Lots of options, so best to talk to the various prop mfg’s to get their recommendation…
I did this myself last winter…many things to think about…
- Folding or feathering... I ended up with a feathering Max Prop from PYI…
- 2 or 3 blades…I really wanted a 3 blade to try and reduce vibration…
One deciding factor for me was the fact that the Max Prop pitch is adjustable….so even if we guess wrong, it can be adjusted and tweaked.
As it turns out, the guidance from PYI for my 3-blade was pretty darn close. She has excellent reverse bite…a big plus for the Max Prop, and her forward bit is good. I may adjust the pitch over the winter a little and try to dial it in a bit more for the forward pitch.
PYI took my boat info (displacement, length, beam, etc.) and my engine / tranny info (HP, # of cylinders, gear reduction) and made the recommendation for both a 2-blade and 3-blade feathering prop. I also gave the info to Flex-o-Fold which is another prop I considered. They gave me their recommendations on prop size and pitch. But unlike the Max Prop, the FoF pitch cannot be adjusted.
I feel that the feathering prop (at least the MaxProp) is better at providing power in the water (especially in reverse) than the folding props. But the folding props are probably a little more streamlined in the water. Just my take…no empirical data to back it up…
So far though, I am very happy with my 3-blade Max Prop. And they really are a thing of beauty..
Greg