Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

OK, for the last damn time I'm going to try and re-prop. This has been a disaster from day one. I've got a 96 Z212 with the 5.0L. Ive got a Michigan Wheel 14 X19P aluminum on it now. WOT is 4600 with the usual load of people I have EVERY weekend. No idea on speed, with just me (120 lbs) in it i was getting 45 on the speedo. I'm not going for speed, to get speed you've gotta get on plane first!! The boat struggles VERY much getting on plane with any amount of people accept just by myself. By myself I can get 4800RPM all day long. But I need to get on plane much faster with people on board....

I'm willing to give up Top Speed to get this pig on plane faster. Even if it will put me over my recommend RPMs. I'm the only one who drives this boat, so no worries there. What can I do?

I think i have a stainless 3 blade 14 x21 blade available to me this weekend to try if that's what I need?? Or DO i need a 14 X 17p? This is the only thing I hate DEARLY about this boat!!

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

It sounds like the 19P is about right on the rpms. When you hole-shot to plane are you using WOT? If you locate some of your passengers up front it should help you plane quickly. My Z210 planes much quicker with some of the passengers in the front lounge, and I usually got to WOT when getting out of the water.

If you really want to get up quick, you might spring for a 19P High Five. They are around $500 though. Smart tabs could probably be installed for less and might be even better at getting you up. My boat does not enjoy having all the passengers on the rear sofa. A 17p is usually reserved for fat cabin cruisers with a V6 engine.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Steve is right about the prop pitch....19" seems to be correct for your boat given the WOT rpms and the 21" will only add to your woes. I would suggest the Smart Tabs and possibly moving to a 4 blade prop for the little extra bite. A large number of our members have installed the Smart Tabs and seen immediate improvements in planing. The Smart Tabs should also be the less expensive option so try them first.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Thanks for the replies guys. As you can tell, I'm frustrated with the boat, and would like to strangle the previous owner for not getting the 5.7 or 7.4 :D. The bow to the sun happens with about 225-275 pounds in the bow as well!!! If I went with a 4 blade, keep 17 pitch? I'd like to look into the 4 blade, as that is probably less than the mighty High 5..

When ATTEMPTING to get on plane, I am wide open. Now that you make me think, when I am wide open getting onto plane, the boat is not actually 'wide open.' It SLOWLY gains RPM. (IMO slower than it should.) I had a 19ft gayliner with a 4 cyl and she would go when you buried it. The Mariah slowly gets up. (But that's comparing apples to oranges...)

Back to basics. I'm going to look into the smart tabs over this winter. I've only got a couple more weeks left and would like to get heading in the right direction with this prop, otherwise it's going to kill me this winter.... So the options are, 4 blade stainless 17 pitch. Or High 5 in 19 Pitch? Thanks for all your help guys, I'm sure your getting tired of helping with re-propping!!

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

FYI, I have a newer SX 20 with a 5.0 in it I am running around 4500 with a 14.5x19p prop (alum) just bought a SS cannot wait to try it.. However back to your question my bow too just screams to the sky.. So I tried a four blade and wow what a huge difference planes quicker and is able to handle a good amount of people..

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Awesome. What SS did you buy? A 4 blade 19 pitch?

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I'm not sure i like the idea of dropping to a 17" pitch. I might suggest a 4 blade 18" or 19" to go with the Smart Tabs. Dropping to the 17" will add another 400rpm at WOT and will likely lower your top speed. Overtons has their end of season prop sale on now so they might be worth checking out. I bought a 4 blade SS - 20" prop for $300 all in from them last year. It might be worth having the hub checked in your existing prop too. There might be a touch of slippage there when its under heavy load.....

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I bought a three blade SS and will use that when I have a light load or only two to four people. The four blade (18P) worked great with full load of 1700lbs, or water sports made it really plane quick with not much lost on top end.. well, untill I struck a underwater object... :(
-Doug

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I put on a Stingray Hydrofoil and mine pops up on plane now.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

You've got a 202 with a 5.7. I've got the 21.2 with a 5.0...

