Prop size

"Hi guys,
I have a Regal Amba

"Hi guys,
I have a Regal Ambassador 233XL 1988 with a Merc 5.7 Alpha 1 1.47 ratio. The boat weight is 5000 lb dry. I run it with a 17" alum. prop.. My WOT is something lika 4400 RPM and run realy fine whit 2 or 3 peoples on board. Get out of the hole at 3100-3200 and can hold it at 2900 RPM. My problem is like this week, with 7 peoples on board (5 adults (170 lb each) and 2 young (100 lb each) plus 2 full cooler..). If the boat is well balance (body on the deck and on the aft), not to much problem, exept a little bit more RPM to stay out of the hole. But if all the people are in the back, I can't reach more than 3200-3300 RPM and can't get out of the hole, or may be after very long time.

My oppinion is I need to under prop. when I have a lot of people on board, Something like a 3 blades 15" or 4 blades 16" or maybe a piranha prop with a couple set of different pitch blades.

You guys, what do you think about that???
I'm not in the reach of speed, but a nice ride with the best GPH possible (I know good GPH and boating don't go with each other)
The prop calculator, if I remember, give me 17".

Thank you,

Phil"

phil in my opinion it sounds l

phil in my opinion it sounds like your on track for what your looking for. but keep in mind that if you want to maintain speed with all the weight then you are gonna be doin a bunch of prop swapin unless your always gonna have 7 ppl and 2 coolers

4-5 blade SS prop will move th

4-5 blade SS prop will move that many psgrs. Captain should move the weight around as needed.