Prop pitch confirmation

[RealDcoy]

I have a 1998 Mercury 60 ELPTO on a 1999 BassTracker 175.
When I switched boats back in '99 I traded in two banged up aluminum props for a new one, pitched down. That was supposed to be a "trolling prop", however the boat still runs just a bit too fast. ( I have a trolling plate from Cabela's on the way right now.)

So anyway, I just pulled the prop to grease the splines, and now want to confirm I am putting the correct prop for top speed back on.

1 Prop is stamped "10 5/8 X 12PT" the other has "48-816706-14"
If I have this correct, the pitches are 12 and 14. I should be putting the one that ends with 14 on, correct? Doesn't that mean that theoretically it travels 14" for every revolution and the other would travel 12" ?

Also, does anybody know if i could actually go one prop up from there now that I am not going to be concerned with the low end? I mean, this is not a "race boat", and I am not pulling skiers, so I am not real worried about holeshot. It seems to me that maybe I remember someone telling me that 15 pitch would be the "biggest" pitch I could go to without actually losing performance? I know that the "trolling prop" I got I was told to be careful because it would allow the RPMs at WOT to just break 5500 which was the max for this outboard.

Any help?

[TONGA]

"Doesn't that mean that theoretically it travels 14" for every revolution and the other would travel 12" ?------------- yes you have it right

as for going to more pitch that all depends on how much extra power you have on tap,,,,it's kinda a trial and error thing,,,you can play with a prop calculator all day but until you put her on and you won't know for sure,,
are you getting your recommended RPM with the 14p?,,,,if so you are probably on the money,,,but if you are spinning that motor say 300r's past you could probably go up one or take your 14p in and have a little cup added,,,,again you really don't know till you try it,,,see if you can barrow a 15p wheel and give her a spin!!!

[RealDcoy]

Thanks Tonga......

According to the tell-tale needle, I do turn about 5400 RPM at WOT trimmed out with the 14 pitch. I think 12 would be right at 5500 trimmed up just a tiny bit if I remember right. Trimmed up I would back off the throttle just a touch.

I am curious to see what the Cabela's "Hydro-Troll" is going to do.
I added a "doel-fin" to a 130 I/0 on a 17" fiberglass boat before aqnd it REALLY made a HUGE difference in pulling up a skier, and definitely let the boat stay on plane at a much lower speed. I had a friend buy one for their Starcraft after seeing for themselves the difference, and it didn't really do for their boat it terms of planing time, but would hold at a lower speed....That's strange to me.

I really don't have any porpoising problem with this boat like my last boat, but for the difference in price, I figured what the heck. It's still interesting to be that boat manufacturers don't have these types of designs built into the engines themselve, or sel them as an option. I have not seen any articles that recommend AGAINST these products, other than one that suggested if not installed correctly, and used consitently in pounding chop, that it COULD break/bend the cavitation plate......