Whats the Difference in a Labbed Prop?

They thin the blades and balance the prop. Sometimes you can turn a higher pitch labbed prop the same RPMs as a smaller prop, thus gaining speed.

The downside is the blades are more fragile. Also, be careful who "labs" it. Merc charges 400-500 more for a labbed prop.

IMO, I would save my money for gas and beer.

GOOD CALL :beers:

Thanks for the info

A STANDARD lab is exactly what Super24 stated, balanced and thinned blades.

However, you can also have the characteristics changed for your boat. More/less bow lift, cup added or removed, etc.

I run a labbed Bravo with some bow lift built into it and it is night and day difference over a stocker. Totally different boat.

Really thats interesting.

Could i have my mirage 23p plus labbed to get out of the hole faster? Without losing any top end.

My new labbed prop got me my needed 400 rpm, and gained me 3 mph over a NON labbed 3 blade

RCHEVELLE71 said:

My new labbed prop got me my needed 400 rpm, and gained me 3 mph over a NON labbed 3 blade

Click to expand...

Yep, great bang for your buck IMO. Hell, people spend $4k on exhaust to get 1-2 mph!

SweetEmotion said:

Really thats interesting.

Could i have my mirage 23p plus labbed to get out of the hole faster? Without losing any top end.

Click to expand...

That is a good question. What do you mean by "faster"? Is it ventalating and slipping? If so that can be improved upon.

I mean I want to plane out faster.

Sweet, you will gain rpm with one, so if you are at your correct high rpm now, you will need to do it with a different prop. And yes tey can improve your low end, but they can do that without labbing. West MI propellor is pretty good for small changes and balancing.

Seeing how allot of your running is in the grand river, I would stay away from labbed. I change to my non labbed when heading down your way. I have bent blades in the rivver a few times. Usually not from hitting ground but from crap in the water.

SweetEmotion said:

I mean I want to plane out faster.

Click to expand...

Do you have trim tabs? They would help there.

I've never really been sold on labbed props. Maybe I'm overlooking some speed. I'm turning a 28P Bravo 1 to 5000 rpms, 78~ MPH. I'm right where I want to be RPM wise, and my slip is 10-11%. Theoretically, if I could turn a labbed 30P to 4800 I would gain 3 MPH. If anything that extra speed would be just for bragging rights. I guess if it improved my mid range it would be worth it. Hmmmmm.....

Yeah I have trim tabs but I never thought I could use them to get on plane faster. Im still a beginner learning as I go. So should I drop my tabs down before puting down the hammer? Then bring them up as I get on plane.

Good point Twin my buddy just bent his prop up last weekend in the Grand. I should probably just leave mine the way it is. My rpms are right on at 4800, top speed is 57 gps. Not bad for a big ol Libby. Its weird though at the beginning of April I swear I was pushing 60-61 now all I get is 57. Is that because its alot warmer out then 2 months ago?

Trim tabs will absolutely help you plane faster.

I had the same prop sent to Mercury for labbing and picked up 4 mph. I didn't tell anyone, and all of the sudden I was outrunning the guys who were even with me the year before. Pretty cool, but it was a beotch babysitting everyone at the back of the boat so they wouldn't get sliced up.

And yes, warm air=less dense=less power.

Sweet, you are right on with how to use the tabs.

Thanks guys I learn something new every day

Now I just need to learn how to make my boat run on water and I`d be all set :laugher:

I'll give you my .02
On my last 3 boats (all twin engine mind you) 32 Sun & 35 Fountain & 31 Cat, believe me I'm AlWAYS looking for the extra free mph, & I have used throttle up, Bblades & Mercury Racing, my expierences have netted me 1 MPH gain at best, I'm still not convinced it's money well spent, I know others have had better luck, for me the only solid gains came from increase in HP and or drive height set up, not a magical prop

SweetEmotion said:

Yeah I have trim tabs but I never thought I could use them to get on plane faster. Im still a beginner learning as I go. So should I drop my tabs down before puting down the hammer? Then bring them up as I get on plane.

Click to expand...

As others have said put them down before you get on plane then bring them up. If you're not ventalating the prop I doubt labbing/modifying the prop would do anything.

If you are a "beginner" in seat time with your boat?.....You are wasting your $$$ and time with a labbed prop.

After you get experience, A LOT of seat time, and are looking for that last ounce of performance,

Then you might think about a labbed prop.

One of the unmentioned benifits of a labbed prop is decreased fuel consumption. I have Mercury Smartcraft gauges so I can see my actual fuel burn at a given rpm when running. My fuel burn at cruise dropped 2gph at cruise after labbing. It took less throttle to achieve the same rpm with the labbed prop. At $4-$5 a gallon, labbing payed for itself in 40 hours on my boat. Mine was done by Rich Junker at Leading Edge propeller in Sarasota. Very pleased with the work.