How to Choose the Right Propeller for Your Boat？

Quite often, boating enthusiasts neglect to consider the importance of the propeller they have on their boat. The propeller is the final link in the boats drive train. It is the piece of the puzzle that connects the horsepower to the water. Having the correct propeller on a boater’s specific application is like using the correct tires on ones vehicle.We can pick up a right propeller from the following aspects.

• Shape and Size

Propellers come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. Those sizes are referred to as diameter and pitch. The first and most important decision when picking a propeller is to match the propeller pitch to the engine manufacturers recommended WOT (wide open throttle) range. This means it is important to be able to turn the minimum rpm the engine was designed for with the throttle fully advanced. As a propellers pitch rises, it creates a larger weight or restriction for the engine to spool up to higher rpm. A 50 horsepower engine may only be able to turn a 15-pitch propeller where as a 750 horsepower offshore race engine may be able to turn 30 plus inches of pitch.

• Diameter

The diameter is two times the distance from the center of the hub to the tip of the blade. It can also be looked at as the distance across the circle that the propeller would make when rotating.

• Choose the Right Prop for Your Boat

Pitch, the second number listed in the propeller description, is defined as the theoretical forward movement of a propeller during one revolution. Since there is almost always a small amount of "slip" between the propeller and the water, the actual distance travelled is slightly less.

The goal in propeller selection is to determine what style and size will maximize your boat's performance, while allowing your engine to operate in the recommended r.p.m. range. We hope our suggestions can help you.