Has anyone swapped out their stock 3 blade for a 4 blade on a Sea Ray 175 or similar (18', 190 hp IO, 14 x 23 stock prop, 500+ lbs. of ballast)? If so, what prop? Results?

Hands down, you should get a Mercury Highfive 5 blade Stainless propeller. Since you currently have a 23 pitch, then you would buy the same pitch. It will be the best investment you have ever made. Call any prop shop and they will tell you the same. Any and all I/O's looking for holeshot for water sports should use this prop. You can pick them up on ebay just as I did for a couple hundred under retail. If you need, I can end you a link to the guy I bought mine from. The wake will be awesome and your handling will improve dramatically. I know numerous people I have talked into getting the prop and we all agree, we would never use anything else, ever! <BR> <BR>Kevin

maybe a dumb question but where is the sacrificial anode placed for a stainless prop?

Wow, 23 seems pretty steep. I'll bet that boat hauls ass empty. I just swapped my 14.25 x 19 stainless for a 14.5 x 17 aluminum and I'm pretty happy with the results. I'm running the 4.3 V6, probably same motor as yours, in an 18' i/o, and we sack it out pretty heavy, probably around 4000lbs total weight boat+ballast+humans. I probably get 200-300 more RPMs trying to get on plane and the extra hp at that speed helps a lot. Also holds speed better. <BR> <BR>I've heard nothing but good things about the 4-blade props. I went with the 3 because the dealer had it on the shelf and it was only about a hundred bucks.

In my 19'5" I have 4.3 and with the factory 23 it flat hauled ass, even with 5-6 250lb guys. I now have a 21 and it still runs very well, 50mph or so w/out a lot revs. As soon as I get some coin put aside I'm gonna pick the Highfive, I've heard nothing but good about it.

I too have read a lot of good things about the Mercury Highfive, just not sure I want to drop 5 bills. We're already convinced we need to buy a wake specific boat next year. <BR> <BR>With the boat load with gear and people it goes nicely. however, it doesn't throw much of a wake (working on fixing that) and there's NO room! <BR> <BR>I'm curious though, everything I read about going from 3 to 4 says to drop pitch by 2 inches. Why isn't the same true from going from 3 to 5?

Kevin <BR>Please send me the link!! <BR>I demo'd a 19P and a 17P! and I gotta have the 17P!!! <BR>The 19P gave me almost the same power as my 19P S.S 3-blade vengance! <BR>Scott