What is the advantage of a 4 or 5-blade prop as compared to a 3-blade?
Most boats are equipped with a 3-blade prop from the factory. A 4-blade prop will usually give a boat a little better low-end power and handling, but often results in some loss of speed. A lot of bass boats with high horsepower will do fairly well with a 4-blade prop, especially with the new designs that are out now. Most inboard/outboard boats do just fine with a 3-blade prop, unless they are lacking on horsepower. 4-blade props do better when running close to the top of the surface, and most I/O’s are running deep enough that a speed loss is common because of the extra drag. The 5-blade props are almost strictly a ski prop, where the low to mid-range pull is of main importance.
