Kayak Trolling Motor Prop - 2 Blade Prop vs 3 Blade Prop

[@jckdnls9292]

I've worked in the fluid engineering field for quite some time, and while yes you do draw more power with a 3 blade propeller, it will be more consistent and continuous, making it more efficient when it comes to water chop, winds etc. I've done this comparison, same boat, calm day and choppy windy day, and the 3 blade propeller outperforms the 2 blade overwhelmingly in tougher conditions. I keep the 3 blade on for that reason.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thank you for that great insight! I appreciate it!

[@sparklauerei1]

i run a 1.3hp gas engine as an outboard. i barely use any fuel so efficienty doenst matter to me, i just want to be a little bit faster. What prop should i run? rn it has a stock metal 3 blade prop

[@jckdnls9292]

​@@sparklauerei1 3

[@TexasPapa13]

@@sparklauerei1prop angle is going to get you more speed. My 6hp tohatsu was slower than my buddies 5hp. Switched to a more aggressive prop angle and now I leave him in the dust lol.

[@BRG13DEAN]

I may just keep a three blade on my boat for those rougher days then. There’s a lot of days in the winter when there’s just enough breeze to blow my boat around and it really gives my terrova a workout.

[@DogFarts96]

Thank for answering a question I’ve had. I thought your results would strengthen my understanding of the physics and they did. I appreciate it.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Excellent!

[@JosephMBoyer]

I've tried all props on both a 36lb and 55lb thrust 12v. I enjoy the molded APC 2 blade propeller the most. from an RC airplane. not a good weedless option at all tho. great for speed and efficiency The "stock" 2 blade is a great option but the 3 blade is the more stable, less vibration, and most "uomff". All fun out on the water. Now I have an NT300 and luv it. GOOD VIDEO!! look into APC propellers i love mine.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thanks for the info!

[@ogbalaki6124]

Thank you hank hill ❤️

[@Rocker6969]

Thanks for the test :)

[@kenreilley1434]

The best improvement I've seen from a 3-blade prop is 1/2 mph... which isn't worth the extra power consumption it takes to achieve it. Thanks for the chart, that summarizes it beautifully!

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Totally agree

[@LS-yv8zh]

technically speaking you shouldn't see any, more blades add drag which reduces top speed, there used for power transfer (torque). its why large vessels have 5/6 blades. Your props probably had 2 different pitch angles is what you noticed.

[@Obxhatman]

If you have two props that are identical in Pitch and weight , the 3 blade should provide more thrust and less top end speed over the two blade. Some how the graph shows a discrepancy of amperage and voltage which means your battery became less efficient at holding its voltage by the time you tested the 3 blade , or you did not charge the battery to full charge for each result. You should use a lithium ion battery to get more accurate test results as they are a lot more stable and hold a very specific voltage for hours. If you had the voltage of the 3 blade 11.87 volts , you might see an increase of .1 to .2 MPH. I'm guessing that the blades are not pitched the same , the 3 blade must have a higher pitch to reduce drag and thrust but increase top end speed. To anyone saying an increase of lets say .5 mph on a trolling motor is not worth it. When that is your only source of motion and you are talking going from 3.4 to 4 mph , that is a huge difference , like 20 percent increase. It would be like a outboard going from 80 MPH to 100 MPH. That is massive , small gains yes , but very noticeable over 8 hours on the water.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I appreciate that thoughful input! Thanks

[@tateabney5557]

I loved your test you just answered my question!! Love the video, thank you!

[@erubielalanis6658]

I just got my first 12ft aluminum fishing boat and I only fish small/medium lakes in my area that are really calm with no real waves/chop. It looks like I'll stick with the original prop, no need to spend on a replacement for me. Thanks

[@artkitzmiller957]

I know this is a peddle kayak but last year I was able (with my warranty) replaced the 2020 3 blade prop on my Jackson Big Rig with a 2021 2 blade prop. WOW! what a difference! Much easier to peddle and i have a better take off rate and higher top speed. So more is not always better just as your test showed. Thanks Army.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Yep. I did the same. I got the 2 blade for pedal and never looked back.

