Labbed 26p prop

Anyone going to be in havasu Friday that would be willing to let me try one out? I could rent it or get you a case of your favorite beer or whatever. Just always been curious to try a different prop and I don't get to havasu too often. Thinking a bigger prop on the dam run wouldn't be bad? Motor is an 8.2l 502mag. Stock prop is a bravo 24p. I know Jeff got a little more out of it w a labbed 24p but I'm not sure if he tried a 26p.

If anything go with a 24 labbed or a stock 26, a labbed 26 will be to much prop for that set up. Just my .02 cents

How could it pull a stock prop of a given size better than a labbed prop? The labbed prop is thinned and spins more rpm getting him closer to same rpm he is able to pull now but with more pitch therfore going faster. Correct?

I run a stock 26P Bravo on my 25 Eagle XP with a stock 502 MAG EFI. It turns that no problem. If there are only 4 of us in the boat it will hit the rev limiter with very little trim at sea level yet still yanks tubes or a water skier easily. I'm thinking I want to have my 26P labbed to stay off the limiter.

Rotten deal said:

How could it pull a stock prop of a given size better than a labbed prop? The labbed prop is thinned and spins more rpm getting him closer to same rpm he is able to pull now but with more pitch therfore going faster. Correct?

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You are correct.

IROCDave said:

I run a stock 26P Bravo on my 25 Eagle XP with a stock 502 MAG EFI. It turns that no problem. If there are only 4 of us in the boat it will hit the rev limiter with very little trim at sea level yet still yanks tubes or a water skier easily. I'm thinking I want to have my 26P labbed to stay off the limiter.

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Labbing your prop in the terms that most use is thinning the blades and balancing for more rpm . You would need to change the pitch up to like 27 or I would try a labbed 28 if you hit limiter with stock 26

Rotten deal said:

Labbing your prop in the terms that most use is thinning the blades and balancing for more rpm . You would need to change the pitch up to like 27 or I would try a labbed 28 if you hit limiter with stock 26

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Thanks man, that makes sense. Most of our boating is done with our 4 person family, sounds like I need to start looking in to a 28P labbed prop.

Rotten deal said:

How could it pull a stock prop of a given size better than a labbed prop? The labbed prop is thinned and spins more rpm getting him closer to same rpm he is able to pull now but with more pitch therfore going faster. Correct?

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So labbed 26 is what I want to try right?

I have a 26p non labbed with a xr hub you can try and i will be in Havasu thursday night. It is not perfect but can be tried.

Try a stock 26 first, see how it is. It will be a lot easier to find a stock 26 anyway. Then if it seems good or in the ballpark, just search for a used one for a good deal and go have it cleaned up, and/or labbed.

BHC Vic said:

So labbed 26 is what I want to try right?

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Call some shop's in Havasu, I believe in the past Chris at Prestige would let you test prop's, if so I would imagine others doing the same.

BHC Vic said:

So labbed 26 is what I want to try right?

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Yes but as was already stated you could start with stock 26 to see where it pulls rpm to. I'd probably run half tanks and 2 people and run it wot and record your mph and rpm. If your a few hundred down then lab it and be done if it's more it may need to be tweaked to a 25 and labbed. This is if your trying to get every last mph out of your boat. Record everything boat does with each prop you can test and call someone like bblades for perfect set up . Just my opinion though.

Rotten deal said:

Yes but as was already stated you could start with stock 26 to see where it pulls rpm to. I'd probably run half tanks and 2 people and run it wot and record your mph and rpm. If your a few hundred down then lab it and be done if it's more it may need to be tweaked to a 25 and labbed. This is if your trying to get every last mph out of your boat. Record everything boat does with each prop you can test and call someone like bblades for perfect set up . Just my opinion though.

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Yep. I'd start as is, test, then stop and change the prop, then test again in the same spot going the same direction, remember the current will affect your results, so don't how down river with one prop, and up river with the other.

