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  #1  
Old 02-02-2012, 08:24 PM
pelada trochu
 
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Default mercury spitfire props

I just ordered one of these props from my dealer last week. 204.00 bucks.
The first load is coming in today at vancouver and shipping out to dealers right away.

If you havent heard, they are a 4 blade design for us aluminum boaters with small engines up to 125HP. provide 25% better holeshot and no loss at top end. The 4 blade gives much better holding power to prevent a blowout and a nasty overrev. Also have a pontoon specific prop too.

Sounds like a home run for us fishermen.

cant wait to get mine and try her out. Will likely be cutting a 1/4mile strip in the lake next weekend. Anyone want to come help out??? We can all do some trolling when were done!
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  #2  
Old 02-02-2012, 08:36 PM
bobalong bobalong is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pelada trochu View Post
I just ordered one of these props from my dealer last week. 204.00 bucks.
The first load is coming in today at vancouver and shipping out to dealers right away.

If you havent heard, they are a 4 blade design for us aluminum boaters with small engines up to 125HP. provide 25% better holeshot and no loss at top end. The 4 blade gives much better holding power to prevent a blowout and a nasty overrev. Also have a pontoon specific prop too.

Sounds like a home run for us fishermen.

cant wait to get mine and try her out. Will likely be cutting a 1/4mile strip in the lake next weekend. Anyone want to come help out??? We can all do some trolling when were done!
Looks interesting, what pitch did you order?
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  #3  
Old 02-02-2012, 08:43 PM
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npauls npauls is offline
 
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I have had my eye on these for awhile. I seen a next bite episode and a video on their website about it last fall and have been looking into it ever since.

I am talking to a guy in the states that is going to let me try one out for the whole season and let him know what its like and how it works out for my underpowered overweight boat. I am really hoping it makes a big difference.
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  #4  
Old 02-02-2012, 08:56 PM
bobalong bobalong is offline
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Originally Posted by npauls View Post
I have had my eye on these for awhile. I seen a next bite episode and a video on their website about it last fall and have been looking into it ever since.

I am talking to a guy in the states that is going to let me try one out for the whole season and let him know what its like and how it works out for my underpowered overweight boat. I am really hoping it makes a big difference.
So you should actually be able to go up a pitch or two to increase top end but still maintain the hole shot of the lower pitch props.
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  #5  
Old 02-02-2012, 09:36 PM
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npauls npauls is offline
 
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The guy told me to stick with the pitch I am using now to hopefully gain a hole shot when the boat is loaded down with gear, guys, and a full livewell but keep the top end or even gain a few mph.

He said I should see a huge difference in the overall performance of my motor and I can't wait to see if he is right.
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  #6  
Old 02-02-2012, 11:13 PM
pelada trochu
 
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Wish i got to use one for free for the season. Good for you.


17"


anybody have any success turning a 19 on a 17' aluminum 115 opti???
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  #7  
Old 02-02-2012, 11:25 PM
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npauls npauls is offline
 
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Originally Posted by pelada trochu View Post
Wish i got to use one for free for the season. Good for you.


17"


anybody have any success turning a 19 on a 17' aluminum 115 opti???


It was pretty lucky.

I just asked what they were worth for my boat and explained my situation to him. He asked if I wanted to test one out and give feed back. If I like it I can buy it for a bit of a deal and if it didn't improve things very much I can send it back. From the sounds of things the deal I would be getting would be around the same price as you paid for yours.
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  #8  
Old 02-02-2012, 11:35 PM
pelada trochu
 
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if its crossing the border its going to cost at least 20 bucks shipping each way.

why not pick one up in town.

i dont trust the availability mid summer, so i grabbed it now.

what boat are you putting yours on?
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  #9  
Old 02-02-2012, 11:52 PM
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npauls npauls is offline
 
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I don't have the cash to pick one up right now so trying one out for the season and then paying for it makes it work for me for now. I can have the whole season to get the cash together to pay for the prop at the end of the year if I really like it.

My boat is a 99 alumacraft magnum 165cs with a 40hp 4 stroke merc. and a manual jack plate. I am also running a 24 volt minn kota pd2 with ipilot on the bow and a minn kota traxxis on the transom. I have quite a bit of gear in my boat normally and it is way under powered as it is. Then you add another guy with all his gear and a livewell full of water and fish it doesn't like to plane out to fast.

The guy providing the prop for me said that is the reason he wants me to try it and give him some feed back. He said if it is going to make a difference on any boat it should be mine with how I have it set up.

The one I will be trying out should be here before the open water hits down here in the south. I am going to do a run with the prop I have right now and then swap it for the new one and do the same run and see what the differences are. He said I should be able to jack up my jack plate a bit with the new prop and squeeze even more performance out of it so I guess we will see what happens.
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  #10  
Old 02-03-2012, 12:31 AM
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Mudslide Mudslide is offline
 
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I talked to the Merc rep yesterday and he showed me the charts on these props. Hole shot was way faster with minimal loss of top end speed. I`ll be putting one on my boat this spring for sure,
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  #11  
Old 02-03-2012, 01:58 AM
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Kokanee9 Kokanee9 is offline
 
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I have a 4 blade on mine now and was thinking of going down to a 3 blade.

I'm having problems with cavitation on turns after the boat has planed. It is not the model that you guys are talking about, I believe it's the Alpha 4 that I have on there. It pops the boat out of the water nicely and would easily pull a couple of skiers, its just that cavitation on the turns....any ideas, or suggestions?
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  #12  
Old 02-03-2012, 07:56 AM
Buckhead Buckhead is offline
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pelada trochu View Post
Wish i got to use one for free for the season. Good for you.


17"


anybody have any success turning a 19 on a 17' aluminum 115 opti???
Thanks for the info. I've been checking out the Spitfire for a couple months now and wondering when I would be able to get one.

For the 115 Opti (17' aluminum) a 19 is normally what I run and I can still hit the rev limiter running with a full load -3 people and gear (39 mph). I plan on trying out a 20 or 21 this year.

I only run the 17 when I want more bottom end to pull tubers and skiers.
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  #13  
Old 02-03-2012, 09:19 AM
pelada trochu
 
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i think the alpha 4 is a black max prop with an extra blade. this new prop has cupped blades which hold the water much better. caviation is different than a blowout which is a massive overrev. cav seems to rip the paint off the tips and you dont notice it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kokanee9 View Post
I have a 4 blade on mine now and was thinking of going down to a 3 blade.

I'm having problems with cavitation on turns after the boat has planed. It is not the model that you guys are talking about, I believe it's the Alpha 4 that I have on there. It pops the boat out of the water nicely and would easily pull a couple of skiers, its just that cavitation on the turns....any ideas, or suggestions?
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