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2012 SunDeck 217 Excessive Prop wash
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PegasusA300
Member Posts: 6 ✭
I bought a New Hurricane Sundeck 217 in April 2012.
It has a 270hp Volvo Penta V-8 engine, I/O , Solas aluminum 14 1/4 x 17 , 3 blade prop and a 22~24 inch swim platform
It has OK hole shot and max speed is about 38-40mph at about 4950 rpm which is also wide open throttle...bimini top stowed.
Here's the problem...
It has OK hole shot for pulling skiers or wake boarders, but the "prop wash" off the back of the engine is incredibly huge/wide. Not a rooster tail type thing, just lots of water flying around the prop and hitting the underside of the swim platform (actually coming off the prop) and being thrown backwards for 15-20 yards. When the boat is trimmed toward "up" after getting on plane, the porpoising starts and the "turmoil" behind the boat changes very little...there is never a surge in rpm, just water flying everywhere behind the centerline of the boat.
I know the technical definitions of cavitation, ventilation, and slipping and I'm not sure which apply...
Local dealer tried a 4 blade 14 x 21 prop, but the hole shot was terrible, the top speed was about 34 mph and the rpm dropped to about 3400rpm WOT. So returned to the original prop... Owners manual says the MAX engine rpm is 5000.
So my questions are:
Will a larger diameter prop help and should it be a 3 blade or a 4 blade? I think a 15 inch prop will fit.
I think ventilation or slippage is possible cause...So would a set of "SMART TABS" help the prop wash (I'm pretty sure they'll help the porpoising) by keeping the blades in the water? Do they increase of decrease the gas usage?
This is a LARGE engine. The dealer said it should go 45-50 "all day long"...depending on load. There are usually only 2 of us onboard, so it might be nice to actually go a little faster but at 38mph its way slower than what I thought it would be.
I really appreciate any thoughts or idea's you might have to help me solve this problem!
I've owned 4 boats previous to this 2 outboard, 2 I/O, and never seen anything like this "prop wash" behind the boat!
Thanks!!