Best prop for Honda BF50?

[robbarnes1965]

Rob, sorry to interrupt your post-Californian suntan, but is there any chance of a picture of your arrangement? The transom type of the hull in your supplied link may be more forgiving than the wider, and flatter MacGregor stern.
Mine's wrapped tighter than a fish's **** at present and I don't have anything suitable in my photobucket collection to show you.

Ross

Ha! I will give it a look. She's covered up too but the back is visible. Looks like hospital robe

[Crikey]

I was thinking insane asylum

[Terry]

Ok, researched what a cavitaion plate is. I found this too. Interesting. http://forums.iboats.com/showthread.php?t=157458

First of all I am going to admit that I am shooting in the dark here, but, I do remember some details when I researched this many years ago. If memory serves me right it seems to me that the anti-cavitaion plate should be an inch or so below the hull at the transom. I have checked mine and it is about an inch lower than the hull. I have also looked out behind the engine leg when at WOT and have noticed that the anti-cavitation plate is just skimming the water surface like a ski as it follows the wake from the hull. My prop is 11.4 inches in diameter (4 X 11.4 X 10.75) and I have at least a 1/4 inch clearance to the anti-cavitation plate. I think as long as the prop is fully submerged one will avoid ventilation, a 12 inch diameter would swing too close to the plate and draw air down. I think for these boats we need a longer extension below the anti-cavitation plate to swing a larger prop (13"-14") and to keep that prop submerged lower. I went to a 4 blade prop with a smaller diameter just for this reason. The extra blade compensates for the smaller diameter and I get a bit more pitch but likely more slippage. Ventilation is reduced by getting the prop a bit lower.

[robbarnes1965]

I checked it out on the weekend but it was getting dark and the picture I took are useless. It was too cold to write so I just snapped a pic of the specs on the prop but it's not readable now. It was definitely a 9" , four blade prop and the plate is just about even with the bottom of the hull from what I saw.

[opie]

Excuse this late post to the discussion. I wanted to put in my vote for best prop for the Honda BF50A engine, at least for my MacX 1999 model, and the way it is loaded up.

Over the past 6 years, I used two Honda props, 3 blade and one Solas 4 blade prop (that "sang" at 2000 rpm). I was unhappy with all of them. I lucked into talking to a Marine shop who selected the below prop for me and I have been very happy with the RPM, performance and the sturdiness of the prop. It has more metal in the 'ears' and seems stronger as well.


Link Here
You will also have to buy the replaceable hub, pictured behind the prop, #113 HUB KIT, HONDA 35-50 HP, at $26.51.
Happy Boating

[Scots John]

I run a Pioner Multi -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taxbEfO3 ... 29734F1CB2

This is running a BF50 Honda with 11 1/4 x 13 prop, it cruises comfortable at around 15 knots and I have only had it up to 18 knots as you keep getting cavitation if the sea is not flat calm (which it rarely is here). I am dissapointed with this since I also have an ancient Seahog 15' with a 1983 Suzuki DT40 which easily tops 20 knots, but more importantly it accelerates off the mark extremely quickly, whereas the Honda takes some time to accelerate the boat. The weight difference between the two hulls is 20kg and the motors is 14kg.

I realise the old one is two stroke, but the prop on the old one (which I cant see the size of through wear and paint) is much more substantial and the blades have a larger surface area.

I would try the DT prop on the BF if I thought it might fit, what I was wanting to ask, is if anyone here has used high thrust props (as opposed to 4 blade)?

The Pioner is a far safer boat in strong wind and seas (rated force 6 and 2 metre Cat C) and able to take wheelchair passengers, but the Seahog is more fun!

[Bimmerguy]

Hello all, I have a 2004 BF50 and a 2004 macgregor 26m yesterday was the first time I emptied the ballast and hit the lake, noticed a 4mph difference but started cavitating just before I got to full speed, it was a bit choppy on the water and where it was flatter I was able to get to full speed but it seems on rougher water it's having problems. I had read for hours and still can't come up with the best prop for my boat, I would really appreciate any advice from people with the same setup. Thank you.

[opie]

A wildly spinning prop is sometimes due to ventilation, not cavitation. SEE this LINK.
That being said, the best prop for a BF50A Honda is up to the boat owner since the many answers above and elsewhere do not have a common answer as you have found out in you reading. I believe strongly that my Michigan Wheel prop mentioned in my Feb 2012 answer above is the best for me.
But, the comment above about a spinning prop (ventilation) in choppy water plagues me as well. In fact, in a recent outing with two other Macs, one with a 90HP and one with a 70HP, I tried to keep up at WOT in holiday waterway chop and my prop spun twice on the way and I thought I had spun my replaceable hub. I stopped at a sand bar and changed the prop (luckily I grease the spline every six months so it came off in a jiffy). Later at home I found the hub was fine. I have a "LRTA" motor where the "L" stands for long. You can have a "S" or "L" or extra long "X" letter. I bet if I had a "X" in the model number and a few more inches of depth of the prop my problems would be less. So, in conclusion, my Michigan Wheel prop of 13 pitch is great but ventilation is a problem at high speeds in choppy water. However, 10 owners of the BF50A will have 10 different opinions. The real answer is for getting a 70HP long foot, but the old Honda will not die.....

[Tomfoolery]

I've been using my new Solas 4-blade 11.8" x 9" with my BF50, and haven't had any issues with ventilation, even in the heavy chop and large waves and wakes I was dealing with last night while pulling a wakeboard. It seems to provide a bit better hole shot while pulling a wakeboarder, which is what I was after.

I don't yet know what the smooth water top speed is, though. My tach is maxing out at around 5800 rpm, right in the middle of the 5500-6000 rpm rated speed range. The three-blade 11-3/4" x 10" prop it came with had an engine speed just a shade lower, but still in the rated range. It would do 16 mph with crummy bottom paint, no ballast, and three men on board.

I've got to do some GPS speed runs with the new prop, out of curiosity. And it does sing at 2000-2500 rpm. A real, annoying, no oil in the gearbox sounding squeal.

[milest]

I've tried 3 honda props: 4X11.8X9 3X12X9 and 3X11.?X11. between 1500 and 3000 rpms only 3X12X9 is silent.

[Stanko]

Hi everybody!
Can anyone tell me is Stainless steel Solas Saturn 3-blade 10x11 for Honda 30hp suitable for Honda BF50?

Thanks in advance!

[Tomfoolery]

Depends on the boat, I suppose, but a slow boat like an is probably going to cause the prop to slip too much, or cavitate, and possibly overspeed the engine. Small diameter and larger pitch than the common 11.8 x 9 three-blade.

[NiceAft]

We are now at Dec. 24, and there is still not one unifying answer to the original question.

I submit that what the manufacturer recommends is the best overall prop. You are not going to find a prop that performs the best in all conditions.

We have Macs, and in choppy conditions the prop comes out of the water, that's a fact. When that happens, you lose power, that's a fact! I maintain that the best prop overall is what Honda recommends. You just are not going to get a prop that will make a Mac into the “ Be all, to all". There are more pressing things in life Just go out and enjoy your time on the boat. There are people out in the world who are envious that you even have a boat.

Enjoy life It's too short to worry about the perfect prop. Listen to an old man, and move on.

Ray

[Catigale]

Your dentist can fix prop cavitation...not to amalgamate this thread.

[Stanko]

Well my question isn't directed to achieve better performance with another prop..... I will receive Honda BF50 without prop and I have Stainless steel Solas Saturn 3-blade 10x11 wich was on Honda BF30. So, I was wondering can it fit, nothing else.