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I feel these hulls have been out long enough there should be alot more info out there than what Im seeing.....only thing I can find is people running the stock 3 or the OFX4, come on got to be more out there experimenting?

I just tested an OFX4 19 on mine.... The OFX ran real nice... boat felt lighter and peppier but hole shot tho better than the 3 blade was still a little to long IMO.  This prop also lifts the stern alot making it run like the tabs are halfway down.  Got me to wondering if the OFX3 would be a good overall mix of the stock 3 and OFX 4.  Is no one out there running anything different?

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hard to turn port at speed? I’m working on getting into a 25 now and when I do, the prop situation will be dialed in. Step hulls need bow lift....See if you can get your hands on a Mercury Bravo 1 FS in 20 pitch. If I had a 22p lying around I’d send it to you to try, but think it might be tall for a 25’. 
 

Does Ken at Prop Gods have the Bravo FS series on the try it program yet? If so, it’s worth a call and the cash, then buy from Jaco’s Marine online, they have the best price on new Merc. props.

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Sorry been away form the cpu for a few days.

  Yes hard to turn unless its trimmed out of course I dont have power assist either.  Hoping you get one would love to hear 1st hand info on performance of certain props then decide.  Ive heard alot of good things about the merc bravo FS.  May give Ken a call and see.  Thanks for giving your rec and def let us know when you go to working on props for the 25

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On 7/7/2020 at 6:32 PM, FINCHASER said:

I feel these hulls have been out long enough there should be alot more info out there than what Im seeing.....only thing I can find is people running the stock 3 or the OFX4, come on got to be more out there experimenting?

I just tested an OFX4 19 on mine.... The OFX ran real nice... boat felt lighter and peppier but hole shot tho better than the 3 blade was still a little to long IMO.  This prop also lifts the stern alot making it run like the tabs are halfway down.  Got me to wondering if the OFX3 would be a good overall mix of the stock 3 and OFX 4.  Is no one out there running anything different?

Finchaser,

     I’m curious, is your 2500 powered by a 300 Yamaha.  Not trying to steal your thread I’ve just been wondering the same thing but for a 2500 with a 250 SHO.

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  • 1 month later...

Would love to know if anyone has tried the Bravo 1FS on the 2500.  Im in same situation as Fin.  Have both the 3 blade SWS and an OFX4 19.. Both work well but I think there's a better solution out there.  2500 with 300 Yamaha, T TOP, usually run pretty full on gas and gear.  More offshore than inside these days....

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  • 1 month later...

I've been running my 2500 with the F300 for 3 years now. It has the fiberglass t-top. There's been a LOT of discussion on props with this set up here, on FB and on THT.  Personally, I think prop selection is very subjective. What's best for me, may not be best for the next guy.  I started with the factory SWS2 3-blade in 21P. I tested a Merc Rev 4 in 19P and purchased a PowerTech OFX4 (factory ported) also in 19P.  I've gone back to the factory prop and won't be trying any others.  Both the Rev4 and OFX4 had an improved hole shot and allowed me to run the jackplate at the highest setting. However, I had a 12-20% loss in performance across the RPM range with both. And by performance loss, my cruise speed and mpg both dropped by that 12-20% vs the same RPM on the factory prop.  I don't have the spreadsheet anymore, but I had taken careful before & after data for each prop. Seeing the results on paper were eye opening to say the least.
Yes, the factory prop is slow to get on plane, especially with full livewell(s) and/or someone in the jump seat(s), but I don't run in or need to jump on plane in 18" of water either. I trim the motor all the way down and bury the tabs out of the hole, then trim the motor up to 3-4 bars and fine tune with the tabs.  What I decided was important to me was efficiency and mid-range performance. I regularly run 30-40 miles a day during a fishing trip and with the factory prop I regularly achieve 3.5 mpg fairly loaded and have surpassed 4 mpg running light.  I can get 3 mpg running 40 mph @4000 rpm. I have rarely run faster than 40-42 mph, but have seen 58.5 top end. This boat is happiest @ 35-40 mph.

For the hardcore inshore guys, maybe the 4 blade is right for you if you need the hole shot and run skinny.
But if you're running the bay, beaches or offshore the majority of the time and you need to squeeze out all the miles you can out of that 67 gallons, then maybe the factory 3 blade is the way to go.  .5-.8 mpg more doesn't seem like much, but on 67 gallons of fuel, that's 30-40 extra miles of range.

Decide what your goals are first. Decide if you can live with reduced speeds and MPG. Then get out there and RIDE!

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Well thanks for the info, you are right it is subjective and Id disagree with there being  alot of discussions.... there are a few here and there but nothing new... everyone tried the same props mostly bravo, OFX and Rev.  Im offshore 80% of the time and Im out there when its not pretty... prefer the ability to better control the speed when running into a head sea and better low / mid response when running a following sea.  Im pretty sure running in either constantly having to jockey the throttle especially like you do climbing the back of swells sure reduces MPG so that point is a wash

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With what BradM said earlier - the stepped hull needs bow lift and grip, and the fact that Mercury props are in short supply - and very expensive to boot...  Why not try a less expensive test?  In my area (Upstate South Carolina), I've been seeing some high-end Pro Tournament Bass boats with Michigan Wheel Ballistic XHS props on them.  I'm talking about Big-Name Sponsored bass boats rigged to the max, where money is no object!  I know I will be trying one of these props on my next boat.  For larger motors, the Ballistic is available in 3-blade and 4-blade models.

https://www.miwheel.com/propellers/brands/ballistic/

A well-stocked seller:

https://www.ebay.com/str/westmichiganpropeller

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Just wanted to give everyone an update.  Boat was run today and did better than I thought.  It ran a top end of 58mph bouncing off the limiter with a good hole shot.  Boat had 40g of fuel and one person on board.  The prop used was 20 pitch revolution 4.  We are trying to get our hands on a 21 pitch revolution 4 but they are backordered.  will update once I have more info. 

 

Pathfinder 2500 Hybrid Mercury 300 Verado.  V8 not I6

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  • 2 weeks later...

Evening everyone.  Just wanted to give another update.  So the prop the dealer saw best fit was a 20.5P racing rev 4.  Today we had an inshore fishing load on board with all fishing gear, approx 40g fuel, and 2 good sized guys.  Its still under break in but averaged around 3 mpg and top end without being there to long was approx 54mph into the wind.  Again I wasnt there long but I will have more info as I continue to run the boat.  Hole shot seemed pretty good but still trying to figure that out.  Boat def takes a little more to get up than my last maybe around 3' -belly button high or so.

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  • 1 month later...
  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Loving my Rev4XP 18.5.  Boat is almost unaffected by load.  runs 5800 at 53 mph with four guys (have seen 55 but that's with a tail wind and perfect conditions), fuel and gear.  Doesn't seem to make much difference with less load.  Holeshot is solid and midrage punch great.  I just took the vent plugs out and put in the Mercury plugs what are pre-drilled out, seems a bit better out of the hole, going to try no vent plugs next.

Have tried OFX 4 19, Mercury Bravo 1 FS, 21, Mercury Enertia Eco 18, all work OK, but Im most happy with the rev 4.

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Hey guys sorry for the long delay, the Caloosahatchee has been full of snowbirds and hard to get results. Just playing as much as I can, I have some results.

I have not been able to get top speed numbers yet. This prop runs similar to my ofx4, but I have removed one plug from the prop and still playing with jack plate

and engine trim. These numbers were with 45 gallons of gas , me and my wife and t-top.

IMG_0845.JPG

IMG_0847.JPG

IMG_0852.JPG

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