Maximus Five-Blade Propeller
Maximus five-blade delivers speed, control, acceleration
At last: a five-blade propeller that delivers dramatically improved acceleration and faster cruising speed without sacrificing top-end speed.
Mercury Marine recently introduced its revolutionary five-blade Maximus propellers, available this summer in limited high pitch ranges for performance-oriented boats and soon for additional vessels. It is targeted specifically for large vee-bottom performance hulls equipped with Mercury MerCruiser 496 HO, Mercury Racing 500-plus horsepower and other big-block engines coupled with Bravo One XR or XZ sterndrives. This addition to Mercury PropellersÂ’ lauded line of products is certain to change the boating worldÂ’s view of five-blade propellers.
"The new five-blade design fills the performance void where the Bravo One four-blade leaves off," said Ron Steiner, MercuryÂ’s hydrodynamics engineer and developer of the Tempest, Trophy and Bravo One performance propellers.
The Maximus takes full advantage of the benefits typically delivered by a fifth blade: loaded with more water, the prop slips less and efficiency is increased. The result is remarkably quicker acceleration and a reassuringly powerful grip on turns. Also, by providing faster cruising speeds, fuel efficiency goes up.
However, unlike traditional five-blades, the Maximus gives up nothing in other crucial areas of performance. While other blades often pay for increased acceleration with decreased top-end speed because of added drag, the difference in MaximusÂ’ top-end speed compared to Bravo OneÂ’s is nearly immeasurable. The stunning results are achieved through reduced surface area and a slightly altered shape of the blades on the Maximus.
"WeÂ’re really excited about this five-blade prop," said Dennis Cavanaugh, manager of propeller sales and manufacturing at Mercury Racing. "WeÂ’ve found we arenÂ’t losing speed at all. In fact, itÂ’s shown to be faster through all ranges. And with lab finishing, we can pick up 300 rpm.
"People donÂ’t spend the majority of their time at top-end; they run most of the time at cruising speed. With this prop, we provide great acceleration, high top-end speed and higher cruising speed. And, itÂ’s smooth. The more blades you have, the smoother itÂ’s going to be."
Boaters frequently underestimate the difference a specific propeller can make to an engine and a boat, said Cavanaugh.
"We had a 36-foot Eliminator catamaran with a pair of 1,000-horse engines with four-blade props, and it reached a top-end speed of 136 miles per hour," he said. "We exchanged the four-blades for the five-blade Maximus, and the boat reached 145 miles per hour. That’s nine miles per hour, which is fantastic. The old saying went ‘The increase of every mile per hour could cost you $1,000.’ Here, just by changing props, we went up nine miles per hour."
Adding the five-blade Maximus to the Mercury Propeller line provides the opportunity to support MercuryÂ’s parent product of high-horsepower applications, while offering consumers the best selection of performance propellers in the industry. From offshore to aerated vee-bottom hulls, boat builders, dealers and consumers now have the opportunity to maximize their boatÂ’s performance with a variety of Mercury propellers, including the three-blade Mirage, four-blade Bravo One and five-blade Maximus.