Ron Hill semi-cleaver (not about outboard and racing history)

[Markus]

Ron,

Since you hang out here. I take the liberty of posting a question even if it is not related to outboard and racing history:

I was just offered to buy 26 and 28 pitch "Ron Hill semi-cleavers" from a guy whose engine I may buy.

I understand basically what people call semi-cleavers, but it seems it could mean a lot of things as long as the prop has more bow lift than a cleaver.

Did/do you make both 3-blades and 4-blades (I did not ask what this was)?

What take-off characteristics does it have?

What bow lift characteristics does it have? (Is it close to a regular cleaver or is it more like some bow-lifting bass boat propellers that are also sometimes called semi-cleavers?)

Seems like www.hillmarine.com and www.chadhillpropellers.com have not been working for a while...

[Ron Hill]

FYI:

I'm a school teacher and have been for 37 years. I teach Junior High. I get good benefits, good retirement and fair pay. I've always loved boat racing and especially propellers. I've actually made money selling propellers.

In 1989, my wife and I had a new baby and she didn't want to work at a prop shop. So, we basically got out of the business. I took on a part time job at the Junior college besides my day job..

About 1975, Chad Hill, my son, wanted to go racing in a little more style than he'd been racing in. I told him to start a prop shop and with my help we could afford to go racing.

In 1977 we formed a team with Jim Hauenstein and Arcadian Motor Sports. The team lasted one race. It basically ended with Jim's death. Chad was 19 at the time and I felt maybe he was living through me. I backed away from propellers.

Chad did get his own Formula One boat two years ago, but with finishing college and working props he had little time to race.

California realestate has do well out here. Chad and I have been doing more in real estate than propellers. He has graduated from college and has a teacher job in the works.

Semi Cleavers we're first made for Howard Pipknorn of Hydrostream Boats and Al Stoker of John's Custome Marine. Howard gave them the name "Cleaper" which I still use.

Engines have change, hulls have changed, propellers have changed. I have changed. I don't try to make WORLD RECORD PROPS anymore and Make a good casting and a good prop. I sell them on ebay and really don't want people calling me.

I hope people buy props from me and if they want TOP, TOP Performance, send them to the prop man of their choice.

We are living close to the beach, I plan to teach 25 more months. My youngest plays water polo and at 6' 1" and 13 years old, looks like he might be pretty good at it.

Chad's prop shop is closed! He is selling some stuff on Ebay. He is planning a wedding soon and I think real estate is in his future besides teaching.

My wife is enjoying watching Home and Garden TV and remodleling our new place. I "Hang Out" on Screamandfly. I plan to set up a Power Boat encyclopedia maybe with the help of GREG. Greg and I have other plans for SAF. I'm a lover of boat Racing Politics and have requested APBA establish a "BEst in Show" Division and "Life Time Achievement Award."

So, about you props, more than 10,00 props say Ron Hill on them...and believe it or not, you put it in my hand and I'll tell you a story about that prop.....now the story might not be true, but I'll tell you story...

ADD: My youngest son is named BROC. There was a young man name Broc Glover who could ride a motorcyle. He also loved MOD VP. I made Broc many props that ended up in Japan. Some that I were sent were cleapers by Ron Hill. I made my money by selling them to BROC. Not from royalities on design..

I answer emails....just not the phone...

Ron Hill

[Ron Hill]

Basically, here is a picture of the props I make for V-6 Outboards...Performance Props:

The Cleaper or Yamaha Drag Style, The Cleaver, The Chopper Style and the Hoss Style.

The real Hoss has the Aluminum hub. 90% of all my new props use Mercury's Flow Torque Hub (Square). I like these hubs, you can use the plastic or solid and change them yourself.

[Ron Hill]

A little better pictures...

[Ron Hill]

That last one is a 30 Hoss....

[Ron Hill]

The 20 is a low pitch Drag Prop...for quick hole shots.

My Chopper Styles have less rake than a Mercury Chopper....a design that doesn't lift the bow as much..

I really now "Wizard" on props. When I raced I bought one from everybody and borroed everything I could. My own design works come from a BIG HAMMER. The magic is most props is just that "MAGIC".... I've won Nationals witha prop that had one blade 10" of pitch and one 13"...We figures the ten got us off the corners and the 13 got us down the shoots..TESTING WITH AA ACCURATE MEASURING DEVICE in the way to find out if a prop is good......not who sold it to you or who made it...It is how does it work?

[Ron Hill]

ADD: In a way, Ron Hill Props is part of Outboard History:

The old man used to put my mom's lipstick on the props and I'd go test them. Then, my dad would hammer on them and I's test them again. One day at Salton Sea my dad took a prop from 56 to 62 MPH. I got second in the Nationals with that prop that year...driver error not prop error or it would have won... The Old Man also took the prop from 26 back to 61 and back to 62 that day.

Ted may and his brass hammer and a five pound chunk of lead....I'd drive. Ted and the Old man would pound... We once used Ted's girl friends non smear lipstick on a prop and I ran an hour before any of it came off!!!

[Markus]

Semi-cleaver, cleaper. A friend of my who used to run a prop-shop calls them cloppers.

Thank you for the pictures, Ron!

[FCnLa]

You ever thought of writting a book? Maybe "Propellers for Dummies"? I'll buy a copy!

There are so many designs and how they actually affect different hulls. Thanks.

Paul:cool: