[coolfish]

First off, this is a prop question not a smart tab question.
Ok, Smart Tabs are great but I don't think that they have resolved all of my problems. I was out for a ride and I had my wife and her friend in the back seat and me driving. I had three kids (under 10 years old) on a large tube and I could barely get up on plane. The motor seems to just not have enough uumph to get up and planed out. Once I'm up on plane there is no problem and the boat handles great. My speed and RPMs are good. Actually getting 5000 RPM WOT which is a couple hundred more than max RPM.

The boat is a 1994 Barchetta 182 bowrider. The motor is a 4.3 litre 2 BBL with alpha 1 drive. Not sure of gear ratio. I believe that the prop is 14" with 19" pitch aluminum (rebuilt at least 5 times).

Any advice on what to try? Will setting the trim tabs on a higher setting help? I am thinking that it is not that simple as the boat just seems to lack the power out of the hole. Perhaps my motor is just tired (doesn't have an hour guage). Thinking a different prop will be the fix. Don't care about losing top end speed.

Shawn

[simpleaz]

I would think a 4 blade and increase the pitch would help. I am not an expert though.

Amazon.com: Michigan Wheel Corp. 993205 14.125R20 4BL SS APOLLO APOLLO XHS PROPELLER: Sports & Outdoors

RPM are getting high at 5000. the 4 blade should help with hole shot and getting you on plane.

[al levy]

try a 18 pitch 4 blade. you can also take your rebuilt prop and hold it up to a new one of the same size and see how much diameter is gone. that happens generally after you have had them fixed many times. the 18 will help you get our of the hole better but will lose some top speed but watch your rpm's as they may go up