3 blade vs 4 blade props

[DiamondHead]

My boat is equipped with 23"x31pitch 4 blade props. I hade a corrossion problem and had to replace but manufacturer takes over 4 weeks to produce. So I found a pair with same size and pitch but 3 blade. I thought of using them for this season. My boat is a P420. Any ideas as to what I should expect with this change?
Regards
joe

 

[duncan]

generally 4 are smoother, fast pick up but 3 are more efficeint at the top end for speed.

huge generality though - lots of variables!

could work well for you but generally the manufacturers spend a lot of effort making sure the standard fit is the right fit.

 

[PCUK]

If you had four blades it was probably to give sufficient blade area to prevent cavitation. Three blades won't have the same area so could cause problems.

 

[vyv_cox]

Is it possible to repair them? If only seen as a temporary fix the metallurgy would not be too important. A reasonable welding company should be able to 'butter' your props to return them to reasonable condition while your new ones are being made.

 

[DiamondHead]

I read on the net that 3 blades are more efficient at high speed while 4 blade give a better handling and keep the boat planning at lower speed. I should not feel a big difference.