What prop should I buy?

[jwc949]

New member with a question. I have a 16' aluminum lowes fishing boat with a 1981 Evinrude engine. It runs well but does not rev when in gear in the water very well. Speed is slow and like I said it will not rev up in the rpm's. I also have no tach. The old prop that is on it has no markings. Boat load is usssually two grown men with fishing gear. Sometimes three. I would like to get more speed out of it but will not use it for anything other than getting to my favorite fishing hole. Sometimes I think the trolling motor is faster. What prop would everyone recommend? Ideas with reason you would want that particular one would be great. Thanks again!

 

[pootnic]

Re: What prop should I buy?

Ummm...you have to atleast give us a hp,pretty sure evinrude makes more then 1 outboard.

 

[jwc949]

Re: What prop should I buy?

Sorry! I thought I had that in there. 35 hp. Electric start long shaft.

 

[steelespike]

Re: What prop should I buy?

Prop number may appear under the prop nut.Is that a bare boat?, no floor,casting deck or live wells?
Need details, to me won't rev up means just that the motor stays at idle when advancing the throttle.
does it not plane? doers it seem at half power?
Unhook one plug wire at a time and ground; see if it will run.You may have one dead cylinder.

 

[pootnic]

Re: What prop should I buy?

Could be outboard trouble and not the prop at all.
A 35hp on a 16' jon boat should scat right along.I can't imagine what size prop that would limit you to an idle or electric trolling motor speed.
Is your boat able to handle a long shaft motor,correct transom?
Have you had this boat for long and did it ever work good?
When it's in neutral can you rev it up(don't go to high if it does),does it sound like it's reving?

Welcome to the site and hope my first post wasn't to rude.

 

[Lyle29464]

Re: What prop should I buy?

I agree almost any prop made or any setup would allow the boat to plane or come close. You must have a dead cylinder.

 

[jwc949]

Re: What prop should I buy?

I have not had it long. Had it checked out by a local shop. Said it was an excellent engine. Does have long shaft. Revs easily in nuetral.Engine does not have a miss at all. The old prop does have some light damage, not what I would call severe. The shop that I had take a look at it when I first purchased it recently burned down or I would talk to them. Probably be late in the season when they get reopened. Reading about props online it seems that the wrong one could cause this condition.

 

[steelespike]

Re: What prop should I buy?

Talking in generalities doesn't help much.Exactly what speed and rpm does it reach?
At least an estimate.
To do this right we need a gps speed and rpm.A Tinytach $47 dollars will get your rpm .
A cell phone gps app is excellent for speed.
You need to answer our questions If that is a bare bones boat it should run over 30 mph.
It is highly unlikely a prop could keep that setup from planing
But we don't really know what the setup is ,A 16 ft "aluminum fishing boat" could weigh less than 300 lbs dry.
or as much as 700 lbs full dressed with all the bells anmd whistles.A healthy 35 should still plane it .
A long shaft motor would go on a boat with a transom "about" 20" tall.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: What prop should I buy?

I have not had it long. Had it checked out by a local shop. Said it was an excellent engine. Does have long shaft. Revs easily in nuetral.Engine does not have a miss at all. The old prop does have some light damage, not what I would call severe. The shop that I had take a look at it when I first purchased it recently burned down or I would talk to them. Probably be late in the season when they get reopened. Reading about props online it seems that the wrong one could cause this condition.

A 2 stroke engine will run on one cylinder and sound perfect to the novice. It is BAD PRACTICE to rev a 2 stroke motor.

You sound as if there could be other problems at work. The prop is the last item you can change if everything else is okay.

Is your boat planing out now?