Posts: 3480
Location: Elk River, Minnesota | I would advise NOT to drill holes into your prop fins. If you are off a little, you upset the balance of the prop which will cause vibration, and, over time will rip apart your lower unit gearing. And if I remember correclty, any hole in a prop fin will only increase drag since water can continually pass through the fin. I have never seen a prop with holes in the fins....
Also, if you are looking to "vent" your prop, the holes at the base of the prop (closest to lower unit) but on the hub itself. This way, you are not creating a drag point where water can pass through the blade while you are zippin down the lake. By venting on the hub, you introduce exhaust gasses to the prop fins to increase RPMs and to get you on plane faster. When you are above mid range, the exhaust gasses will be moving too fast to exit the vent hole, thus eliminating the exhaust gasses getting to the prop fins. Then you keep your speed, but increase hole shot.
The downside of this, though is if you are in rough waves and cannot travel fast enough to get exhaust gasses moving past the holes. When travelling slow enough, exhaust will always escape through the vent holes, and when you need the prop to "bite" the best, it may not due to to increased ventilation of the blades.
In my honest opinion, you can raise your motor a hole or two off the transom, and stay with the prop you had, unless your RPM's are too high...if that is the case, get a cupped prop, which will increase bite, and lower RPM.
Optimizing is fun if you enjoy the time it takes, but when you get the right combination for your rig, you will love the way your boat performs.
Steve |
