Starlet prop question

[Don H]

Hi - need prop advice for my 1990 - 18.3' Starlet. Engine is a 4.3 Merc 4-barrel with an Alpha One outdrive. I bought the boat with a 3-blade 23pitch aluminum prop. Someone told me I have 'too much' prop and that I should go to a 20pitch 4-blade

We use the boat mainly for tubing, wake boarding so we need to get out of the hole as quick as possible -- anyone have ideas . Or does anyone know what prop originally came on that model

Thanks for your help!

Don H

 

[88Mate]

I ran a 22" pitch 4 blade Turbo 2+2 on my Starlet which had the 260hp 5.7L Merc in it. We used it almost exclusively for skiing and wakeboarding. I would think a 20" would be a real good starting point to go with your 4.3L. The trick is to prop it so that with your normal load you are reaching close to the rpm limit. On mine with 4 people and all the ski gear I could run 4400 rpm on the hot days. When I took the people and gear out it would run about 4650rpm. A little high, but I almost never got to run it that way. The Turbo worked very good with that hull.

 

[Don H]

Starlet Prop question

Thanks 88Mate! I was thinking the same thing but my concern was buying prop after prop trying to find the right one. I have a 23P 3-blade on a 4.3 Merc 4 barrel Alpha one outdrive. Full throttle I'm topped out at 5100rpm and 42 mph which is not right. Plus I'm a little sluggish getting out of the hole. I would rather suffer a little top end speed for more fun tubing and skiing and quicker out of the hole. I'll see if I can find a 20P 4 - blade. Much appreciated!