Chopper vs. cleaver on modified v tunnel hull

[92omega2.5l]

Hello all, I am new to this site, and also to performance boats.

Just before thanksgiving this year I bought a 92 Cougar Omega modified v tunnel hull. My boat is powered by a 1992 Mercury 2.5l EFI engine which I believe is 260 HP. I have two props, a Ballistic 4 blade, and a 28 chopper 2. On Thansgiving weekend I was able to run boat before putting away for winter storage. With the Ballistic I was able to run 83 mph at 7300rpm with myself and another man in boat. I was also being very cautious with trim and jack plate as I need to get a good feel for the boat. Previous owner claims 98 MPH with chopper and just himself in boat.

I was recently on Mercury's website looking at props to learn more about them. Their description says choppers are good for boats needing a lot of bow rise, while cleavers are well suited for air entrapment hulls needing little bow rise. Can you guys give my some experiences with various props on tunnel hulls please? I see many boats running around with choppers on them and they seem to work well, but perhaps a cleaver would outperform them on this style of hull.

thanks guys for your thoughts, big learning curve for me. Enjoying boat very much so far!

Chris

[Dave Strong]

Mazco RE3's seemed to work best on Omega's, were a couple that ran 100+mph. Post a picture of your boat.

Dave

[native2]

I think your rig will like a chopper better. Maybe a 28..... Run it high. Cleaver might be good for a day when you are by yourself and trying to see a big number. But your boat is arguably too heavy for a cleaver. An ET is somewhere in the middle of the two.. JMO

[92omega2.5l]

The chopper I have is stamped Mazco 3786 DB Quicksilver 48 13372 A5 28. My research tells me this is a chopper 2 28 pitch. What is the Mazco 3786? I will add pictures soon. Thank you. Boat is used on Shuswap lake.

[pyro]

Modified by Mazco.

[Fullthrottleguy]

On my boat which is a mod-vp type hull a chopper runs 89 with two and 85 with 4 adults aboard. The high amount of bow lift feels neat but at full speed the nose is pointed a little high for comfort; it really bites into the water. A lightning ET runs 91 with two aboard and accelerates better; it lifts the whole boat evenly and feels so much better at full speed. I don't think it would run with more than two people tho. The merc lab cleaver was by far the fastest @ 93 solo and the boat runs with the nose really low, but it slips a lot more, is bad getting planed with and is useless other than to go full out with. Your selection will be based on your setup, weight, balance and the amount of lift the hull has. My favourite is the ET!

[92omega2.5l]

Thanks very much for the information. I think it will end up being a trial and error thing based on what I am doing with the boat at any given time.

[Dave Strong]

286633

Look like something you have seen before? Don't recall your boat but the green one is another story.2.5 245hp carb motor, It would run 92-95 mph around Edmonton at 26-2700ft, add 4-5 mph around Salmon Arm.

Dave

[Dave Strong]

A friend had an Omega with 260 heads cut around 30cc, 2:1 gears, 2 hole cle. and a 32 Mazco RE3. would run around 106mph in Salmon Arm and around 100 in the Edmonton area. Another friend had the twin boat and ran mid to high 90's with a stock 260. These boats were within a 1/2mph when stock, never tried an ET prop but figured it would be the one.

Dave

[92omega2.5l]

Right on thanks Dave! Have you got any more pics of the green one? It belongs to a good friend of mine.

[Dave Strong]

Might have one or two, the guy that bought it new was killed in a real bad car crash. Think your bud got it from his widow. that boat showed up at at one of the last Cougar Reunions some dude from around Salmon Arm had picked it up. Was a 245HP CARB 2.5 and ran real good, think he was a Fireman in the Ed. area.
Bring that thing down here in the spring, only 3-3hrs away, before May long Have a 28 Lab ET you will be amazezd.

Dave

Dave

[92omega2.5l]

If it works out with my work schedule I will try and come down. Boat is in sicamous where condo is. Is that lightning et for sale? Where is Edgewater, is that in Kootenays?

Chris

[Dave Strong]

Radium Hot Springs. I might make a trip to Sicamous if need be. Just wish my 19 was ready to go.

Dave

[92omega2.5l]

Your 19 tunnel looks awesome! What is involved in your restoration? How fast will she run? When will it be done?

[Allyda]

I have an 86 Shadow 20' 8" Tunnel Vee basser & my best prop is a Hoss HPD (Hyperdrive) 15 x 28p. 3 blade. I have a Hoss Triton 14 x 28p. too but haven't ran it yet. It has less rake than my HPD so I expect it to provide more stern lift. I haven't tried an ET yet but am looking at a 14 & 1/2 x 28p. 4 blade ET and I too expect it to be the one. Good luck in getting it propped out right. My best advice though is to load it how your gonna run it when ya do cause weight makes a big difference in these boats.