liberator221

A Bravo 1 prop is usually a shiny finish. If yours is more of a brushed or satin look(dull) then something has been done to it. Do both props look the same? Pretty sure Bravo 1 is 15 1/4 diameter.

Seth437

So what I’m seeing is closer to 14 3/4 to 14 13/16 for diameter, definitely not close to 15 1/4. One side of the prop is stamped mercury marine bravo 1 and the other side has these numbers stamped in. …
48-831916. 28p. It is not shinny. It is more of a dull satin brushed finish.

Brad Christy

Seth,

Those are just model numbers. Brand new, box stock props have those. Look on the rear of the inner hub. Prop shops will sometimes stamp their nomenclature there.

You've definitely got reworked props. Here’s just no way of knowing what’s been done to them without tracing them back to the shop that find them.

Thanks. Brad.

liberator221

All Bravo 1 I’ve seen listed said 15 1/4. Are both your props shiny finish? Can you throw the other 28 on to see how it runs, or is your season over?

Seth437

In the inner hub on the outward facing side ihas some stamping. It looks like there is a backward B and then a normal B then 9506. Both props are dull/brushed finish. The boat is off being winterized and wrapped so, yes, my season is done. Measured again and it is definitely not 15 1/4. It is 14 13/16. So I guess the question I will ask, is what is a good starting point if I were to buy a new prop. 09 baja by fountain 26 OL with 496 mag ho and a bravo 1 x drive the has 1.65 gearing. This spring I will try the prop that is not in the boat right now first just to compare it to the one that is on the boat now.

Griff

That is BBlades custom labbed prop. I highly doubt he cut the diameter down by that much, but you could contact them. BBlades will have the specs on the prop. 9506 is the BBlades serial number.
You may have bought it in NJ, but everything points to this being a boat from or originally built for higher elevation. Its common to use the 1.65 for higher elevation. Engines also make about 1% less power for every 300' elevation. Thus, the engine would have been spinning less rpms and not hitting the rev limiter.

Seth437

That all makes sense. I will reach out to them. Is it worth it to do a gear change to bring this to a 1.50 ratio. Would that make any significant gains in performance

thank you all for the help. It is much appreciated

Brad Christy

Seth,

I can't answer the question of "can you", as I don't know. My guess is that you can. If so, the biggest thing that it will do is open up your prop selection options.

Thanks. Brad.

JaayTeee

Fountain use to use 1.65 drives on their 496 powered boats, so this makes sense, I wouldn’t change it, the benefit is that the larger props (28/30’s)are more efficient, you just need to find the right one, now if you had a 1.36 drive,
I would say change it to a 1.5

c0ncEpT

I hate to sound like a broken record but get a box stock 28p B1 for that thing.

Fountain built all of their late model 496HO powered 27's and 29's with 1.65:1 outdrives. They used 28p or 30p depending on the drive height.

My old 2004 27 used a 30p and would spin right to around 5,000rpm and 69mph.

A 26 Outlaw is closer to the size of a 29 Fountain just without the step. It will likely want a 28p with the 1.65:1 drive in that hull.