Get a feel for the response, power needed and time to plane, etc. Also check RPM vs speed and note the differences between the two props. Cruise at 50 MPH for example and note RPM differences for each prop. Do this at a few different speeds.

I noticed the bow moves around more with the larger prop on mine. Everything was better with the bigger prop on my boat except for the response to throttle input when cruising. That was slightly muted compared to the smaller prop.

My boat is about 300 or so RPM down on the top end from where it was with the smaller prop, but picked up about 3 MPH.

BHC Vic said:

So labbed 26 is what I want to try right?

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If you can hit the rev limiter with your stock 24 yes. The 26 labbed gives me best top end with 496HO in my Cobra. The stock 26 was little to much prop. I just got done for the day and not going to make it out for the Cobra deal like planned. To much work to be done before we start more jobs next week. Or I would bring the 26 labbed up for you to try. I have a stock 24 now sold the labbed 24 and it is 2-300 rpm difference only than the labbed 26.

I run a labbed 26p on my Lavey 24 NuEra with a stock 502mag, and it's the perfect prop for that setup. Good hole shot, mid, and 73+mph top end.

NicPaus said:

If you can hit the rev limiter with your stock 24 yes. The 26 labbed gives me best top end with 496HO in my Cobra. The stock 26 was little to much prop. I just got done for the day and not going to make it out for the Cobra deal like planned. To much work to be done before we start more jobs next week. Or I would bring the 26 labbed up for you to try. I have a stock 24 now sold the labbed 24 and it is 2-300 rpm difference only than the labbed 26.

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I've never hit the limiter. Jeff said w a labbed 24 he was faster but hitting the limiter

I figured since the labbed 24 hit the limiter if I did the 26 I would stay off but maybe go faster? I've never changed props though I have no idea how it changes things

BHC Vic said:

I figured since the labbed 24 hit the limiter if I did the 26 I would stay off but maybe go faster? I've never changed props though I have no idea how it changes things

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Increase in pitch means the prop goes further forward in one rotation. In a perfect world a 24" with move forward 24" and same for a 26.

But remember you have to account for slip because a propeller cannot be 100% efficient. I believe between 7-12% slip at WOT is doing good for a single engine v bottom.

Also remember that stock propellers may not be exactly what they are stamped. It's not uncommon to try 3 different Bravo 1s that are the same pitch and get three different results.

They key to prop testing imo is keeping the conditions as close as possible. Don't go run a 24 all day then put the 26 on with 1/8th of a tank and just you in it. Sure you'll go way faster but that prop may not do you any good with the family and ice chests on board

I have a labbed 26 that you can try. It's in my garage in Havasu. I won't be out this weekend but a fellow board member will be. I'm sure I can make arrangements if you still want to try this route.

Music to my Ears said:

I have a labbed 26 that you can try. It's in my garage in Havasu. I won't be out this weekend but a fellow board member will be. I'm sure I can make arrangements if you still want to try this route.

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That would be awesome

So not unusual but be weekend did not really go as planned. I think I'm going to get some testing done w my current prop then take it to have it worked on. Once I remove the cats and tune I'll need another prop anyways so maybe I'll just wait

BHC Vic said:

So not unusual but be weekend did not really go as planned. I think I'm going to get some testing done w my current prop then take it to have it worked on. Once I remove the cats and tune I'll need another prop anyways so maybe I'll just wait

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I would not recommend making changes to your prop until cooler temps return. Hot temps take away rpm. You will not get true numbers.

Make some notes about the rpm and speeds that you see now and compare them later.

BHC Vic said:

So not unusual but be weekend did not really go as planned. I think I'm going to get some testing done w my current prop then take it to have it worked on. Once I remove the cats and tune I'll need another prop anyways so maybe I'll just wait

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Good luck. Let me know in the future if you want to try my labbed 26. :thumbsup

I can bring my 26 with me for next weekend if you want to try on the dam run

mjc said:

I can bring my 26 with me for next weekend if you want to try on the dam run

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That would be cool. Curious to see if the boat will spin it alright.

throttle said:

I would not recommend making changes to your prop until cooler temps return. Hot temps take away rpm. You will not get true numbers.

