New REBEL Prop from BRP

[Elvio]

First let me introduce myself. Just joined a couple of months ago . Marlin 280 - 1993 - bought second hand & actually rigged w/ twin "Rudes" 225 /1998. Planning repowering soon w/ twin E-Tec's 225. Fours (Yammies) too expensive and too heavy . Other brands not well serviced :? .
Boat located in Turkey therefore cannot easily test different props.
Now the question : has anyone experienced with the new "Rebel" props from BRP ? Seems that the mag tests showing less than claimed fuel efficiency were caused by the non-well-fitted "Viper" props. Looks like "Rebel" props should be BRP's answer to Merc's "MiragePlus" props.
Apparently fuel efficiency can be boosted by 25~30% :!: compared to standard fitted Viper of equivalent pitch.

Elvio

 

[JUST-IN-TIME]

i have heard good things about them

 

[NIGHTIDES]

Last fall I 'tested' the Rebel 17 pitch prop against a Viper and a Stelltto one on a 22' Grady.

The fuel economy, prop blow out, and 'slip' numbers were the poorest using the Rebel. Very much to my surprise. Just food for thought.

 

[Elvio]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the answers. It is surprising though that there aren't that many of us who have tried them . There seems to be plenty more amongst the B-W owners, but the boats "are" different, therefore it would be interesting to know of any actual use and/or test. Especially when Grady seems to be refraining from backing four-stroke repowers for pre-2000 hulls, and I perfectly understand their standing. :?

 

[Barnacle Bill]

REBEL props in my eyes are only good on the 3.3 liter ETEC's. I have also found you can raise the engine higher with the REBEL and still hold water in a rough sea. The REBEL loves the mid range RPM's and is where it performs the best. Your rig should perform the best with the REBEL wheels. As for the 22' GW if your running a 3.3 liter ETEC I have found the 4 blade Cyclone makes this boat a rocket at all RPM's. By the way the 3.3 liter ETEC's are the 200HO, 225 and 250.

 

[NIGHTIDES]

As for the 22' GW if your running a 3.3 liter ETEC I have found the 4 blade Cyclone makes this boat a rocket at all RPM's. By the way the 3.3 liter ETEC's are the 200HO, 225 and 250.

BB, it was the 2006 200HO 3.3 block. Never heard of the Cyclone. Do you have the RPM-by-RPM performance stats for that prop on the 22 GW and was it the CV2 hull?? I did all the slip computaions for that setup for all three props. I would love to compare the numbers.. Thanks.

 

[Elvio]

Thanks guys, your thoughts are somewhat refreshing and hopeful . and I am also pleased to read some reaction. I tend to be on the same/parallel way of thought as BB.
In fact, before becoming aware of the new Rebel props, I was originally thinking to go with the Cyclone 14.5"x17" props on my new E-Tec 225s (3.3 ltrs), based also on previous experience with Renegade 4 blade props on a BW 23 Ourage w/ a carb 225 HP.
And now I am confused :? .
My actual setup was so far relatively satisfactory on the 1993 Marlin 280 w/ twin carb'd 225 Rudes and 14.75"x17" Viper props :
cruise : 26 kts at 4000 rpm w/ ~90 l/h, equiv. to ~1.12 nmpg,
top : 35 kts at 5500 rpm WOT w/ ~140 l/h, equiv to ~0,95 nmpg.
(avg data w/ a clean hull and 3/4 offshore fishing load, on light chop)
A friend of mine in the same marina has the same boat, newer version (1997 Marlin 300), main difference being the euro-transom; his hull is 2' longer underwater. Coincidentally he just recently repowered w/ twin 225 E-Tecs from bursted 2str carb 250 SW yammies.
On the first trial run he achieved :
top : ~40 kts at 6100 rpm WOT w/ ~23 gph on a 14.75"x17" Viper prop.
They immediately replaced the props and achieved:
top : ~42 kts at 5800 rpm WOT w/ ~24 gph on 14.75"x19" Vipers.
Naturally better than mine but I think still behind expectations.
I am not very confident on the measurements they made, and am waiting for an invitation to go with them for a thourough test run.
I will be more than pleased to share the data with whoever is interested.
As our mutual main focus, under today's highest-ever-fuel-cost environment, should be to prioritize the best fuel efficiency and offshore seaworthiness, therefore midrange cruising and trolling (1500 rpm) performances, on moderate (3~5 beaufort) "short" wave period seas, and even sacrificing some top speed,
My idea would be to go with either a 14.5"x17 Cyclone as a.m., or now a 15.5"x17" Rebel prop., and keeping our WOT rpm's between 5200~5600 depending on the load.
Unfortunately, we do not have easy access to test (red) props in this part of the world, and therefore cannot extensively and properly try propellers unless we buy them first . And that would mean ~1500 $ per pair :cry: .
Therefore, any comment/opinion :idea: will be highly appreciated...pls? ...and thanks!