[@fishingismydrug1]

With the two blade prop you have less surface area, more speed. I had a 17' tin boat, with a foot controlled 24 volt, 75# thrust motor, 5 speed, 2 blade prop. On "1" speed, in no wind, it was ttttooooo much. On "3" speed, if the motor was turned to port or starboard, it would throw you off the boat if you weren't ready. I contacted the TM manufacturer, they recommended going to a three blade, to slow it down. It did. Have you tried kipawa props ?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

@@fishingismydrug1 No, I'll look.

[@brandomang813]

Love that you’re too the point! Thanks!

[@KayakhacksFishing]

It drives me nuts on KZbin when people take 10 minutes to share 1 minute of information.

[@letun3481]

Very interesting data!

[@jimwhite1557]

Very interesting. No wonder all of the 12 volt trolling motors I have had over the years had 2 blade props. I wonder what 24- and 36-volt motors use. Will have to start checking out bass boats and flats skiffs. Agree with the comments about the pitch. Don’t think I have ever seen a prop display offering a variety of pitches for trolling motors, though.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I wish there were a selection for pitch. At least I know to stick with the 2 blade for now.

[@larsvegas1505]

I have a motorguide digital 54lb that has 3 blades.. it makes decent speed with my 12 foot jon on half throttle (about 25-30 amps draw is my trolling speed, 3 mph, with 2 persons and gear).. but i just got a endura max 55 to replace it.. wich only has the double prop.. i hope i can still get to about 3 miles on 25-30 amps with that.. on a 120 amp lithium that means I can troll for about 5 hours, wich is plenty for my use.. I mostly combine trolling with vertical fishing/casting.. so i can make it a long day ez if i watch my usage a bit.

[@jacobr4138]

Love the video, Sweet and to the point. Quick question for you though.. did you notice a difference in how quick it turned with a 3 blade?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

No, just the resulting speed.

[@terribleatfishing]

Always wondered, thanks

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Happy to help!

[@michaelthomas4346]

Great video and to the point. I'm sure this took some time to complete. I just found your channel and subscribed. Thank you

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Awesome, thank you!

[@crazyobservations3080]

When going up river you need every 10th of a percent you can get your hands on, even if it uses more power.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Agree!

[@2reelyakrz481]

I didn't have an amp meter hooked up to figure power draw and I used a 36lb to test with, but I didn't notice any speed difference between the 2 blade and 3 blade props. My understanding is the 2 blade is better for dealing with grass and weeds (though I haven't tested that).

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thanks! Your results confirm what I found. I did not test weeds.

[@8ifoto]

"...The tens of dollars I make on KZbin". You sir, just earned my subscription!

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I really appreciate that! I'll work even harder!

[@iconforu2c]

Thanks for the info. It's now given me something to think about as my two blade (stock) is banged up causing some vibration at higher speeds and was thinking of replacing it with the 3 blade. The speed difference is a bit puzzling. I've watched people switch and the speed factor was much greater with the 3 blade. Have you tried testing again??

[@KayakhacksFishing]

No, I only did it once. Some of the other comments have suggestions - pls check them out

[@iconforu2c]

@@KayakhacksFishing Thanks. After commenting I read others and watched some other vids. It appears the 4 blade is not really worth it. It does have some very select applications, but otherwise the two blade is the better one for the average person in my opinion.

[@JWard-sp7wt]

Great test!

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Glad you liked it!

[@cahjavra]

thank you !

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Welcome!

[@Bigjuergo]

good job! thx

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Glad it helped!

[@willmartin4477]

Thats great. thank you.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

You're welcome!

[@bradleyrussell1973]

The Katana is designed to maintain the efficiency range of the Machete III, (the 3-blade), but will outperform it in grass! It's not intended to be some performance upgrade.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thank you for that clarification!

