Another Prop Question

[nebraskaairboater]

I have a Direct Drive 472 or 500 caddy (haven't checked the stroke to confirm yet.) I am currently running a 72 x 38 paddle wood prop at between 2500 and 2800 rpm (not for sure the tach is working properly) It sounds like it is turning faster than that and I cruise at 1800 and can stay on plane down to 1400 (on existing tach) I will be purchasing a composite wide blade prop and need advice (opinions) on which one to get. I have been looking at the Whirlwind Stump Puller and the Sensenich Q blade. We have a Q blade on a 455 olds direct but it is a 74 inch and I am limited by the cage to a 72 inch to be comfortable with the clearence. What prop (in everyone's opinion) would work the best for the money on a direct drive application? I'm looking for low end push and quiet. I just want as much help to not be stuck as possible, I don't care how fast I can go. Obviously the Whirlwind is probably the least expensive way to go. Also I am running a 600 cfm edlebrock carb on it. Everything else is stock. have headers with 3" flex pipes. any thing I can do as far as tweaking to get a few more rpm out of it? I'm pretty sure it is a 500 cid. (that is what I bought it as)

Thanks,

Dan

 

[cntry141iq]

Well if you put an exhaust system, as in x-pipe/h-pipe and quiet mufflers to get you a little back pressure it would help you motor performance and not make as many people mad at airboats. You may want to search on this site for related post's on the subject of caddy's.

 

[nebraskaairboater]

I am currently getting a quote to put those Flo-Pro Mufflers on it. I'm not sure that I have the room under the engine right now for the x pipe. Right now I just have a piece of sheet metal with a bunch of holes drilled in it. It quieted it down a bit but I want to have it legal. In Nebraska they passed a law that all boats have to be under 95 db at 100 feet at crusing rpm's or something like that. Right now I don't have approved muffling devices on it.

 

[stan]

have run both warp drive (5 and 6 blade 72") and stump puller behind a 500 cad they both did fine however they produced a lot of prop noise .friend bought the boat put a 72" 3 blade sensinich on and it is very loud, ordered him a Q blade, not much help but there it is.

 

[Larry]

For low end push most people I know in my area run a signature series powershift. a friend of mine just put a 72" powershift on his straight valve 540 and he was running a 72x38 wideblade before. He claims it is quieter then the wood prop and runs at a lower rpm now.

Larry

 

[Duckhunter_012003]

I got a 12ft Robicheaux Full Decked Alum airboat, all 1/8", single front operator, Warn 2500lb winch on the bow, sopa sprayer system, KC lights, foot steering system, and as you can tell, I'm from Louisiana, and I'm huntin a brutul swamp thats very very hard on equipment, I mean we gotta run over an old set of abondoned railroad tracks thats on a small shell levee just to get to our camp, and plus run over about 500yards of dry ground. When I vert got the boat it had a sensenich wood paddle prop, had alot of push, but then a recently saved up and bought a powershift cypress series in 70" and it was literally like going from night to day in performance, where I'm runnin theres not to many straight runs, so speed isn't a big thing, so I got the prop set for low end push, and with just me on that boat with my gear, I've ran that boat all over my 14,000 acre lease which is in the Maurepas Swamp, got stuck once but thats becuase I came to a complete stop on a flotant. Your makin the right choice with going to a composite.

 

[nebraskaairboater]

I tried the Q blade prop this weekend from Sensenich. I don't know why anyone would still use a wood prop. I could not really run dry at all with the wood but when I put the adjustable on I could run the fence line of the cow pasture all day long without running full throttle even. I put it in the river and it jumped out of the water and went a bunch faster. I wanted to try different pitches so I drove onto a sandbar and re-adjusted the pitch. I could do it by myself in 5 min or less with a torque wrench and a tape measure. It was a 74" and I was running 2700 rpm on a direct drive cadillac engine. Wish I had family with some of the other brands that I could try. Think I'll be getting the Sensenich.

 

[wade]

nebraska, Country is right about some mufflers on it if you don't have them. I have a 472 caddy direct drive also and with a cheap set of thrush turbos 2 1/2 inch streached to 3 got me 400 more rpm without touching anything else. the back pressure helps. It does push better but the prop is loud. I also have a wood prop 72x44 and Still looking for a composite, keep me informed of your findings. The wood will push on wet grass and sand with a light load but I'd like to run the fence line like you are!!! GOOD LUCK!! WADE

 

[Daddy Dave]

Many Florida 14' - 16' airboats running direct drive Cadis use a composite prop made by Florida Airboat Propellers. It is caled the Terminator and , Boy, does it push. It is a composite reproduction of FAP's very populer wood paddle. This prop is extremely wide and holds that width all the way to the tips. I have been running that prop on a 13' 0-540 strait valve and am switching to Powershift only to support their active involvement to save airboating. Terminators should be considered for Cadi direct drive applications.

 

[a1mudpuppy]

I have a 500 caddy on a 14' aluminum GTO hull with steel rigging (which I'm changing to aluminum asap) I run a 72" Powershift Signiture Series @ 38deg. I just changed it back to it, I was running 40deg and it was a pig. Now I had top end, I could do 45mph @ 2700 max rpm. But it took forever to get on a plan didn't even try to run dry. Now @ 38deg I can run about 37mph @ 3100 and run dry all day long. NOW to pump up your HP you need to get rid of that stock intake and purchase a Edelbrock Performer intake. Not only will it give you HP but it's lighter. If you do this make sure you permatext the under the bottom of the bolt heads where they will touch the intake. If you don't cover your engine or the cover blows off(like it did to me) rain will set on top of your engine and seep into your engine, it happen to me. Also you may look at going to a 750cfm, 600cfm is ok but it can take a 750cfm STAY with a Edelbrock carb. If you can find a set of 76cc heads add them on your list . You'll go from 9-1 compresstion to 12.5-1. But then you have to run 105 octane. I got a lot of info from this forum and this one

http://www.cowboyseven.us/forum/index.php.

this is a Caddy web forum. If you have a question about a caddy you can find it here or ask it here and Maddog will get back to you. I've got a couple question about caddys on it. These guys to are great for info and parts

http://www.cad500parts.com/