Home › Forum › Ask A Member › 30hp etec prop opinions › Re: 30hp etec prop opinions
If I hook up a tach onto the motor and run it live, what should I be looking for in terms of indicators for prop selection. I have a tach (the type that wraps around 1 plug wire), and I can easily get the max RPM under load.
Kerry – what is your opposition to hydrofoils? I had a veteran mechanic say to avoid the hydrofoils which are two fins, each one on a side of the ventilation plate because they are prone to breaking that plate off when in waves. He said to use the ones like ‘stingray’ brand, which are all one piece with the horizontal connector between fins to avoid breaking the ventilation plate. I"m all ears because I want to do the best I can to care for my motor so I get as much life as I can out of it. I will say I recently saw an ad on CL for a pair of big Etecs from the ocean from (I believe) 2006, which had around 2,000 hours on both. That is encouraging to see them still chugging along, I put on about 100-150 hours on my motor each year.
I like the idea of staying on plane at lower RPM. My boat is a small 14′ deep V aluminum, so many times I spend my time at 12-15MPH when the waters start to get choppy, and staying just above the chop but not slow enough where I’m plowing and getting knocked all over the water is very helpful on my back.
And sometimes I just downright need to get the hell out of where I am due to inclement weather or giant wakes from cruise ships and tour vessels (I’ve been out on the coast, and around NYC [hudson], that can be very rough).