were stock from the factory NO LABBING.
Testing is not done yet we are going to try some more props to bring the engine rpm's up to 4900-5000 to see if there is any more speed to be found.
Winner Round One TXP 67.9mph by along shot....
Stay tuned for Round Two.
PS Boy did I have fun and so did BigGrizzly (Randy)
PSS Thankyou, Thankyou, Thankyou ...................... Randy!!!!
Steve

Just curious what were your rpms and speed with the Mirage Plus?

[Morgan's Cloud]

And what was the handling like with the 'Fusion ' ?

[Stevo440]

On The day we tested we ran out of day light so we only tested the props listed. I have'nt used the M+ in a couple of years bein that I don't like the way the boat handles with it, but it use to turn some where over 5000rpm's lets say 50-5100rpms and a speedo indicated NOT GPS speed of 72mph. It also chine walked all over the place, it felt very unstable at top speed.
Hopefully the next time out we will test the M+ and Turbo 2+2 with a few other props that BigGrizzly (Randy) might get a hold of so stay tuned till then.
On the handling of the Fusion well we did'nt have that much time to test each prop in depth that would take a day on the lake with each prop in different conditions and situations plus the Fusion since it was too much pitch for the engine to turn we just headed back to the dock.
In all the props all seemed pretty stable some more boring than the others but remember the conditions were calm/flat with a wake or two here and there.

Steve

[BigGrizzly]

The Fusion handling was boring, we could not make it do anything wrong and so was the OS1 (four blade). Steve did all the driving I wanted his perspectives not mine. BTW Steve is a real mechanical engineer. His questions were in detail, so I made him find the answers himself. The best part was we were boating all day, and none of this " slow down your going too fast" stuff. On the way home Steve got lost, because he was thinking of the great day on the water and missed his turn by 5 miles. Sorry Steve but They just had to know, we have all been there!!

[Morgan's Cloud]

The Fusion handling was boring, we could not make it do anything wrong !!
As you know , I may be just looking for such a prop ..... :wink:
Terrible boating weather so far has seriously extended the run-in time of my engine and I've had a hand held GPS in my hands for two weeks now that I'm itchin' to try out.
More to come later !
Steve

[Stevo440]

Well I have to admit I was'nt as well prepared to do the prop testing as I should have been. Randy and I did the whole test by memory and mine sucks but Randy's is real good in comparison. Next time I'm makin sure I have pen and paper and do all the things and record them that you think about doin before and after a test, just not during when your mind is elsewhere just havin a blast playin on the water. And on the point of gettin lost well I was just sittin at the light that I was suppose to make a left at when all of a sudden an old 69 Mustang hardtop goes blastin by then a 67-69 Camaro, then a 66 Chevelle, and ofcourse in the turn lane coming from my left an old early 60's Ford Galaxy. So my mind was not where it should be with thinkin of the great afternoon I had just had, Oh and I was also on the cell, to many things goin on to think about where I was goin in the dark. Randy and his wife helped guide me home in the darkness over the phone that kept droppin my signal. I finally made it home a 9:30pm and I still have'nt washed the boat yet, that's a first and I won't let that happen again.
Thanks again for the guidence.


Steve

[Kirbyvv]

I made up some prop testing forms, but don't know how to attach an excel file. I'll e-mail them to Griz, so he's ready for you the next time

[Stevo440]

WOW I guess the next test we're goin to have a full boat one driver/throttle/trim man, one to observe GPS/RPM/TRIM, one recorder of info, and one to pay attention to the handling and whatnot. I guess I gotta get to Randy's early in the mornin to have the whole day for this one.......

[zimm17]

Let me just add that the Fusion 4 comes to life on a 2" shorty outdrive. It also ran 7mph faster at 3500 rpm (50 vs 43) than a hydro QIV.

[BigGrizzly]

Zim you are 100% correct. I just did that this morning. This guy is upset, He just spent some big dollars for a hydro. Thanks Btw how is your unit running, havn't been updated?

[Sam]

Say what Zimm ? Hmmm............I wonder what it would do on a Alpha SS :bonk:


Sam

[BUIZILLA]

Say what Zimm ? Hmmm............I wonder what it would do on a Alpha SS :bonk: Sam i'll let ya know this weekend...

[Sam]

Please do and thanks :wink:.

Sam

[BigGrizzly]

I sent Buzz the artillery this week.