Trophy Plus vs. Laser vs. ??? Prop help please.

[John Belvedere]

Ok, I currently have a 2000 700LX Nitro :wub:with a 125 Mercury. I operate in high elevations of 5000' to 8500'(Utah and Yellowstone area). I bought the boat used with a 24 pitch Laser 3 blade prop and ran at higher speed of 55 mph. I love the Trophy Plus 23 pitch I run now because of the holeshot performance but lost some on the top end, down to 50 mph. Faster when alone of course. Thats a fully loaded boat (3 batteries, 24 volt troll) and two large men. I am averaging 5200-5300 rpm. What props do you guys run and why? Is there a prop out there that you feels offers greater holeshot and great topend? I have stayed with the 4 blade trophy because I like dropping that nose down faster and moving out. The Laser just doesn't come close for me in that area. I am hoping to get some feedback as to what you run and why. Thanks for any input. John

 

[Mike Zechman]

I'm not a laser fan, I had a laserII 23P on my 200 Merc, and I went to a Tempast plus 24P from Mercury, and it ran better, much better than the Laser did, and I got 2 MPH out of it too

 

[Kim Becker]

John, I run a 24 pitch Laser II on my 700 LX and love it. I run at 5300 to 5400 RPM. I have the motor raised to the highest hole it can go. Hole shot is good and top end is great. Have you tried playing with motor height ?

 

[John Belvedere]

I also have my motor raised to the highest holes. It did help some. Thanks for the responses. Maybe I am asking for more than it can do. I can live with it the way it is. I just want to know its the best it can be.

 

[TrepMan]

John - Got almost the same boat 700lx 115 Merc. Are you sure your Trophy is a Trophy Plus, I thought, and i'm no prop guy, that the Trophy Plus were for the bigger motors and older Trophy was for both? Just wondering.



I've been told an older Trophy 24p 4 blade is just right for the boat. Me, i've got my best set up with a 25p Turbo 3 blade (it was a 26p that I had worked t oa 25p), rpms just at 5200 WOT ,the max on my motor is 5250rpms, holeshot is great light and decent loaded with a tourney load and my big butt partner (OK so compared to me, most 8 yearolds are lardbutts!!! LOL), I can run 53-54mph all day on my GPS, and i've hit 57mph a few times. Loaded she'll push 52mph. I do have a 4.5inch manual jackplate and the motor tweaked hight wise to just about perfect.



When i'm back from China next fall, i'm thinking of blowing the $$ on a 24p 4 blade to try.



I tried an older/wider diameter 24p 3 blade but had to raise the motor a lot and then have the prop vented (old blade didn't have vent holes so she originaly was a pig out of the hole), but the vented Turbo seems just right.



Trep

 

[John Belvedere]

Trep,

Its definately a Trophy Plus. Is ther any advantage to the older Trophy? I don't have a jack plate. Did you experience your boat without a jackplate? Just curious how much difference there is.

Thanks, John

 

[TrepMan]

John - No, I bought the boat with the Jackplate, the site owner here, Rich Stern, put it on after he bought it. After he rode in it when I had set it up just right, and he said it rode better, no chinewalk at WOT and handled better.



Good to know the Trophy Plus fits the small gearcase, I had heard the plus would only fit the large one.



If your speeds are GPS, then you are close to just about right.

 

[Bruce Freeman]

John I am not an expert either, but based on your elevation I think you have it pretty good, you are right at max rpm for the engine and it has a good hole shot. Remeber Trepperson when in this country is at sea level or close to it. IMHO I would rather have the great holeshot over the extra 5 mph. Thats just me.



BF

 

[JIM SHINN]

This is the information I'm looking for. I have a Tracker Avlanche w/ Mercury 125. I have a 21 pitch Trophy Plus 4 blade on it. I was hitting 47 mph with it until I damaged it. I had it refurbed but I can only top out at 40 mph with it now. I want to try another prop to see how it would run but I don't want to buy it and lose top end spend. Any good suggestions?