Pitch Lower ... but to what?

[Pointnclickus]

Others claim that a 9.9 Honda should be strong enough to push my 27 foot sailboat thats unladen weight is 6250 lbs. I think it's slow (3 knots at wot in mild chop)<br /><br />So it was suggested that I try a lower pitch prop. Any suggestions on what pitch for my application?<br /><br />Calm Seas,<br />Rudi Gartner<br />Sedona Magic 8.3<br />Dana Point, Ca

 

[walleyehed]

Re: Pitch Lower ... but to what?

Welcome aboard!<br />My 8hp yammy pushes my 18ft aluminum at about 7-8MPH (6-7kts) at wot....2000lbs+, no keel, nowhere near the draft you have...<br />We used 15, 18 and 20's on the 42 and 52 Valiants....I think you're doing good, but I would still recommend the smallest pitch available for that engine.<br /><br />EDIT: we used the outboards on the Valiants for those that wanted back up for the 4cylinder diesels...

 

[Pointnclickus]

Re: Pitch Lower ... but to what?

Thanks for having me aboard! There are three and four blade props available in pitch's of 6.5, 7, 8, 9. 10, 11... I think that the 6.5 three blade is a pontoon prop and the four blade props may slow me down even more. So I'm guessing that a three pitch 7 or 8 will be the place to start.<br /><br />Calm Seas,<br />Rudi Gartner

 

[Paul Moir]

Re: Pitch Lower ... but to what?

I'd bet you have an 8" on there now. Have a look and see. <br />That hp engine is really marginal for that size boat. I think you'll end up proping down to the 6.5", since it's hard to imagine any sort of boat that will move much slower. It's no problem if you're just getting between the wind and the dock, but an ocean crossing might prove tedious. Is there anyone with the same type of boat you can compare speed vs hp with? Or is your boat unique?<br />It's hard to compare a sailboat to a powerboat since there's no submerged transom and the hull is designed without compromise for displacement speeds. But 3 knts sure does seem slow!