Better holeshot and low speed plane for Chaparral 196ssi ma

[Chap196]

First post! Thanks in advance for your help!

I recently bought a 2003 Chaparral 196ssi. It is our all around family boat but we do wakeboard, ski, and tube. I'd like it to come out of the water harder and I don't care if I lose a little top end. We aren't serious wakeboarders trying to maintain a big wake so if it gets more stern lift coming up, that's fine. I'm open to 4 blade props. Open to aluminum or stainless if the performance difference is worth the cost.

Details on my setup:

1) Performance issue you are trying to correct. Better hole shot / lower planing speed
2) Current prop manufacturer, model, aluminum or stainless as a minimum. Mercruiser aluminum 3 blade
3) Current prop diameter and pitch (required). 14.25" X 21P
4) Wide open throttle RPM and speed with an average load (very helpful) 4800 to 4900 RPM, 53ish MPH
5) Engine/drive make, model, year, and HP Mercruiser Alpha One, 2003, 260HP 5.0L MPI
6) Boat make model, year, length and weight Chaparral 196ssi, 2003, 19' 6" LOA, 8' 4" beam, ~ 4000 LBs loaded

Thank you!

 

[tpenfield]

Maybe . . . Mercury Revolution 4 blade 19P . . . or Stiletto BayPro II 14.25 x 18 P

 

[floater212]

i have a 212 rinker captiva 21' with a 350 mpi, it's more motor but same size. I had a high five 21" 13 3/8" dia. great skiing/ tubing prop but it was slow at about 34- 36mph. I now have a Ron Hill prop, stainless 5 blade pleasure prop in a 19" pitch but it has the full 14 3/8" diameter and full wide blades. the boat jumps out of the hole and goes about 45- 46mph with throttle left to push. the ron hill is also cheaper than mercruiser high five. I can't say enough on these ron hill props, if I need another one i'll be buying the ron hill prop!!!

 

[Chap196]

Thanks for the feedback. I previously had a 21' Chap Cuddy with the 220HP 5.0L Merc Alpha and I had a High 5 on that. Similar experience to yours - much better hole shot but top end WAY reduced. I'll take a look at the Ron Hill, never heard of those.

 

[Starcraft5834]

19 p 4 blade.. that will fix ya..........your top end will drop 2-4 mph.. you will jump out of the hole quicker for sure.... I would not operate anything but a 4 blade.. best overall prop in my opinion

 

[98Shabah]

^^ What he said, and you don't have to go with an expensive prop either, different drive but I went from a 21p aluminum 3 blade to a 20p aluminum 4 blade Solas Amita and actually gained 4 mph on top of a better/lower planing speed and better maneuverability around docks, thought with my old 21p 3 blade I was only hitting the bottom of the max rpm range, now I'm near the top of it. I got the prop here on iboats for like $125 with shipping.

 

[Chap196]

Thanks for the feedback. I went ahead and ordered the Solas Amita aluminum 4 blade, 19P. Low lake levels out here this year so I'll stick with aluminum for now and maybe try stainless later if I'm not happy with the Amita. For $110 I couldn't go too wrong and it gives me my 3 blade as a spare for the boat just in case. I'll report back how it performs when I get installed, hopefully before July 4.

 

[Chap196]

As a follow up, I did try out the Amita and it definitely made a difference. Planes out quicker for sure and I don't think it lost much, if any, on the top end. About the same as before.

 

[Grandad]

How about the low speed plane? If not finished tinkering, perhaps trim tabs would help out there. - Grandad