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Author Topic:   Dauntless 160 at High Altitude

JohnJerk posted 03-03-2008 06:45 PM ET (US)
I am picking up my [just purchased] 2005 160 Dauntless with a Mercury 115-HP four-cycle motor on Wednesday, and I want to take her out on Lake Powell (elevation 3,600-feet) this weekend. The boat currently has a 13-inch-pitch propeller of unknown diameter for our mountain lakes (6,500 to 7,500-feet elevation). Yes, it will be a slug up there.
What is the ideal Lake Powell propeller for this boat? It will be aluminum rather than SS. Thanks in advance.
Marlin posted 03-03-2008 09:17 PM ET (US)
I've run a 14 x 13 Black Max aluminum prop on my 2003 Dauntless 160, also with the Mercury 115 four-cycle. All my experience has been within a few hundred feet of sea level, so it might not be fully applicable.
The 13-inch propeller makes for a great ski prop; low-end acceleration is great. However, it's easy to run right up to the 6.200-RPM rev limit, while making only about 34-MPH. In addition, compared to stainless steel propellers, the Black Max ventilates easily when trimmed up or during turns, and generally won't shake the air off until it's throttled way back.
I still use the 13-inch for skiing, but for everything else I run a 13-3/4 x 17 Trophy Plus with medium vent plugs. See http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/004868.html for a full description of the three different propellers I've used on my boat.
If you're planning to ski on Lake Powell, I'd recommend that you keep the 13-inch prop. Otherwise, an aluminum propeller in 15-inch would probably be a good choice for cruising. A 17-inch might do well at sea level, but I don't know that it would be a good choice for Lake Powell.
Enjoy!
-Bob
JohnJerk posted 03-03-2008 11:41 PM ET (US)
Thanks for the info, Marlin. I have read your prop comparison post a number of times over the past few weeks -great stuff. I think a 15" pitch is likely what I need. I won't be doing any water skiing, just cruising. Can anyone confirm? Thanks.
Wow, I have never been involved with a bulletin board where the moderator edits even a letter of text, no less what was done to my original post. CC is a great resource and I don't want to get banned...but c'mon. In fact, it is grammatically incorrect to add a hyphen here "elevation 3,600-feet" as was done. What gives?

Liteamorn posted 03-04-2008 04:02 PM ET (US)
Many of the articles (and thats the key word here) are edited to make them more "search" friendly. Many abbreviations are removed for the same reason.
Jim is a stickler for proper grammer and spelling and those also get edited with reckless abandon.
Most articles are not edited with alterior motives but some well deserved malcontents here do seem to get a little more attention than others.
This site is a marvelous resourse, enjoy it. Don't sweat the small stuff.
Ed
JohnJerk posted 03-04-2008 04:14 PM ET (US)
I am trying not to sweat it, but I want to know what prop to use on Powell with a 160 Dauntless before the weekend, so this is a little time sensitive. I had those key words in my post title knowing that some run this boat in that body of water. The title got changed to "high altitude" which Powell is not. Then incorrect grammer getting input is just a waste of time.
...I should have posted in the performance section but I didn't see that board until after posting here. The post should be moved there if anything.
David1877 posted 03-04-2008 06:12 PM ET (US)
I owned a Dauntless 13 and 18.
If I were you, I might try the original prop and see how it performs and then buy a new prop. If you are just cruising it should work ok.
I noted you want aluminum vs stainless. Unless I moved near stumpy rocky waters, I would never run aluminum again. I noted a significant difference in performance going from aluminum to stainless on my Dauntless 13 (other factors being equal).
Good luck. Enjoy the new rig. The Dauntless is a great hull.
JohnJerk posted 03-12-2008 02:05 PM ET (US)
I had a great time at Powell last weekend! My local boat shop set me up with an aluminum 13.75x15 (diameter x pitch) prop for the trip. She ran at 37.5 mph at wide open throttle with RPMs running around 5800. That was with me, 2 dogs, and a full tank of gas. Seemed perfect albeit aluminum. I need 2-3 props to run the various lakes out here (3600 to 7600 feet), so aluminum it is for now. Love this boat! Thanks all.
Marlin posted 03-12-2008 05:26 PM ET (US)
Glad you had a great time! I rented a 19-footer a few years ago on Lake Powell. For an east-coaster like me, it was a scenic, surreal, and downright bizarre boating environment. That 19-foot piece-of-junk, I don't remember what it was, pounded the heck out of us all day long (particularly in the narrow steep-walled channel by the dam and marina), and we burned more than $150 in gas (in one day!) with the Merc 150 2-stroke. That much gas sets me up for a month or more of weekends with my 115 4-stroke.
-Bob

