If your boat is slow, the problem could be with the engine, the propeller, or the weight on the vessel. And it is confusing not knowing which one is the case.
Not knowing how fast a propeller is supposed to spin can keep you in the dark about the actual problem. Even with a tachometer, you can't tell if the engine performs well if you don't know the ideal spin range.
A boat propeller spins at the speed of 5500 RPM (Revolutions Per Minute), with 5900 RPM being among the highest possible RPM values for a boat propeller. Depending on the sail settings, propellers can spin at 5000 RPM on the low-end.
In this article, you will learn everything you need to know about propeller spin-speed and boat speed. You will also discover how you can increase one to speed up the other.
But before we get into propellers' relation to speed and the extent to which they can help your boat's knot coverage, we must compare them with the other propelling mechanism: the jet engine.
Boat Propeller vs. Jet Engine
In boating, a jet engine refers to the propelling mechanism of jet boats, while a propeller is the main driving force behind a sterndrive boat. It is relatively easier to add an outward jet engine to a sterndrive (propeller-driven) boat than it is to add a propeller system to a jetboat. In the latter case, the main propelling mechanism needs to be swapped.
A hybrid vessel is theoretically possible, but it is not feasible to have both propelling mechanisms in a single boat. Therefore, you have to opt between a jet engine and a propeller.
A jet engine is faster than a propeller, and if a boat doesn't achieve the desired speed when the propeller spins at its highest speed, one can swap the outboard propeller with a jet engine to improve the vessel's speed.
Before we discuss the exact steps one can take to improve their boat's knot coverage, let's examine the risks of propellers.
Are Propellers Dangerous?
If boat propellers are attached in an unsafe manner, they can injure passengers. For the propellers to be safe, they have to be attached securely and out of the casual reach of the passengers. Boat designers are mindful of this when preparing their blueprints.
But if you take a sailboat or a boat with a jet engine and add propellers to her, you must consider the following risks:
- Untimely disassembly - If the propeller isn't secured tightly enough, its momentum can detach it from the rest of the boat, turning it into a dangerous frisbee.
- Accidental contact - When the propeller is placed too close to the deck, a passenger can accidentally touch it and get their fingers or hand-cut in the process. This is very unlikely because the propellers are supposed to be at the back.
- Inefficient performance - Depending on how you attach the propeller, it can perform suboptimally and, in serious cases of improper installation, can work against the jet engine.
Can a Propeller Make a Boat Faster?
A propeller can make a boat faster to an extent. After the boat reaches its optimal knots, a propeller can't increase the boat's speed. The best way to know whether a propeller can help your boat is to see if vessels with higher speed exist within the same weight range.
The aerodynamics and the hydrodynamics of the boat dictate its maximum speed. In the following situations, a propeller can certainly help its performance:
- If the boat has no engine or propeller - Sailboats are the easiest to speed up because even a lightweight propeller can make a significant impact on the boat's MPH performance. However, these vessels are not designed to fit a propeller, and improper attachment risks are present when you install the rotor yourself.
- If the boat has slow propellers - Finally, the most evident hint that your boat can be sped up by a new propeller is that your current propeller doesn't go as fast as it can. This is also why the main query of this post is valid.
Can a Jet Engine Make Your Boat Faster?
A jet engine can make your boat faster, but only if the boat isn't too big. Your boat must be a medium-sized one with a 20-knot coverage for her to be converted to jet propulsion. Even then, the engine's efficiency would decrease, and your power expenses might increase.
Jet engines are meant to propel smaller boats and have higher driving capacity. But this capacity is rarely tested with sterndrive boats.
Five Ways to Make a Boat Faster
Now that you know the strong points of propellers and jet engines, as well as the maximum speed at which the propeller can spin, you can diagnose and fix your boat if it is too slow. The table below covers three ways in which you can add 5 to 10 knots to your boat regardless of whether it is a jet boat or a sterndrive.
Final Thoughts
A boat propeller spins at over 5000 revolutions per minute. If your boat's propeller is slower than this, you need to get your engine and propeller examined. In case the propeller is performing at 5,400 RPM or higher, but the vessel seems slow, you need to revisit the load on the boat and reduce furniture and passenger capacity.
