As already stated, depends on what you're looking for. Overall, one is not better than the other.
I've run all sorts of different props under all sorts of different conditions. I had a boat shop and really wanted to feel and know how the differences felt on my own boat, so I could talk with at least a little first-hand knowledge.
And that's another thing. A particular prop may be wonderful on one boat, but on a different hull, it'll be terrible.
So, all anyone here can offer you is personal experience, and why any particular prop is good or bad for their application.
So, with that all in mind, here's my results, on my boat.
Mirage - HATED IT! it has great bow lift, which on MY boat is terrible. It made the hull 'slam' coming off the tops of waves, even little ones. The prop was trying so hard to hold the bow up, then by the time the boat was far enough through the wave and the mass overcame the lift, the hull just dropped like a stone, BANG into the water, time after time.. It was terrible. Now, after testing it on his boat, I sold that prop to a guy with the same length boat, with the same engine but a different hull, and he loved it.
Laser II - Nice prop, not a lot of lift (bow or stern), quick out of the water, especially with the vent plugs pulled. If you use it for pulling skiers, WARN them you are using a vented prop! That prop gets the boat from idle to full plane in a blink!
Black Max (3 blade ali. Bog 'stock') - not a bad prop, but being ali tends to distort with power, and lose grip in turns.
Vengeance - Very nice prop. I can pull full-lock turns at 30 knots without any ventilation (air being pulled into the blades, some call it, incorrectly, 'cavitation')...
Alpha 4 - 1 inch higher pitch pulling the same WOT RPM, but 3 knots slower.. Yeah, go figure! Love this prop, quite immune to seaweed fouling and loss of grip, which is why I like it.
Offshore/Vensura/Revolution 4 - very much the same as the Alpha 4, but with SS goodness.
Generally, more blades means each blade is smaller, and the rake angle is higher (more 'swept back') and that, for me, means less problems with picking up seaweed.
As also said, once you decide you want a new prop, go to a prop shop that will allow you to 'try before you buy'. If one shop says no, just go to the next one. I know when I had my Merc dealership, we could let the head office know the styles and pitches and a couple of days later, a big box of props arrived. I'd call my customer and let him know he was in for a fun weekend. He'd bring all the props back, bar the one he wanted to keep, and pay me for it... I had many satisfied customers that way, and they all said the same thing "I didn't realise a prop could make such a difference!"....
Chris.........