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Author	Topic: Dauntless 160 at High Altitude
JohnJerk	posted 03-03-2008 06:45 PM ET (US) I am picking up my [just purchased] 2005 160 Dauntless with a Mercury 115-HP four-cycle motor on Wednesday, and I want to take her out on Lake Powell (elevation 3,600-feet) this weekend. The boat currently has a 13-inch-pitch propeller of unknown diameter for our mountain lakes (6,500 to 7,500-feet elevation). Yes, it will be a slug up there. What is the ideal Lake Powell propeller for this boat? It will be aluminum rather than SS. Thanks in advance.
Marlin	posted 03-03-2008 09:17 PM ET (US) I've run a 14 x 13 Black Max aluminum prop on my 2003 Dauntless 160, also with the Mercury 115 four-cycle. All my experience has been within a few hundred feet of sea level, so it might not be fully applicable. The 13-inch propeller makes for a great ski prop; low-end acceleration is great. However, it's easy to run right up to the 6.200-RPM rev limit, while making only about 34-MPH. In addition, compared to stainless steel propellers, the Black Max ventilates easily when trimmed up or during turns, and generally won't shake the air off until it's throttled way back. I still use the 13-inch for skiing, but for everything else I run a 13-3/4 x 17 Trophy Plus with medium vent plugs. See http://continuouswave.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/004868.html for a full description of the three different propellers I've used on my boat. If you're planning to ski on Lake Powell, I'd recommend that you keep the 13-inch prop. Otherwise, an aluminum propeller in 15-inch would probably be a good choice for cruising. A 17-inch might do well at sea level, but I don't know that it would be a good choice for Lake Powell. Enjoy! -Bob
JohnJerk	posted 03-03-2008 11:41 PM ET (US) Thanks for the info, Marlin. I have read your prop comparison post a number of times over the past few weeks -great stuff. I think a 15" pitch is likely what I need. I won't be doing any water skiing, just cruising. Can anyone confirm? Thanks. Wow, I have never been involved with a bulletin board where the moderator edits even a letter of text, no less what was done to my original post. CC is a great resource and I don't want to get banned...but c'mon. In fact, it is grammatically incorrect to add a hyphen here "elevation 3,600-feet" as was done. What gives?
Liteamorn	posted 03-04-2008 04:02 PM ET (US) Many of the articles (and thats the key word here) are edited to make them more "search" friendly. Many abbreviations are removed for the same reason. Jim is a stickler for proper grammer and spelling and those also get edited with reckless abandon. Most articles are not edited with alterior motives but some well deserved malcontents here do seem to get a little more attention than others. This site is a marvelous resourse, enjoy it. Don't sweat the small stuff. Ed
JohnJerk	posted 03-04-2008 04:14 PM ET (US) I am trying not to sweat it, but I want to know what prop to use on Powell with a 160 Dauntless before the weekend, so this is a little time sensitive. I had those key words in my post title knowing that some run this boat in that body of water. The title got changed to "high altitude" which Powell is not. Then incorrect grammer getting input is just a waste of time. ...I should have posted in the performance section but I didn't see that board until after posting here. The post should be moved there if anything.
David1877	posted 03-04-2008 06:12 PM ET (US) I owned a Dauntless 13 and 18. If I were you, I might try the original prop and see how it performs and then buy a new prop. If you are just cruising it should work ok. I noted you want aluminum vs stainless. Unless I moved near stumpy rocky waters, I would never run aluminum again. I noted a significant difference in performance going from aluminum to stainless on my Dauntless 13 (other factors being equal). Good luck. Enjoy the new rig. The Dauntless is a great hull.
JohnJerk	posted 03-12-2008 02:05 PM ET (US) I had a great time at Powell last weekend! My local boat shop set me up with an aluminum 13.75x15 (diameter x pitch) prop for the trip. She ran at 37.5 mph at wide open throttle with RPMs running around 5800. That was with me, 2 dogs, and a full tank of gas. Seemed perfect albeit aluminum. I need 2-3 props to run the various lakes out here (3600 to 7600 feet), so aluminum it is for now. Love this boat! Thanks all.
Marlin	posted 03-12-2008 05:26 PM ET (US) Glad you had a great time! I rented a 19-footer a few years ago on Lake Powell. For an east-coaster like me, it was a scenic, surreal, and downright bizarre boating environment. That 19-foot piece-of-junk, I don't remember what it was, pounded the heck out of us all day long (particularly in the narrow steep-walled channel by the dam and marina), and we burned more than $150 in gas (in one day!) with the Merc 150 2-stroke. That much gas sets me up for a month or more of weekends with my 115 4-stroke. -Bob