The “Rake” of the propeller
How to choose the Right Propeller
The “Rake” of the propeller
How to choose the Right Propeller
4-blades vs 3-blades
Undoubtedly, three-blade propellers are those more commonly used in boats. Their performance is usually very good in all sectors, they normally achieve higher final speeds, they are available in a bigger variety of diameter-pitch sizes and their cost is lower.
However, throughout the past years, the usage of four-blade propellers has entered into a continuous struggle of improving the performance of our boat, and, of course, this was not coincidental. It is evidenced that four-blade propellers usually increase the engine's load, but the production of more and more powerful engines has opened the way for their use.
Apart from the evolution of the engines, boat manufacturers have also focused on the improvement of the hull design. Therefore, boats with reduced-friction hulls are increasingly constructed, which have actually decreased the load applied on the engine to a great extent, allowing for higher load tolerances. As a result, even lower-horsepower engines are able to accommodate the additional load of a four-blade propeller.
These are the two main reasons for the increasing usage of the four-blade propellers.
