14offshore

Ok guys, the most though afterquestion i can come up with.

iI have a 24 ft wellcraft cuddy boat pushes 3400 pounds when loaded with fuel supplies ice and people it is problay around 5000 pound.

It is a 1998 boat with a merc.200 offshore carb engine.i am running a 17p vengance prop on it @ 4600 rpms im burning around 10 gals per hour. @21 konts. And at 32 knots im burning 21 gals. per hour@ 5800 rpms.

The boat get on plane rather quick and stays there unless i go slower than around 8 to 10 knots. I do not have a whale tale or trim tabs.

Is this the right prop for the boat i guess as best as i can figure i get between 2.3 and 2.7 mpg. what are some things i can do to maybe increase fuel concumption. with my present equipment short of throwing things overboard. prop size, tabs, whale tale. any ideas out there if things dont get better im gonna have to get rid of a very nice boat. last trip out i mad a 65 mile hop both ways burnt 30gallons did about 1 hour trolling at 5 knots through out the day. Where are all the experts at and give me all the feed back you guys can think of. from no cost to around 1000.00 $ Your help will be appreacited and valued.

DOUBLE "D" & LV

If your wide open throttle is 5800 when you are fully loaded and this is how you normally run, then the prop seems a bit too small in pitch. A 19 would probably be the better prop to bring the rpm's down to just under 5500. Then , when the boat gets lighter from gas use, etc, the rpms will come up a little closer to 5500. Of course this will decrease your hole shot a little, but overall you should have better performance.

I would highly recommend talking to Danny at Accu-prop on a good prop or rewoking the one you have to get the best performance.The economy you are getting now is not bad for the age and style of engine. Typically, if you are burning around 1 gallon of gas for every 10 horse power at wide open, then your engine is working properly. The prop and boat setup will determing your economy. Some setups will only get a certain economy no matter what you do.

redfish maniac

Speaking of Accu Prop - I just got my propeller back from them but cannot remember exactly how to put it back on.

It got tuned, sandblasted, painted,etc. and I know some of the peices need marine lube put back on prior to reinstalling.

Anyone have a good website for step by step instructions. I don't want to do it wrong.

THANKS

Orion45

1. Grease shaft with a quality marine grease.

2. Install spacer (if any)

3. Install thrust bearing.

4. Install propeller.

5. Install spacer (if any)

6. Install washer.

7. Install castle nut and torque to specs. Ensure hole for cotter pin is visible. If not visible at correct torque, tighten nut until hole is visible

8. Install cotter pin and bend the tips. Make sure the cotter pin is not protruding out of the propeller hub. You can get a nasty cut while swimming around the transom, e.g. trying to board the ladder.

Scabs

I have a similar boat. Wellcraft 25 cuddy with a Johnson 225 2 stroke. Last year I ran a Mercury Enertia 19p. My wot was 5100 rpms. It performed very well in all categories. The hole shot would get up on plane very quick and would max out around 33 mph. The only problem was the max rpm's were too low. This year I bought a 17p Enertia. The performance was terrible. It kept blowing out causing the rpm's to shoot to 6300.It also had a bad vibration. I could only get to 26 mph and it was drinking gas. I took it to Accu-prop to increase the pitch in hopes of better performance. They changed it to 18.25 on each blade , give or take a little. What surprised me was the pitch issues the prop had when it came from the factory. Apparently, each blade's pitch was different up to a .25 of a pitch. Now the vibration is gone. It hooks up quick and just hums. I max out a 5500 rpm's and reach 37 mph at wot. My gas consumption has dropped considerably. Last tripIgot about 3.75 mpg and ran it wide open most of the trip. I think thats pretty good for the engine have. Considerrepitching the prop you have to an 18. It's alot cheaper than buying a new prop.By the way, thanksAccu-prop.