 

[Elvio]

Now, a small afterthought for whoever might wonder : based on the basic "If it ain't broke...don't fix it" rule, I should not need to change my actual set-up for new E-Tecs or whatsoever. But :
1- My yearly repair costs have started to go above 4k per season (hydr. trim units, frequent VRO failures, etc...) ,
2- Last but not least, I am using the most expensive gas in the world :!: down here, at ~2.70 $ per liter., meaning over 10 bucks per gallon :evil: !!!!!
My fish is very expensive !!!
Until last year I payed my extra fuel cost differences with the interest from the unspent repowering dollars. But going are those days. :cry:

 

[jehines3]

Elvio, I'm running and identical set-up with Twin 1996 Johnsons and 14.75x17P props. Your fuel numbers for your Erude are very good. I'm no where near 1.1mpg. I'm closer to 0.9-1.0. I'm having the bottom redone now and the tower is long gone. I may even nix the Lee Sr's and go to planer boards to help fuel economy. I guess if I did all that I may get close to the numbers you post on fuel. My friend is running a 150 Etec on his CC and his fuel and oil use are not that great in my opinion. He is averaging 70-80:1 on oil and the XD100 oil is $43/gal. If the newer 2 strokes are going to burn that much expensive oil, there is more to fuel a move to 4 stroke. My marlin does not have a genny and if I take out the 6 gallons of oil in the transom. I should be good to go on 4 stroke. The suzuki 225/250 is the lightest. I was a die hard Evinrude fan, but the most recent 2 strokes are not good enough for my hard earned dollar. If I run in to transom trouble I may regret it, but for now I'm thinking 4 stroke. I have seen a few hulls similar to ours repowered with 4's and they are fine after 3-4 years.

 

[Elvio]

John, thanks for the explanations. Clear enough. Useless to say that what you say certainly makes sense. This is why I want to maximize the opprtunity to try the new ETec rudes on my pal's boat before buying them.
Can't have those chances everyday.
I gave a thought to the Suzies more than once. In fact they are even cheaper here at this moment. Plus, BRP has indexed their prices on the Euro since December, and today the exchange rate is going horrible. The problem is that they are not very well supported in the region, and because they sell less (Yammies are N.1 with ETECs at their heels) spare parts availability becomes an issue. Vicious circle .
The oil is also an issue of course (here it costs ~110$/gal. vs. 23$/gal for reg. marine 2S oil).
You are absolutely right on all the issues though. I'm bringing down my lookout tower too, already sripped-out the gen-set. Will also need to take out most of my extra-spare-youneverknow-nicetohaveathand surplus equipment. Even WX curtains in summer/early fall.

 

[jehines3]

(here it costs ~110$/gal. vs. 23$/gal for reg. marine 2S oil).

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

I would give up boating and buy oil stocks. I guess In your region only the very affluent can afford boating.

Not to rub it in but I just bought some Pennzoil XLF 2 stoke oil for $9.88/gallon. Basspro had a sale for a few weeks limit 6 per customer. Needless to say I bought 6.

 

[Elvio]

Your bubble-eye icons are very appropriate indeed John.
Fortunately we do have sales periods where we can also buy it cheaper, down to ~12$/gal and even lower for no-brands. I usually mix with good quality products, which is fine with carb engines.
Unfortunately instead, you end up by being right in saying that (power)boating is not for the regular man in the street. Not anymore at least. We do have 3 taxes applying on top of the wholesale price for these products : vat, special consumer tax, and motorvehicle tax. in fact our fuel is taxed 75~80%! mind you, Europe is just "slightly" better.
I'm not telling you about the other "boating" taxes if locally registered. In fact most people register abroad :wink: .
You guys are comparatively still extremely lucky in the US.
This is why sailing is more popular in the Med, and the boats much lighter and frail. Recently most of the EU introduced a tax-freedom up to 10m 8) .
But once hooked forever hooked. No release.
This is Nottingham Sheriff's land, and we are all waiting for Robin Hood.