[@johnthompson3654]

which Newport trolling motor 36 or 55 Lbs? I appreciate the knowledge you share.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I was using the 36 lb thrust

[@sidnguyen]

@@KayakhacksFishing thanks for the testing. newport QA is lacking to say the least. I just setup mine and it was wired backwards. funny how they say on their website the following: Small 3 Blade Propeller Designed for the 36lb, 40lb, & 46lb thrust Newport Vessels electric trolling motors (All Series) Diameter: 8.9 inches Internal Diameter: 3 3/16 inches Benefits: More thrust with 3 blades resulting in faster acceleration from standstill NOTE: The use of this propeller on the 36lb motor will result in decreased power output.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

@@sidnguyen lol... makes no sense

[@sidnguyen]

@@KayakhacksFishing neither was them wiring the switch backwards. i'm out there with 3 forward speeds and 5 reverse lol. have you done any battery size run time testing?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

@@sidnguyen I have a few in this playlist -kzbin.info/aero/PL8egn41J7Go8ktbwm2npNZtAAJ3izoVmf

[@69sopae]

Greetings from SG! I have a question sir and would be grateful if you could help me answer. Ive a 14ft kayak (Efix model 3 pieces which is able to assemble into one kayak). I pondering whether to buy a trolling motor. My question is whether i will be able to get 36lb thrust if i buy two 18lb thrust trolling motor and fix onto my kayak. Thank you.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Sorry, I do not know the answer. I doubt it is additive - looking at powerboats with 5 engines on the back, there has to be some additional speed.

[@gustaveliasson5395]

@@KayakhacksFishing It's additive under static conditions so doubling the motors will double the acceleration. As for top speed, it's a question of engine/motor power, blade loading (id est Force divided by Area), and blade pitch. Pitch is the distance the propeller would push water backwards assuming 100% efficiency. It's typically measured in inches per revolution. If you were going at max engine/motor RPM, and V = Pitch x RPM, then adding a duplicate drivetrain would do diddly squat for your speed. If your engine/motor is struggling, and/or if V =

[@KayakhacksFishing]

@@gustaveliasson5395 I really appreciate your thoughtful reply. Good info!

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

Interesting findings. I was told a few days ago by another KZbinr who builds tiny boats that two blades are better than one for efficiency and snagging less often. He and his friends have used all sorts of motors with two and three blade props. For his type of mini boat he recommended the 30 lbs Minn Kota as the Hull speed is only 4 knots max and a more powerful motor would be wasted anyway. I like the Endura MAX range of electric outboards, They utilises a Digital maximiser to give you up to 5 times longer running times on the lower settings. The harder you run the motor though, the benefits diminish. Motors with the Digital Maximiser provide up to five times longer run time on a single charge by drawing only as much power as you need, so they don't waste any energy like other models do. Doodling around at 1.5 to 2 knots and getting even twice the duration compared to doing the same without the Digital Maximiser is enticing I must say, twice the price though. Great test, thanks for doing it 👍

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I absolutely agree on that maximizer technology! Thanks for the confirmation on the 2 blade!

[@pa_maj.MARTINI-van-MAN]

@@KayakhacksFishing 👍👍

[@simocephalus]

Do you need to register a kayak if you use a trolling motor on it? I assume that it then becomes a motorized vessel that requires numbers. What is the deal?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Yes, in North Carolina, as soon as you put a motor on, you have to register

[@nate4036]

Small Town Bassin props are supposed to be a very efficient gain

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I'll have to look into those - thanks

[@nate4036]

Y’all ever tried a Kipewa 853? Supposed to be less amp draw and some are seeing 1mph gain

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I have not heard of that one. Thanks for the tip

[@nate4036]

@@KayakhacksFishing have you ever “tuned/sync” your motor? When you pull the prop off, there’s two bolts you loosen. Turn the motor on high and rotate the motor. You’ll hear an audible change as it gets more silent and spins faster. Turn it off and tighten it up. Toss your prop back on. It’s taking any parasitic loss and drops amp draw slightly

[@KayakhacksFishing]

@@nate4036 What a great tip! Thanks!

