Clean Bottom First
Ethan - all things being equal, check to make sure that you have a clean bottom - if you have a ton of slime or other growth, you are going to be slower.Your hull speed in the 30 should approach 6.8 knots or so, a boat with a longer waterline length - like your buddy's, should be faster - inspite of the horsepower.You are right on to look at the possibility that you are carrying too much weight - but if you've taken care of that, then maybe the bottom.Other things to think about - before you go experimenting with props - are you sure that you are accurately gauging that you only do 4.5? Is it possible that your knotmeter is out of calibration? Check your speed with a GPS or against some of the measured mile courses around. Is your engine making full RPM's?It always makes me wonder when I read posts from people that want to change their props, I'd never even considered that the prop that the builder put on the boat wouldn't be the right one to have on there. I guess things can be changed over time, but the volume of people on message boards that ask those types of questions amaze me. I've even thought about starting a topic about that very subject.Anyway, check out the easy/cheap things to address first, then consult a professional before you think about changing props.Good Luck - looking for some of that elusive spring weather in Seattle soon!Tim BroganApril IV C350 #68Seattle