I/O prop recommendation
 

I have a 97 Maxum 20ft fish ski with a 5.7mercruiser, but we have set it up for wakeboarding. A couple weeks ago I tore my prop up a little and need to get a new one. Right now I am running a stock 3 blade wehich i beleive is a 15.5 x 18 or 19 (Hard to read the stamp. I want to go to a 4 blade since I have read that they give a better whole shot and get you on plane faster. A couple sites have recommended a 14.5 x 17 blade and Some say 14.5 x 18. I do want to stick with aluminum since I really can not afford stainless and we may be selling the boat after the season to get a V drive. I have pretty much narrowed the chioced down to mercuiser, Solas, Michigan Wheel, but Volvo makes a QL line prop that will fit a mercuiser and I can get one this weekend for just over $100. I just can not find any reviews on them. Any help guys, I promised my GF I would order by tomorrow.
Thanks

I really liked the 4 blade Vensura, but it's stainless. One of the good features was the variable exhaust porting you could do at the blades to get more prop slip during a hard start. I'm not up on the others anymore but that was a nice feature. It's basically a hole behind each blade with a plastic plug in it.

I have a 15x16 4 blade aluminum Michigan wheel prop new in box. Got it for my I/O Merc Alpha One with 350 Chevy to hold speed easier but just sold the I/O today and never got the use the prop. I ran a 15x19 stainless 3 blade and figure this would give me about 400 more RPM at any speed. I paid $120.70 + like $13 or $14 shipping for it would sell for $100+shipping, if it's what you're looking for...

Does it have the hub kit with it? I keep getting a recommendation of 15 1/2 x 15 or a 14 1/2 x17 on the prop wizzzard for turning point props, so yours may work. Let me look into it a little more. Just don't want to get something I can't use. Is your motor a 5.7? I want something for a good whole shot and to get on plane faster.

A 16" prop on an Alpha drive should give lots of pull out of the hole.

Yeah, my biggest concern would be the WOT RPM's, but I am thinking at 15" diameter I would be OK.

Everything I could find said the Volvo QL is almost exactly the same blade profile as the Solas. It just has a more open space for the exhaust outlet to pass thru. Looking at the overall exhaust layout, I really couldnt see that being the biggest choke point though.

My hole shot and time to plane was accebtable to me. With a couple people in the boat it was about 3 seconds to plane. Reason I got the 15x16 4 blade was I heard 4 blades were better for low speed higher loads and stay on plane easier nad the lower pitch would put my riding speed more into the engine's powerband. It was hard for people other than me or my one good driver friend to hold a steady speed at 22 MPH or so, which was 2400-2500 RPM. Figured a few hundred more RPM at riding speed would make it easier to stay steady, but sold the boat before I got to use the prop. Yes is was a 350 Chevy motor and I do have the hub kit with the prop.

Sounds like what I need. Sent you another PM. Thanks!