Scott                                    Andrew 1st Redfish



Andrew                               Travis

Good Health By capthenry in Port O'Connor Fishing News December 14, 2009

As some of you know back in the first part on July, while out fishing I contracted a staff infection. I went to the Doctor ASAP!!! was on the right drugs but they worked a little too slow,so I ended up in the hospital for 4 days with the IV running, I go home and take more pills. The infection seemed to have cleared up BUT NO it comes back on me in a different place, (of course),back to the Doctor, catch it in time no hospital this time, YEA. Hey and all this time I am trying to follow ALL of the Dr's orders, you know eat right, watch the sun, not drinking the wrong things, take all of the pills infection gone everything healed up. NOT just a soon as i try to start my normal routine this bug come and slaps me again, call the doctor everyone throws up their hands, he ships me off to another doctor. He runs more and different test, he gets the results back finds the first doctor prescribed all of the right drugs, he said I just needed to stay on them longer???????????? oh well I need to get well and work the boss says we in bad shape (money wise. I know this is a long story but I guess I am lucky compared to some that caught bugs while out fishing our local bays. Anyway after 4 months of doctors, hospitals, and drugs I am finally "BUG" FREE, but my body was weak from inactivity and being inside out of the heat. I start getting back into a "normal" routine, but the body was revolting and all of the aches and pains that are residual from my youth and military service start slapping me around. What the heck I am not that old! My wife also has her share of medical problems that we deal with on an ongoing basis (hey am I crying to much yet??) Faith Hope Prayers and a Good step son, has shown me a product that helped my body become stronger and give me more energy. It is called SOZO, it is a drink made from the coffee berry (the same place that the beans come from)3 oz a day and my energy level has been going up and my pain has decreased, For more information go to www.sozolife.com/henrypongratz

good health to all and if your fishing watch out for them bugs

Henry

Report on the 1st "Clean Shores" effort
by Capt. Curtis Cash
Our first cleanup effort was a huge success. A total of 1820 pounds of trash
was removed from the shorelines near Port O'Connor on Saturday. Much of it
consisted of leftovers from the aftermath of Hurricane Ike. We saw lots of
plastic household items, 5-gallon buckets, wads of rope and many plastic
water/soda bottles.
For more information call me direct- Curtiss Cash 361-564-7032, email at
cleanshores@yahoo.com or check in at our website www.cleanshores.org in the
near future (looking for someone to publish it.)

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Identifying your propeller

The size of a prop is described using two sets of numbers. (e.g. 14 X 19) The first number designates the diameter, and the second number designates the propeller pitch.

Propeller Terminology

Diameter
Diameter is the width of the circle described by the rotating blades.
Pitch

Pitch is the theoretical distance a prop moves forward in one revolution. The following propeller has a pitch that will theoretically result in 24” of forward travel in one revolution. However, in the real world, the propeller experiences “slippage” so that its actual travel per revolution is less than the stated pitch.
Prop pitch is frequently misunderstood. Many people mistakenly believe that switching to a larger pitch prop will make the boat go faster. If a prop with too large a pitch is used, the motor simply doesn't have enough horsepower to turn the prop adequately and the RPM level drops. Not only does the boat go slower, but the motor can load up and the plugs become fouled. If a prop with too low a pitch is used the prop can exceed the manufacturers recommended RPM level and damage the engine.
The ideal situation is to select a prop with a pitch that allows the motor to reach the maximum RPM suggested by the engine manufacturer without going over. If the prop selected doesn't reach the recommended RPM level, the boat will sacrifice speed and lift.
Here's a simple rule of thumb to follow when experimenting with prop pitch. Remember that at wide-open RPM increasing the prop pitch reduces RPM levels by roughly 200 rpm's per inch of pitch. In other words, when switching from a 23- to a 25-pitch prop, the maximum RPM level will drop approximately 400 rpm's. The reverse is true when going down in pitch size.
Propeller Cup
Many of today's propellers incorporate a cup at the trailing edge of the propeller blade. This curved lip on the propeller allows it to get a better bite on the water. This results in reduced ventilation, slipping, and allows for a better hole shot in many cases. A cupped propeller also works very well where the motor can be trimmed so that the propeller is near the surface of the water. The cup will typically result in higher top end speed on one of these applications.
Switching from an un-cupped to a cupped propeller will reduce your RPM. The actual amount of RPM decrease is dependent on where, how much, and the quality of the cupping. Typically, a cupped propeller of the same pitch and diameter will reduce your RPM by approximately 200.
Ventilation
Air from the water surface or exhaust gases from the exhaust outlet being drawn into the prop blades causes ventilation. When this situation occurs, boat speed is lost and engine RPM climbs rapidly. This occurs most often with high transom mounting, over-trimming the engine, or sharp turns.
Cavitation
Cavitation (often confused with ventilation), is a phenomena of water vaporizing or "boiling" due to the extreme reduction of pressure on the back of the propeller blade. Many propellers partially cavitate during normal operation, but excessive cavitation can result in metal erosion or "cavitation burn" to the prop's blade surface. There are numerous causes of cavitation such as incorrect matching of prop style to application, incorrect pitch, damage to the blade edges, etc.