[@scottd8555]

Yes please compare between the weedless wedge 2 and the kipawa 3 blade!!

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

I bought a better brand 2 blade, and while I didn't test draw, I picked up .2mph as per my GPS.. Not really significant, but we feel it. (12ft rowboat)

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Can you please share a link?

[@BobBohner4851]

Yes please share a link

[@Gale_Force_Raceway]

Will do fellas... But the boat is in my enclosed trailer, and I'm "working" (winkwink) right now... hang in there.

[@U812GREEN]

Two blade is the way to go but if you could change the pitch you may get more torque at lower speeds or slow starts but better speed the other direction of pitch

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Do you have a link to a product with better pitch? I'd love to try it.

[@U812GREEN]

@@KayakhacksFishing No sir but the minn kota power prop is hard to beat. I'll try to talk my son into a 3D print and let you know

[@PCPAyLOAD]

The only thing I've found significantly better on the 3 blade is cutting through muck and weeds.

[@BobBohner4851]

Have you tested 30# vs 45 or 55 for current draw vs speed?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

No, I only have the one motor. I wonder if it would be proportional.

[@chorn103]

I believe those specs can be found from the manufacturer. I recall finding a table from minn kota for their 3 basic transom mount trolling motors that showed thrust, speed and amp draw.

[@BobBohner4851]

Yes. I posted a 30 and 55

[@carstoniu]

is the same for a plane?

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I do not know. Maybe ask Chat GPT

[@GT_Racer347]

Interesting!

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Very!

[@michaelschlosser1194]

Close your eyes and it sounds like hank hill

[@saxet9049]

Good test. I was surprised with the results.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thank you!

[@rtownsend744brad]

"For red eyes, clear eyes is awesome...wooow"

[@walleyweez488]

Prop performance is complicated. A prop with more pitch will consume more power but provide faster acceleration. The top speed will not be as high (assuming the same number of blades and same diameter). Conversely, a prop with less pitch will, all other things being equal, produce higher top end speed. Think of the pitch effect like gears on a car, 1st gear accelerates faster but 5th gear gives more top end. So overall speed and power consumed are only part of the equation.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

Thank you for that insight!

[@BobBohner4851]

Curious why you didn’t answer the questions....

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I have been away from technology for a few days :-)

[@BobBohner4851]

Great. We all need to do that

[@sdbassin1143]

Minnkota twin prop-12 years not a single chip on the prop after running it through weeds and rocks👍 Motorguide triple machete prop- one day of use 3 CHIPS, One on each prop. Barely touched a twig underwater.🤯

[@KayakhacksFishing]

ouch

[@dious4162]

Sounds like Hank from King of The Hill gave up propane and picked up fishing.

[@kurtwpg]

I think it's hard to draw big conclusions here. What you have determined is that particular 3 blade prop isn't worth the switch.

[@Wildturkeey]

The 3 blade is a weed prop

[@gustaveliasson5395]

Conclusion: The 3-bladed prop moves more water than the 2-bladed prop, but at the same velocity. Think of it like going from a 4x4 car to a 6x6 car. The extra wheels give you a bunch more traction, but that's only going to help you if you were having traction issues with the 4x4 car to start with. If you weren't, then all the 6x6 will do is add complexity and friction. > Well, look at the speed he got up to with the 2-bladed prop, and look at the effect (or lack thereof) of switching to the 3-bladed prop. Clearly *he* didn't start off with any "traction issues". With that in mind, if you're using the same motor with the 2-bladed prop and notice that you can't match his speeds, the 3-bladed prop might just help you close the gap.

[@KayakhacksFishing]

I appreciate your insight!