I just ordered my new prop today

[Papee]

It should be here next week some time. I got a 52" 3 blade carbon fiber from Competition Aircraft. These blades use pitch blocks to set the pitch. Extra pitch blocks are $7 a set and available in 1° increments - 8°-18°. I got the blades, hub, and flange for less than $400 including shipping, I'll be doing a installation and review on the prop when it comes.

Getting the old flange off is tough, it's been on there for years. I started hitting it with wd_40 today and got all the set screws out. I'll keep using the wd_40 and tapping it with a hammer a few days then I'll try pulling it with a puller. I really don't want to put any heat on it if I can help it.

[Randy Jr]

wish i saw that site before i orderd mine i think arrow prop just resales that same prop minus the white stickers on the blades and the hub is diffrent its all alluminum but for the price diffrence i'd have to find my receipt but for some reason i wanta say i payed like $475 ish for the 3 blade 57" but i cant complain its my fault for not shopping around and if you pay more its worth more right thats what my friends always say when they overpay for stuff... and it seems to perform well it pushed my fourwheeler cant wait to get it on the water and see if it push's anything but moths out of my way...

Congradulations on the new prop..im ready to see some pictures of all the fish this boats catchin papee

[Papee]

I still haven't been able to get the old flange off. You have to be careful when pounding on the shaft or you will break the seals, I tried a little bit of heat also. I'll get it eventually. I just need to "talk" to it some more.

[Randy Jr]

the puller wouldn't work? i thought for sure that would work fine

[Papee]

Well, after putting wd-40 on it for a week, tapping it with a hammer then more wd-40 then some heat, then more wd-40 and more tapping I gave up. I used my 4" grinder and made two cuts up the flange, one on top and one on the bottom. It was still a task to get it off but it is now off. Now I hope my prop comes today. It was estimated that it would be here Friday so maybe today. At least I'm ready for it now.

[Snapper]

what happened to make it stick so bad salt air or just rusty ?

[Papee]

Well, I got the prop and got it together and on. I'll post a few photos later, I off to my psychical therapy workout for my knees. It was very easy to put together, maybe 1/2 tops. Ihe boat is in the garage but I did start it and let it idle, it was very smooth compared to the stick prop. We'll seee more once I get it outside and get to give it some throttle. I still have to dress up the wiring and a few other things before I move it out.

[Papee]

Here's a couple pics, It looks small on there but it's a 52" Guess I could have gone bigger. Really, after seeing Chucks new hulls I've really been thinking about putting a Toyota 4cyl on this hull and move this motor over to one of Chucks aluminum hulls if I can talk him into making me one with a bit bigger front deck and a sleeve to accept a fishing stool.

[Papee]

Here's the chart for the 52" prop and below is a link to the whole page with formulas.
http://miniairboatassoc.com/hosted/ultrapropchart.jpg.

[Papee]

Well, I got it loaded and outside, what a task. The cage is higher than the door opening. I have to let off the trailer to get it in. It's to high even when off the trailer by just a little so I have to let it hang off the trailer just right to tilt the boat so the cage just slips by. It looks like I guessed the horse power pretty close on the old 18 hp Briggs. I am turning the prop at about 2900 rpm. This prop is set up for a 30 hp motor. These props are also made to run about that rpm. They don't want you to run them over 3200 rpm. I blocked one trailer wheel and it tried to spin a doughnut. I have to go to the docs shortly for a knee checkup but I think I'm going to go try it out when I get back. It's only about 50 here ad the river is high and fast so I can get some good running in to test and retourque the bolts.

[Papee]

I just got back from a test run. I really didn't get much accomplished. The wind was between 20-25 mph and the waves were like a foot tall. every time I tried to get going it would get a big spray all over me. Cold plus colder water don't work for me. The only thing I know is that it is working much better but I think it pushing the nose down to hard now. I'll wait until we have some better weather and take some tools out and take some shims out and see what happens. It's much quieter now though.

[Snapper]

be careful out there papee ...

[Randy Jr]

lol papee out there tryin to surf in a mini airboat we needed a video of that :P

[Papee]

I guess I should hve said chop. LOL I'm not that brave, the sides are not THAT high on my hull.

[Randy Jr]

lol i hear yah i cant wait to see what it feels like on this deck over :P i think its gona be scary at first especialy with the curious alligators in the river

[chuckitt]

Just run over them, they will go down,,,,, unless they are protecting their babies,,,, then they bite
the boat. Hang on. Chuck

[Randy Jr]

hah i'll keep that in mind chuck ... well if one bites my hull you'll hear about it coz i'll be ordering one of your allum.. hulls coz dont think my wood will stand up to an gator bite

[Papee]

Update, the prop worked well but it was spinning a little fast so I ordered a new set of pitch blocks. Bob at Competition Airplanes is very easy to work with, he sent me a set of 10,11, and 12 degree blocks, I have a 9 degree on now. He charged me for one set and I'm to return the ones I don't use. Nice guy! I didn't get good pics the first time I put it together but I got some good ones this time. I'm putting together a tech page now with the assembly for those who are wondering how the carbon fiber props work.

[Papee]

I jumped up 3 degrees ans now it slowed maybe to much. I'll hopefully get out tomorrow to test. I'll just take the other blocks along, They can be changed in about 1/2 hour at the most.

[Randy Jr]

yeah papee they are very easy to change .... are you replaceing the lock nuts everytime :P lol or waiting till u find the set that works best then put a new set on.. thats the only part of these props that i dont like... wish it had a hub like the bigger props where u could just turn it yourself and set the degree withouth buying extra blocks


oh yeah.. i love the tech.. thing u did thats nice... i like it.. ""taps feet waiting on the 'build your on turbo tech post'.."" haha nice addition to the site dave