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View Full Version : Project Chopper Prop Started



Liberator*21
09-07-2010, 08:42 AM
I bought this 28P Merc Chopper from one of our members as a project prop. Ran the prop as was received stock, and as usual for a Chopper on my hull too much stern lift and the boat starts to hop at around 60 MPH. Up on the mill it went to cut off as much blade rake as possible trying to keep as much of the stock diameter as possible. It sort of looks like and ET as it is now after being milled. It's off to my prop guy, Jay Martin Propellers in Greenville MS. for his magic in finshing out what I started and to make it puuurrrty again. I'll post finish pics and results when I get her back............Mind you this is a fun project and nothing serious was intended, just wanted to do this and see how it turns out....:) I run 4 blade Eagles/Drags most of the time so this 3 blade is a departure from the norm for me but all in the name of fun.......

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2.5_stoker
09-07-2010, 01:22 PM
cool....keep us posted

Liberator*21
09-13-2010, 06:48 AM
The prop has been transformed from the top pics to these by my prop man.....Jay Martin of Jay Martin Propellers Greenville MS., damm he does some nice prop work. It's look'n pretty darn sweet, it's on it's way back to me this morning. Just thought I'd post these pics in advance.....by the way, the prop was up'd to a 29P using a progressive pitch..........One of my buddies named it a "CLEAPPER PROP", half cleaver and half Chopper (from the original top pics).

Thanks Jay another great prop out of your shop.........:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

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Bruster
09-13-2010, 07:28 AM
If this prop works as well as it looks, problems solved! Man that looks nice. Good Luck!

Liberator*21
09-13-2010, 07:44 AM
Thanks Bruce, I have great hopes for this prop.

HStream1
09-13-2010, 11:43 AM
Thanks Bruce, I have great hopes for this prop.

Gary:

Prop looks great!! But I always thought a Chopper was a Bow lift prop. Not a Stern. The one pictured in the first post is a early A5 or A6 big ear before it was cut. The way it is now configured should increase stern lift. I have a Liberator and it hates stock Choppers due to maximum Bow lift.

Liberator*21
09-13-2010, 12:08 PM
Bud,
Correct, Choppers and Tunnel Hulls are a bad mix. The Chopper in it's natural form when I test drove it had way to much bow lift even fully trimmed in, not to mention stern hop at around 60 MPH. The stern lift comes from the cupping along the blades edge from the hub outward, this was completely removed when I milled it down (in the first pics). The prop is now a "HUMPBACK Chopper" without any of the lift attributes it had before, very little blade rake was left in it as well thereby reducing the leverage for lift. It's sort of a "Neutral" prop I'd guess you'd call it. Jury still out on how it'll perform, but hey, this is all being done for fun and maybe, just maybe, luck into something that works good for a Tunnel Hull boat. I'll post results once I get it wet, which should be next week sometime. I've got 2 Ron Hill 4 Blade Props that I've run (very similar to the Merc Pro ET 4 Blade) and they too are neutral lift props, I sort of copied the idea from those props for removing the rake on the blades.

HStream1
09-13-2010, 12:16 PM
OK we are on the same page. Read your first post which is what threw me. Where it says;

"I bought this 28P Merc Chopper from one of our members as a project prop. Ran the prop as was received stock, and as usual for a Chopper on my hull too much stern lift and the boat starts to hop at around 60 MPH.



Bud,
Correct, Choppers and Tunnel Hulls are a bad mix. The Chopper in it's natural form when I test drove it had way to much bow lift even fully trimmed in, not to mention stern hop at around 60 MPH. The stern lift comes from the cupping along the blades edge from the hub outward, this was completely removed when I milled it down (in the first pics). The prop is now a "HUMPBACK Chopper" without any of the lift attributes it had before, very little blade rake was left in it as well thereby reducing the leverage for lift. It's sort of a "Neutral" prop I'd guess you'd call it. Jury still out on how it'll perform, but hey, this is all being done for fun and maybe, just maybe, luck into something that works good for a Tunnel Hull boat. I'll post results once I get it wet, which should be next week sometime. I've got 2 Ron Hill 4 Blade Props that I've run (very similar to the Merc Pro ET 4 Blade) and they too are neutral lift props, I sort of copied the idea from those props for removing the rake on the blades.

Liberator*21
09-13-2010, 12:19 PM
My bad :o, forgot to add that there were bow lift issues as well...........:D

HStream1
09-13-2010, 12:21 PM
My bad :o, forgot to add that there were bow lift issues as well...........:D

:thumbsup: Just had to check. Hope it works for you.