Rake
Rake is the measurement of the angle of the tilt of the blade's tip toward or away from the gearcase. The angle is measured on a line extending from the center of the hub through the center of one blade.
Selecting the right propeller

The best propeller size for your boat and engine combination is based on the recommended operating range at wide open throttle (w.o.t.) for your engine, which you will find in your engine operator's manual.
The goal in prop selection is to determine what propeller style and size will maximize performance for your boat, while allowing your engine to operate in the recommended RPM range. The correct propeller will prevent the engine from over-revving, yet allow it to reach the minimum RPM where maximum horsepower is produced.

Run the boat/motor at w.o.t. under normal operating load to determine the maximum RPM you are able to obtain. Adjust the motor trim angle for the optimum performance. If during this test, you begin to exceed the maximum rated RPM of the engine, reduce throttle setting to a position where maximum RPM is not exceeded.

If your test results in your being able to over-rev the engine, you need to increase the pitch of the propeller. Increasing the pitch increment by 1" will result in approximately a 200 RPM drop. If your testing shows, however, that you are only able to obtain a RPM somewhat lower than the maximum rating given by your engine manufacturer, you would need to decrease pitch. Decreasing pitch would increase your RPM. Once your wide open throttle RPM falls within the recommended range of the engine manufacturer, you have a propeller that is suited correctly for your boat with respect to RPM.
If you use your boat for fishing, cruising and skiing, one prop probably won't do all three things equally well. It is best in circumstances like this to have two propellers; One to accommodate one set of circumstances and the other to perform best under the different load. It is imperative, however, that the wide open throttle RPM fall within the range specified by your engine manufacturer.

Aluminum or Stainless?
Aluminum props are the ideal choice for small- to medium-sized boats and motors. Available up to 23 pitch, aluminum props are also the logical choice for use in areas where prop damage comes with the territory. The average aluminum prop costs about $150 compared to $400-$500 for stainless propellers.
Stainless steel props are more expensive, but they offer several advantages. They deliver more performance and are available in larger pitch sizes. One reason stainless props provide more performance than similar pitch aluminum models is because the steel blades are rigid and they don't flex under power. The blades on an aluminum prop actually bend when the prop is in use, reducing the overall size of the prop by approximately one pitch size. Stainless props also provide increased bow lift, especially on heavy boats. The more bow lift a prop provides, the faster and smoother the boat will ride at high speed and in rough water.
Three-Blade, Four-Blade, or Five-Blade?
Propellers are available in three-blade, four-blade and five-blade models. Multiple blade props came on the scene in response to high horsepower outboards that are typically mounted higher on the transom than smaller motors. Because the prop runs closer to the surface, the extra blades help to provide bite and stability at high speed
The advantages of props with extra blades are they provide quicker take-offs, and allow the boat to be kept on plane with fewer engine rpm's. However, they are slower at top-end speeds. A quality three-blade prop is normally two or three miles per hour faster at top end than the same pitch prop featuring multiple blades.
Maintenance

Check your propeller often for nicks, rolled tips, or bent blades. Any distortion from normal will cause a loss in performance and can create vibrations harmful to the engine. A propeller with worn blades will allow the engine to accelerate beyond the recommended operating range which can result in damage to the engine.
Keep the bottom of the boat clean. A fouled bottom, an accumulation of marine growth, moss and barnacles in sea water, and the accumulation of dirt, slime, lime, and other matter in fresh water, is the major cause of poor boat performance. Cleaning the boat's bottom frequently during your boating season will greatly improve boat performance.
Things to Remember

1. Engine RPM at W.O.T. must be within the recommended operating range with the rated horsepower RPM as the target number (see specification in your engine operator's manual).
2. Increasing or decreasing prop pitch directly affects engine load throughout its RPM range.
3. Trim angle affects propeller performance.
4. Atmospheric pressure, elevation, temperature, and humidity all affect engine performance, which directly affects propeller performance.
5. Salt water is more buoyant than fresh water; this may cause some hulls to run faster than identical freshwater setups.
6. Water conditions can play a big part in boat performance and propeller efficiency.
7.The boat's load and position of the load can significantly affect performance.

Vantage Marine
Forrest Pomykal, Owner

1910 Adams
P.O. Box 446
Port O'Connor, TX 77982
361-983-2287