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Old 02 September 2014, 04:27   #41
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Country: Canada
Boat name: WB465
Make: Zodiac
Length: 4m +
Engine: 2013 ETEC 30
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Posts: 256
4 blade prop arrived, installed, and tested this weekend.

Very disappointing.

I had less ventilation with my OEM 3 blade prop. This goes against everything I've read, but there you go.

It seems that I'm going to have to drop the motor ...
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Old 02 September 2014, 04:37   #42
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Country: Canada
Boat name: WB465
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Back in the 80's we had a MkIIGR with an Evinrude 35hp and they performed very well together. We traded up to a MkIIIGr, and had plenty of ventilation with the same engine. Both boats were "short shaft" in those days. We tried numerous props but they made no difference. Interestingly, when we test drove an Evinrude 55hp "Heavy Duty" engine, the ventilation went away, so naturally, we traded up the engine, too. The added performance was really nice, but our main reason for getting the bigger (and heavier) motor was to get rid of ventilation.

Looking back on it, I think that the heavier engine just weighed down the back of the boat so that the motor sat deeper in the water. The boat certainly had a more 'nose up' attitude just sitting at the dock, and that angle would put the prop just a little bit deeper relative to the flow of water over the lower end. I really can't think of anything else to explain the improvement.

My WB 465 has HUGE buoyancy tube diameters. The ETEC 30 is one of the lightest engines out there in the relevant range. I wonder if a heavier engine would make the difference, again.

The ventilation is intermittent. It's fickle; very dependent on weight distribution. Over inflation of the keel is a must. It's also much less of a problem with more people (weight) in the boat. 90% of the time the boat runs well, but I never know when it's going to happen, and after 2 years of struggling with this issue, I am reaching my tolerance limit. I feel that this calibre of boat should not have this problem anymore.

Frustrated, still.
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Old 02 September 2014, 15:33   #43
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Well if you want a heavier motor and stern, take a sand bag inside a garbage bag along.
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Old 03 September 2014, 06:57   #44
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Country: USA
Town: Portland, OR
Make: Zodiac F470
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Sux you still got that problem. I switched to 12 pitch SS prop for giggles. Overall performance is somewhat similar to 13 pitch Al. Gained little WOT ~100rpm. It's also is a bit higher and tighter between small load and max load. Top speed is about same as well just by seat of pants. Plains easy. Tows couple kids or adult on tube no prob with 3-4 people on board.

Don't really have much else to report.

Except maybe one time forgot to inflate my keel. It has slow leak gets really soft after few days. Horrible ventilation. Not saying you are not inflating it but rather maybe it's somehow undersized or floor sheet is too wide. Either could make it flabby and mess up water flow.

On happier note.
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