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tmh
11-24-2009, 10:04 AM
The prop on my 2003 18C (350/300MPI) is a Mirage Plus 23 pitch that was then massaged for performance. I'm getting around 4900 rpm and 61-62mph with 3 people with ambient temperatures of 85-90 degrees. I know my cars with fuel injection are quite a bit faster when the weather gets under 70 degrees. We do a lot of skiing and I was told to consider getting a plain aluminum 21 pitch as that prop will work well for pulling and acceleration. I do like to go for brief speed runs when we're out but I'll consider losing a little speed for better acceleration for skiing. Please comment on what I should consider or whether the current prop is fine. Should I look for a used one on Ebay, do any of you have a spare that would work well, or should I buy a new one? Thanks.
T.M. Hayes

mrfixxall
11-24-2009, 12:22 PM
The prop on my 2003 18C (350/300MPI) is a Mirage Plus 23 pitch that was then massaged for performance. I'm getting around 4900 rpm and 61-62mph with 3 people with ambient temperatures of 85-90 degrees. I know my cars with fuel injection are quite a bit faster when the weather gets under 70 degrees. We do a lot of skiing and I was told to consider getting a plain aluminum 21 pitch as that prop will work well for pulling and acceleration. I do like to go for brief speed runs when we're out but I'll consider losing a little speed for better acceleration for skiing. Please comment on what I should consider or whether the current prop is fine. Should I look for a used one on Ebay, do any of you have a spare that would work well, or should I buy a new one? Thanks.
T.M. Hayes


If you want alot of acceleration and skiing look into a high five prop..

http://www.go-fast.com/mercury_high_five_propeller.htm

JeffH
11-24-2009, 12:29 PM
T.M.,

Are you skiing or wake boarding? Have you tried to pull a skier?

I have the same set up and pulling a 185 lb wake boarder out is no problem at all!!!

Skier I don't know much about.

I do have trouble keeping a constant 18 to 20 mph on the wake boarder.

Maybe a smaller pitch will help the constant?

Just my .02.

JH

BlownCrewCab
11-24-2009, 01:52 PM
Try just a plain 23" mirage, Not a Mirage plus. The Cup in the plus makes it a tad harder to turn, the plain mirage will give you some more rpm and "Maybe" some more speed. We ran a plain 23 mirage on our raceboat, we tried Spinelli's, Bravos, Hydros etc and always went back to the 23 mirage. It accelerated good, turned good, and had good rpm and top speed. you may want to try a 21" Mirage and if thats too many rpm then go with a 21" mirage plus. These days you can get great deals on them.

BUIZILLA
11-24-2009, 02:04 PM
i'd like to find another good plain Mirage 23 myself...

BlownCrewCab
11-24-2009, 02:36 PM
i'd like to find another good plain Mirage 23 myself...

I Let my neighbor borrow my solid hubbed spare and never saw it again, He Got divorced and Moved:frown:

tmh
11-24-2009, 03:33 PM
The kids are wakeboarding but on a slalom ski it requires more effort than I thought it would. It is still better than our first boat, a 15 foot Whaler with a 70. The wake is pretty big for serious slalom skiing and the kids are having a hard time getting up on the slalom ski. There is some slippage on initial acceleration and I feel like I'm emerging from a ball of water. The first time I got the slalom out my spotter told the driver I was down when I was half way up and just coming out of the water.

How much speed will I lose if I go to a 5 blade or do you think a Mirage 23 will be much better than the lightened and balanced Mirage Plus? What is Big Grizzly's recommendation?
T.M. Hayes

BlownCrewCab
11-24-2009, 05:16 PM
a 21 pitch of any brand/blades should pull up a slalom skier, a 19 pitch will pull up 2 slalom skiers. somtimes you can't have the best of both worlds, but you can swap props in the water in 5 minutes or less:yes: