Prop Selection Help

[macowneril2015]

I recently had a new new Mercury 60 HP outboard installed and I am having issues hitting the WOT RPM range and the installer has been less than helpful saying what I reached (5,000 RPMs vs the manual range of 5,500 - 6,000) as good. I believe I am "over propped " and need to buy a different prop. I am not sure if any one has insight here but I am out over my skis a bit with figuring this out.

[dlandersson]

Be glad to go out with you any time you need an extra pair of eyes, etc.

I recently had a new new Mercury 60 HP outboard installed and I am having issues hitting the WOT RPM range and the installer has been less than helpful saying what I reached (5,000 RPMs vs the manual range of 5,500 - 6,000) as good. I believe I am "over propped " and need to buy a different prop. I am not sure if any one has insight here but I am out over my skis a bit with figuring this out.

[Be Free]

You need to decrease the prop pitch 2" (maybe a bit more) to hit your RPM range. That said, I don't think you are not over-propped enough to hurt the engine.

[Herschel]

Here is an old posting I did a few years back. Take what you can use and leave the rest!

When I replaced my '98 50 h.p Merc and had my new Yamaha 50 h.p. installed on my 26X back in 2013, I had been experimenting on the Merc. with 14 in diameter props with three different pitches (10, 11, and 13), finally settling on the 10 to help get the Merc engine RPM's up close to the prescribed range at WOT. Frankly, I was a little tired of constantly wondering if I had the right pitch going. When I asked the Yamaha dealer about the pitch of the new prop for the Yamaha 50, he said he had a perfect prop for the boat. He was a dealer in Trader pontoon boats, and he seemed to be really knowledgeable, so I went with his recommendation. He put on a 14 inch, aluminum, 11 pitch prop, and I have been totally happy with it. I top off at 15.3 mph with my wife and copious gear aboard. It runs in the mid 5000 revs at WOT, so I am happy on all counts. And my Yamaha has never failed to start in the past 7 years except one time in the first year when I got some bad gas. And that is my story and I am sticking to it.

[kurz]

First tell us what Prop you have now on which boat

[dlandersson]

Ditto - we need to know what you're using in order to give good, thoughtful, (and sometimes correct) advice

First tell us what Prop you have now on which boat

[macowneril2015]

I apologize for the delay, I was off grid for the long weekend and was able to check in finally. The boat is a 2001 engine is 2023 Mercury 60 HP (Model ME 60 ELPT 4S EFI). Current prop is a Solas #1311-114-12. It looks like the next prop down is a 4 bladed prop.