Make some notes about the rpm and speeds that you see now and compare them later.

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I couldn't disagree more. Test props for and during the time of year you boat. If you boat during the winter a lot get an extra prop to prop up.

I tested dozens of props from Mercury, BBlades and Hyrdromtive all three company's recommend testing in the same conditions I would spend most of my time boating. IE: time of year, temps, water conditions, fuel, people and gear load, etc.

Any other way and you are just cheating yourself to get a couple mph on the top and will never be able to achieve it during normal boating conditions.

Wizard 29 said:

I couldn't disagree more. Test props for and during the time of year you boat. If you boat during the winter a lot get an extra prop to prop up.

I tested dozens of props from Mercury, BBlades and Hyrdromtive all three company's recommend testing in the same conditions I would spend most of my time boating. IE: time of year, temps, water conditions, fuel, people and gear load, etc.

Any other way and you are just cheating yourself to get a couple mph on the top and will never be able to achieve it during normal boating conditions.

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It's ok to disagree, I am saying not to make changes. I don't discourage documenting , recording and making notes (testing) year round. He needs true numbers.

I think I might actually know Vic's boat better than he does.

Vic
If you are going to make changes (exhaust / tune) don't bother trying different props. Make the changes then test in the fall (Oct/Nov) to get your off season prop and again in the summer (July) to get your summer prop.
Big reason I have 5 props at my boat condo. Each one has a season or activity tied to it.

I agree if you are gonna change the tune wait on the prop tuning unless you find a deal on a B1 26. With more power you won't be far off, if anything you won't use your 24 with the added power.

As far as testing, if you are just at the rev limiter in the winter, I'd call it good. If you are hitting it in the summer, make a change for winter. I did all the testing for mine when it was 100+ out and I have 300 RPM to give in the winter, so I'm confident I'll be fine. The boat is faster with less RPM.

I'll make a decision on more lab work to the prop next season.

But I'm sure you'll still end up with a 26 and be at least in the ballpark.

I've never hit the limiter In the winter w the stock 24p. I have gone the fastest in winter.(quite a bit faster) I know the boat still has more now but with the tune and possible exhaust or whatever we decide it's going to change again. I need to start really doing some homework on what I'm going to do and who's going to do it.

Vic,
I will be up there this week Wednesday to Saturday. I have a stock 26P and a labbed 26P that has a lot of work done on it. If you want to try it let me know.

HBCraig said:

Vic,
I will be up there this week Wednesday to Saturday. I have a stock 26P and a labbed 26P that has a lot of work done on it. If you want to try it let me know.

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HBCraig, Is that stock 26 for sale?

BHC Vic said:

I've never hit the limiter In the winter w the stock 24p. I have gone the fastest in winter.(quite a bit faster) I know the boat still has more now but with the tune and possible exhaust or whatever we decide it's going to change again. I need to start really doing some homework on what I'm going to do and who's going to do it.

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2 reasons why your boat pulls harder with your current setup in the cooler temperatures of winter than the extreme hot temperatures of the Summer.

1) Water is denser at colder temperatures, prop bites harder which translates to less cavitation.
2) Density Altitude also changes in cooler temps. Always make a motor happier.

Not an enormous change for the better with mild H.P. motors...but enough to notice as you mention above.
Big H.P. ....a huge difference.

Mike Summers said:

2 reasons why your boat pulls harder with your current setup in the cooler temperatures of winter than the extreme hot temperatures of the Summer.

1) Water is denser at colder temperatures, prop bites harder which translates to less cavitation.
2) Density Altitude also changes in cooler temps. Always make a motor happier.

Not an enormous change for the better with mild H.P. motors...but enough to notice as you mention above.
Big H.P. ....a huge difference.

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Spot on. I picked up 2 mph and about 100 RPM from July to October last year.