please help with prop selection for wakeboarding

I just purchased a 2004 tahoe Q-4 ski and fish, with a wakeboard tower. it has the mercruiser 4.3l 190hp engine. the boat is very difficult to get to plane when pulling a wakeboarder, so im wondering if changing the prop would do the trick? what is a good recommended prop for faster plaining, and holding the lower speeds. I am not concerned with loosing top end at all. I want the best pitch prop for the quickest plane. I currently have just a stock 3 blade, but dont know the pitch. would a 4 or even 5 blade prop be better for low end? any recommended brands, and pitch? Thank you

If you don't have a hydrafoil, get one. It will be the best $50 ever spent

This is the one i had on my 115hp outboard
http://www.boatersworld.com/product/361090012msk.htm


P.S. I don't know anything about props

(Message edited by jpshaff01 on June 01, 2007)

what does it do? will it help with planeing?

Eddie, that one or a Stingray will stop all bow rise and let you plane easily. You can hold any speed. A Must Have.
Get a prop after if you still want. Search for hydrofoil in Boats and Boats archive to find out pros and cons.
Your problem is very common.

awsome, i will definatly check that out. So what about props? anyone have any suggestions? Does a 4 blade really make a big difference in low end? Its frustrating trying to learn to wakeboard, when my boat wont plane half the time! I should have plenty of power to pull me too

http://www.wakeworld.com/MB/Discus/messages/65921/420544.html

Heres another link to an old thread, basically everything it says on boaterworld about that stingray one is true.

I bought one thinking if it does any one of the things it claims its worth $50 and it does all that stuff, i'm surprised its not factory equipment by now.

its not factory epqipment cause they create drag and dont work! get a new prop. a four blade would help out so much and if you can fork over the dough get the high five prop. but thoes are like 500 bucks. and a new 4blade are 200 bucks you will most likely need a 18 pitch. but dont wuote me on it cause i dont know what you have on it now.

"its not factory epqipment cause they create drag and dont work!"

If the extra drag created caused my old boat to go 5mph faster than yes you are right lol

I put a Mercury Vensura prop on that I was very happy with. It's stainless 4 blade and you can tune the hole shot with exhaust vent plugs.
Try to find a place that will let you test drive the prop.

I've done lots that's not factory, some works so well you wonder what the factory was thinking.
Some don't.
Look at the Vensura and High 5 from the back. You'll see almost the same surface area pushing water. On my old 170 Hp boat the 4 blade worked better and cost less. Both are made by Mercury and stainless. Neither are really cheap.

I went from a 3 lade 21 pitch to a 4 blade 18 pitch and it was a huge difference. Boat planes WAY faster and jumps out of the hole when pulling a wakeboarder. Find out what your stock pitch is.. drop it by 2 and get that size in a 4 blade.

ya you must be right. my 2 years of marine schooling taught me nothing. boy do i feel like crap

Yeah i would ask for a refund.

ya, you think i could ask mercruiser for a refund?

well thanks for all the advice, I was beggining to wonder if there was something wrong with my boat, but i see that it is a fairly common problem with non traditional wakeboard boats. I am going to get one of the hydrofoils (like an above post stated, if it only does one thing its worth the 50 bucks, and if not, it was only 50 bucks)If I am still not satisfied then I will take my current prop in and see what they suggest. Thanks again for the help!