Total newb prop question
 

Hey y'all,

I purchased a 1991 1900ZS in the off season and finally put it in the water yesterday. All's well. The engine is the ol' 4.3 Mercruiser.

Right now, the boat has just one prop (no spare). The current one is a 14" x 19p, and of course, has a chunk about the size of your thumb missing from one of the blades.

So... my plan is to buy a new prop to replace the existing one, have that one repaired, and it as a backup.

Overall, I'm not interested in top speeds, just general decent performance and smooth operation. Also, the lakes here are extremely shallow, so hitting the bottom (usually mud, but sometimes rock) sooner or later is basically inevitable even if you're extremely careful. So stainless is out of the question for me, just based on the cost alone.

Should I stick with the current 14 x 19 configuration, or is there something else that might be better?

Re: Total newb prop question
 

I would say the 14 X 19 is about right for all around use. If you're not as interested in top speed, you should also consider a 4 blade for better bite and hole shot. Did you happen to record RPM's and top speed at full throttle? This is really the best way to make a prop suggestion. Is it a 4.3, or 4.3 LX?

Sounds like you've already done a lot of homework - definitely go with aluminum for your situation of shallow waters.

Congrats on the purchase and glad to hear the maiden voyage went well!!