New prop put on 60 HP Merc won't get on plane with 3-4 people on boat

Last summer I dinged up my prop pretty good so I took it into Pharo Marine to have it looked at and we decided to put a new prop on.  They did so and I had used my boat with no issues until the end of the season when I took the family out for a ride and there was 4 of us and the boat wouldn't get up on plane.  Did they put the wrong prop on?  I'm not the most knowledgeable about props but it seems like it is the same prop and pitch.  Any ideas?

I am thinking of calling them to have them check it but I usually fish alone in my boat or one other person and it was never an issue.

MERCURY 60HP I USED A 13 PITCH PROP TO GET THE 18FT LUND ALASKAN ON PLAN, IT WORKS WELL, I BOUGHT A USED 12 PITCH FOR A BACK UP, IT CAME WITH A 17 PITCH. DEALER SAID THATS KINDA AVERAGE.

Sounds like it went into limp mode Gill...

We’re any alarms present?

It could be overheating, low on oil, or a bad connection or voltage issue.  

Gill- Possibly try running Evinrude 2+2 in your gas. I run non-ethanol with the 2+2 in every tank full and have not had any problems. Evinrude has another additive for carbon build up you can run too.

Westfield-Tachometers aren’t always accurate. If your turning 6000 rpm’s on your tach, but your speed is less on your speed indicator, one of the two is wrong. The picture of your prop shows a lot of wear on the blades, plus it looks like possible burn marks on the blades. Are you sure your motor is mounted at the right height on the transom?

I know from experience that the four blade on a sixty four stroke performs great on a 16.5’ boat. It may not give you the best overall speed, but it will give you the best performance through all operating bands.

Mercury Marine has a prop selector page that walks you selecting the appropriate prop for your boat/motor setup. I'm currently running a 4blade Nemesis and kept the origional 3blade Black Max as a spare. Better hole shot under load, on plane quickly, doesn't wash out during high speed turns, RPM's @ WOT dropped a little bit.

www.mercurymarine.com/en/us/propellers/selector/#!/step-one

My 75 Etec 2004 motor kept conking out at idle today. Couldnt keep it running to take off.  Thinking gas problem any thoughts?

Tuffy2

If I have a worn-out hub or something that would cause slipping wouldn't the RPM go up as well?

The 16.5 boats with a 60hp Mercury/Yamaha function best with a 10.4 x 12 four blade Spitfire, or Nemesis prop.

To those that are experiencing what seems to be a loss in performance, it is probably a worn out hub in your prop that is slipping, or your blades are bent just enough to lose some bite.

If you have the jump seats in the back, four people in the back of the boat with a 60hp will never get on plane quickly. Move at least one person forward. Many times it’s just a weight distribution issue.

I went with this 4 blade prop for the same reason ,  I run close to 6000 RPMs now. Which is just under my limit. The boat definitely popped out of the water faster. But as time went by it seems like the same thing is happening to me again I think my motor is just getting old it's a 2003 60 Mercury 4 stroke. I'm almost thinking these motors are wearing out prematurely.

I have a 2016 lund rebel 16.5 with a 60hp mercury. I'm having the same issue as the original poster. I have a hard time getting on plane with 4 people in the boat. When its just one or two people there is no problem getting on plane. The boat has jump seats in the back so with 4 people in the boat all of the weight is in the back 3/4 of the boat. Could changing the prop help? I don't know anything about props. How do I know what prop I can go with to improve getting on plane without causing damage to the motor. 

I've thought about getting a stainless steel prop for my 90 HP Optimax. But my Alumacraft Navigator 165 CS gets up on plane with no problem. I'd still like to get a spare prop just in case. I can get to about 40 MPH with the aluminum prop. Only thing I want to add is a hydrofoil to help keep the boat up on plane at slower speeds. I am not concerned about losing a little top end speed if that happens.  

The only way to know if you have the correct pitch propeller is to check Rpm at full speed. With most four strokes you'll need to be near the top of the recommended operating range. Using a lower pitch will help acceleration. But you'll have to make sure you're not over revving the engine at full speed - especially when you are lightly loaded. As one other stated - a four blade with smaller diameter may help your acceleration also.

Ohhhhhhh how I dream of putting a 90 HP Opti on it.  It is also rated for 90 HP max.  I wish I could afford to trade up.

I own a 2005 single console version of the same boat with a Merc 60 HP. The motor originally had a 13 pitch and it struggled to plane with 3 in the boat. Playing with the trim during take off helped. I dropped to a 12 pitch and it helped considerably. Mine is rated for 90 HP so it is under powered with the 60 HP. I've since repowered with a 90 Optimax.

I have helped several people with your problem in the past. Try running a Mercury Spitfire four blade, or a Quicksilver Nemesis four blade, both in a 10.6 x 12 size and pitch.

Also, make sure that you are doing your best to distribute the weight in the boat as best that you can. 

You do not need a stainless steel prop on a 60 hp motor. It does not create enough torgue to flex the blades to a point of reduced performance.