Action marine 17' 200 merc-little help?

[RUDESTER88]

what prop and pitch does anyone recommend for a 200 20" saft merc (late 80s model) on an action marine for the out most performance?

[SatisfAction]

I run a 23 chopper on mine. It's not the right prop for top end but it's more versatile and is fun. I need to upgrade to a bigger pitch to keep the rpms down.

[Action Dave]

26 chopper should do good for all around performance. Depends really on your set-up. What engine height? Any set back? Lwp?

[RUDESTER88]

right now i have no settup i wanted to ask what is the sudjested set back and setup for a 200 merc no lwp so i can get it.

[Liquid]

The action doesnt need much set back because the hull doesnt require a lot of lift. 4" of set back is plenty, center of the propshaft 1/4 " below the pad with a 24 0r 26 pitch prop. if you spin a bigger prop you may want to drop the engine hight or it will be terriblle to steer.
ps. this is for a low water pick-up. Do yourself a favor a get one , or you will be defeating the purpose of setting the boat up correctly for any performance gains.

IMHO JIM

[RUDESTER88]

and where can i get that ? oh and one more question. what hydraulic steering and jack plates are good?

[pyro]

Why would he want to run a 24p or 26p prop on an Action with a (presumably stock) 200? Peak power is at 6000-6500, and it's a light boat. It would be really sad if that "top end" prop went flat at 75 mph, well shy of the boat's potential.

I agree with dave on the topic of acceleration and overall "fun" factor. I keep a 24p on mine most of the time because it pulls hard and winds up to 7500 RPM pretty quick. No good for top end, even with a motor that's designed to turn those RPM's, the 24 only gets me a little over 80. Your motor probably won't turn a 24 any harder than about 6600-7000, which is an un-healthy RPM range for a 200 with stock porting, it will make more power and push the boat faster if it's kept loaded down within its intended RPM range with a taller prop.

AS far as finding the perfect "solo driver" top end prop pitch, it requires some experimenting, as each prop has it's own characteristics. run whatever pitch will let the motor turn 6000-6500 with the best top speed. If two pitches run the same top end, keep the one that turns the higher end of the range, so you can enjoy better pull, and not bog the motor down too much.

Like Liquid said, you'll need a nosecone with low-water pickups to run at the heights required to run true top end props. Address the following if they haven't been done already:

-Nosecone/LWPU
-Jackplate with minimal setback
-Dual cable steering with NO loose play (or hydraulic as long as it's a good HP system)
- solid motor mounts (improves handling)

28p would be a good place to start for top end. A 28p big-ear chopper should be pretty easy to find.

[RUDESTER88]

thanks Pyro! looks like i have lots of homework to do! how would a 24p chopper do ? this guy is giving it to me for $100 he doesnt need it. but i will look for the 28.

[pyro]

Run anything you can get your hands on, just keep the revs under 7000 in short bursts and under 6500 for long top end runs (if you want it to last) ;)

[RUDESTER88]

so the higher the pitch the lower the revs ?

[pyro]

well yeah, it's like the gears in a car. Can't turn as many RPM's in 5th gear as you can in 4th. ;) Pitch means how many inches the prop is supposed to move forward in one revolution "in theory", not factoring in slip...

This is helpful:
http://www.rbbi.com/folders/prop/propcalc.htm
10% to 15% slip is typical. Under 10% is excellent. (Use ".12" in the calculator for 12%)

[RUDESTER88]

what do it i put for gear ratio and slip?

[pyro]

10% to 15% slip is typical. Under 10% is excellent. (Use ".12" in the calculator for 12%)

Gear ratio on your motor is more than likely 1.87:1 (use 1.87 in the calc.)

Slip is the key factor, because it has a huge effect on the outcome. Slip will be higher if the boat is carrying a load or extra weight, has any bottom imperfections, or if the motor is excessively trimmed or jacked too high. You can use the calculator to record speed and RPM, then compare slip values. This is helpful for finding the sweet spot for motor height. Once you get it set-up and try some different props, you'll be able to punch in your findings in the calc to establish a baseline slip number for "solo" or "lightly loaded", then you can use the known slip figure to "hypothetically" see what a different pitch would run at the same RPM, or how much RPM you would need to turn to get a given speed with a given pitch. A prop doesn't always run as it's pitched/stamped. Two props of same pitch may show very different slip figures when it's actually a difference in true pitch. It's handy for making comparisons anyway.

[RUDESTER88]

oh ok i will try it once i get the prop
thanks

[FINELINE MARINE INTERIORS]

I ran a 28 chopper on my old 17 with a 2.4 200. I tryed a lot of stuff and that one was always the best. top end it ran 88 on the gps.

[RUDESTER88]

dang thats some nice speed i just got a big ear 24 merc chopper. but im trying to find a 28. should i get it big ear or small?

[1BadAction]

you're going to need a 28p or so to keep that motor at less than 6500 at WOT. Anything smaller and its going to run out of breath quick. I like a chopper thats been cut like a lightning ET with a little cup in the tips. if you start running much more than 90 you want a real Labbed ET or something worked to give less bow lift than a stock chopper does.

Stick to the big-ear'd choppers. the small ears run awesome on these boats but they are a ticking time bomb.

[RUDESTER88]

dang then im scared to run that 24 chop i might break the engine or something

[1BadAction]

you'll be OK, just go wide open and let off the throttle. don't hold it there. :cheers:

[hydrostream1]

I run a 28 worked chopper on my action,2.4, best all around prop,especially for a river motor.Rpm around 6500,the motor will last and keep it in the power range.

[RUDESTER88]

wow then the 28's are popular huh? ill try not to over do it with throttle lol:D