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

That could be a difference, mine's supposed to be 300 hp as well, I've played with props a bit, currently using an Aluminum 4 blade 19p. With a 23p SS 3 blade it took effort to get a skier up.

:shakehead:

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Ok guys,
I did the craiglist deal. I found a 3 Blade 14X17 pitch Stainless Steel Quicksilver Prop for $150. I know you guys said it's gonna add 400 more RPM, but I'm the ONLY driver of this boat. This would get me on plane faster correct? If this solves the problem, I would buy a 4 blade 18 or 19 pitch with out a doubt. I just don't want to spend $300-$450 + on a prop to find out its the wrong one... Thanks guys.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Why not use the "try-a-prop" program from Mercury?

Y

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I just bought a 95 Z202 that is equipped with the 5.0 LX 205 horse. It came with a 4 blade stilleto prop. This boat planes as quick or quicker than my Ski Nautique I used to own. Even with 4 adults and 4 kids it is no problem. I think a 4 blade will easily solve your problems. The boat will still run 48 (GPS) with a full load of people. I wonder what it would do with just me in it?

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I have 214 Jubilee,Deckboat 5.0 engine with aluminum 14x19 3 blade prop with a SE Sport 300 Hydrofoil. With 5 people on board have no trouble getting it up on plan for sking. Using a SS prop of the same size found I lost speed with starts but moved at top end. I checked speed with G.P.S. and loss 3 mph the same distance with SS. Aluminum flexed more on starts.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Hi guys.I have a 94 z190 talari.Love the boat.Was lucky when I bought it because it came with a 21pitch SS High Five[pretty sure its a 14"]Any way the boat has a 4.3 and it had a pretty basic looking hydrafoil.This boat gets up on plane right now.Even with 8 people in it it gets on plane pretty quick.I'd have to say that very seldom does the nose of the boat ever get high enough that I can't see where I'm driving even when taking off.With 2 people I think it would probably hit 5000 rpm[never tried it but its still picking up rpm's when it nears 4800] I've traded with a friend and tried his aluminum 21&23 pitch and even a 19 but nothing I've been able to try compares with the high five for getting on plane or even for top speed.I also tried a SS 21 pitch that was respectable but no High Five.I've since replaced the hydrafoil with trim tabs.With the hydrafoil the boat would list real bad if you overloaded one side.Big improvement!A friend put a High Five on his Bayliner and said it also made a big improvement getting on plane faster.We have a few dealers that will sell you a prop to try and as long as it comes back As New you can return it and use the initial cost towards another prop they have.Might be worth investigating.I've bent your ears long enough but I was lucky and wouldn't have believed the difference this prop makes.

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I put on smart tabs sx by nauticus.... works like a charm
my boat ia a divanti 205. this boat amazed me with only the hydrofoil.... now it blows me away./

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

Hey 95Z212,

I have a 95 Z202 with a 5.0 LX (4 barrel). I don't have any problem getting on plane. I had an 18P Stilleto (too small). Now I have a 21P High Five (1.62 gear ratio). I can take 9 people all day and still enjoy water sports.

It sounds to me that you have engine problems (carb problems, missing, timing, coil going bad). Check your drive position when planing (all the way down). It sounds dumb, but visually check and see that it is all the way down.

Also, you probably have that awful Mercruiser 3000 throttle and shifter. Make sure it's opening the throttle all the way up. Mine is so stiff I'm replacing it this year. When people pull me skiing, they often think the throttle is wide open when in fact it's about half way.

If you have the 2 barrel 5.0, I think that has less power than mine, but planing should not be a problem.

Danny

Re: Stainless 3 Blade Z212 5.0
 

I'm with spinks on this one. If your WOT RPM is where it should be. Then your prop is probably not the issue. Just because you can (maybe) put a band aid on it with a different prop/hydrofoil/etc, it is just that.... a band-aid. Check for the obvious stuff. Do a compression check, check fire, make sure throttle is opening all they way, make sure your trim is going all the way down. check under your floor for trapped water. Mine was holding a couple hundred gallons. It doesn't take a lot of water to equal a LOT of weight!