Earlier this summer I was fortunate enough to attend the Allison rally in TN, and further to get a chance to drive Todd Bucknell's Grandsport (XS-2003). As many of you know, Thom and Todd Bucknell are the principals of Hydromotive Engineering, and Todd had just put a new version of a 24 pitch prop on his personal Allison. It featured 15/16" vent holes at the hub and a welded-on "flare" ring at the through-hub portion of the exhaust.
He took me for a ride in his boat and I was blown away at the midrange acceleration and the holeshot, and the top end in the low 90's.
I ended up driving Todd's Grandsport back to the dock after Todd drove Denver's XB2002 back. Although at the time I had little seat time in the XS, I could tell that the prop pulled really hard and drove very easily and so I asked Todd to set me up with one.
My Grandsport is set up almost identically to Todd's. 11" setback, but I am running a shortshaft motor whereas he has the standard midsection (so effectively, I have a couple more inches of setback I guess).
Well, I got the prop last week and I don't know if this is THE exact prop he had at the rally, but it looked like it could go inside a glass case. The workmanship is flawless and the finish like a mirror. OK, it looks good, but how would it perform?
Answer: AMAZING!! The relief holes allow the prop to rev up and when she bites, LOOK OUT because even with all the family onboard, the launch is like a rocket.
It keeps getting better from there. It drives smooth as silk with extremely low wheel torque and when you punch it, you just get pinned back in the seat--which you might expect from a 24 pitch, but the driveability is second to none and that includes ET's and anything else I've run on this boat.
The big 15" diameter also seems to allow the running of higher propshaft settings, hence less case drag but still cupping water, so it's really hard to blow out.
Submerged for skiing / kneeboarding, I can pop skiers out of the water like in less than "one-thousand-one.." and at 3,000-3,200 rpm at a comfortable speed of 30mph or so. With boarders, doing about 2600 r's keeps them happy.
But the MOST fun with this prop is just punching it in the midrange, where you can get from say 60 to 90 RIGHT now. It must be some kind of progressive pitch because not only does it accelerate great, you can also cruise long distances with good mileage with the propshaft set up high and trimmed just slightly above neutral.
I'm going to give it a try on my XB2003 and see how it does. On the XS, it has the load-carrying capability of a Trophy, and yet the topend and punch of an ET. It's my favorite Hydromotive prop so far, and hands-down my favorite Grandsport prop.
I can now go to the delta and---NOT HAVE TO CHANGE PROPS for screaming solo and taking out the family & pulling toys!
THANKS Todd...this prop was a GREAT call for the GS and it ROCKS.
Lou
PS, Todd...What do you call this thing again?
He took me for a ride in his boat and I was blown away at the midrange acceleration and the holeshot, and the top end in the low 90's.
I ended up driving Todd's Grandsport back to the dock after Todd drove Denver's XB2002 back. Although at the time I had little seat time in the XS, I could tell that the prop pulled really hard and drove very easily and so I asked Todd to set me up with one.
My Grandsport is set up almost identically to Todd's. 11" setback, but I am running a shortshaft motor whereas he has the standard midsection (so effectively, I have a couple more inches of setback I guess).
Well, I got the prop last week and I don't know if this is THE exact prop he had at the rally, but it looked like it could go inside a glass case. The workmanship is flawless and the finish like a mirror. OK, it looks good, but how would it perform?
Answer: AMAZING!! The relief holes allow the prop to rev up and when she bites, LOOK OUT because even with all the family onboard, the launch is like a rocket.
It keeps getting better from there. It drives smooth as silk with extremely low wheel torque and when you punch it, you just get pinned back in the seat--which you might expect from a 24 pitch, but the driveability is second to none and that includes ET's and anything else I've run on this boat.
The big 15" diameter also seems to allow the running of higher propshaft settings, hence less case drag but still cupping water, so it's really hard to blow out.
Submerged for skiing / kneeboarding, I can pop skiers out of the water like in less than "one-thousand-one.." and at 3,000-3,200 rpm at a comfortable speed of 30mph or so. With boarders, doing about 2600 r's keeps them happy.
But the MOST fun with this prop is just punching it in the midrange, where you can get from say 60 to 90 RIGHT now. It must be some kind of progressive pitch because not only does it accelerate great, you can also cruise long distances with good mileage with the propshaft set up high and trimmed just slightly above neutral.
I'm going to give it a try on my XB2003 and see how it does. On the XS, it has the load-carrying capability of a Trophy, and yet the topend and punch of an ET. It's my favorite Hydromotive prop so far, and hands-down my favorite Grandsport prop.
I can now go to the delta and---NOT HAVE TO CHANGE PROPS for screaming solo and taking out the family & pulling toys!
THANKS Todd...this prop was a GREAT call for the GS and it ROCKS.
Lou
PS, Todd...What do you call this thing again?
