Help with Prop size for 200 evinrude outboard

[Benzzino]

I have a 23’ center console with a 200 e-tec, can anyone recommend a prop size/pitch? Not sure if anyone is running a 200hp outboard. I will be doing a lot of fishing and cruising with the boat.

[DonV]

15 x 17 pitch, large surface areas on the blades. Will make it easy on your engine to keep rpms steady.

My brother's 250 HO came with a 20 pitch four blade BRP prop (don't remember the model name) lot's of stern lift however was a challenge to keep a steady planning speed in rough water. Had a pair of 17 pitch 3 blade Rebel props from his other boat and tried it for the heck of it, made a really big difference in the boat's performance, yeah lost a bit of top end speed but the normal 3000 to 4500 mode the engine came alive, NO stress, much quicker to plane and it actually improved his GPH.

Good luck.

[Benzzino]

Thanks DonV for your input

[bumpdraft]

Ditto on the 15" diameter. When I bought my 23 it had the original 235 on it (83) . Around 1994 or so, I put a 200 Ocean runner on and used the same prop. Most of my time in the boat is in the ocean and I think the larger diameter, less pitch handles the waves so much better.

[Bushwacker]

Originally Posted by Benzzino

I have a 23’ center console with a 200 e-tec, can anyone recommend a prop size/pitch? Not sure if anyone is running a 200hp outboard. I will be doing a lot of fishing and cruising with the boat.

BRP makes a small block 2.6L 60 degree V-6 200 and a big block 3.3L 90 degree 200 HO motor, so the right prop is very dependent on which “200” you have as well as the gear ratio in the lower unit!

The 3.3L motor is very conservatively rated and probably puts out close to 225 hp at the prop. It might have enough torque to spin a 3B Rebel prop, which is a very efficient stern lifting prop with very large highly cupped blades, and typically acts like it’s pitch is much higher than advertised. The 2.6L motor would not have enough torque to spin that prop fast enough on a boat as heavy as the 23.

The 2.6L motor is sold in versions rated anywhere from 135 to 200 HP. While NEMA requires that the actual propshaft of all motors sold in the US be within + 10% of the advertised HP, my experience, at least on the Gen 1 E-Tec’s, was that the lower rated versions of a given powerhead are typically about 10% stronger than advertised, while the actual HP on the higher rated versions may be more like 10% LOWER than advertised. My “150” was actually 168 HP at the prop, but the 2.6L “200” may actually be more like 190 hp. There may also be differences in mid-range torque characteristics which will affect time-to-plane. Just like highly “souped up” automotive engines which use high duration camshafts to get more high rpm HP at the expense of low and mid-range torque, different exhaust and intake port location/timing can do the same thing on a 2-stroke motor. I’ve seen discussions on the E-Tec forum on the V-4 engines, which are rated at 115 and 130 HP. Some very knowledgeable BRP techs have said that the 115 hp version actually has more mid-range torque than the 130 hp model, so it will plane quicker, although it may have a lower WOT speed.

I ran a 15x15 4B SS PowerTec prop on the 150 E-Tec on my heavily loaded 20’ SeaFari, and I could not just barely reach the top of the Optimum RPM range (5300-5500). The 4B 14.5x15P BRP Cyclone prop was even harder to turn, until I raised the motor about 3”!

If you have a 2.6L motor, you would not be able to spin either of those props fast enough on a 23. Although a 4B would probably work best for that application, you’d probably need something like a 15.5” x 13P prop, if anyone even makes something like that, maybe a workboat type prop.

[Bushwacker]

Saw another post you made indicating the motor is the 200 HO big block model, so please disregard all my comments relative to the 2.6L small block motor!

I believe that motor is very close in actual prop HP to the carb’d 225 models, although it may have more mid-range torque, but whatever prop they run on the 225’s might work. It might also be worth trying the 3B Rebel prop in the 15” pitch. If you can’t spin it fast enough, the 4B 15”P Cyclone prop would probably be a good choice, although I think it wants to run close to the surface, so check your AV plate while running to make sure it’s on top of solid water.

[bgreene]

Rebel most popular with the Etec HO.......I run one