Even though remote controlled boats are a small version of a boat, understanding propeller pitch is exactly the same.  Size doesn’t matter – the propeller still does the same thing on both sizes of boats.  Here’s my understanding of pitch for a RC boat propeller.

Remote Controlled Boats – The pitch is the forward movement per revolution of the propeller!

I hope that makes sense to you.  This was the hardest thing for me to understand when I started with remote controlled boats.  Since I didn’t have any experience with boats in general but loved the thought of controlling a boat on the water, remote controlled boats were the obvious choice.  So, let’s continue with propeller pitch.

A better explanation of propeller pitch comes from wiseGEEK: 

“Propeller pitch determines the speed and power that a propeller will produce. The
amount of propeller pitch refers to the angle of the propeller blades as compared to the
propeller hub or a horizontal line drawn through the center of the propeller. By altering
the propeller pitch or the angle of the blades, the propeller can be tuned to deliver
more top speed or more slow speed power or torque.”

This explanation allowed my brain to understand what pitch does on a propeller.  I hope it helps you too.

Why you need pitch on remote controlled boats

There’s a lot more to propellers than just the pitch however.  The pitch is the most important, but there’s also the diameter and cupping.  We’ll cover those in another post; in the mean time, if the pitch of your propeller is off you can easily break the shafts, gearboxes, and the control rods in the engines.  Not to mention shaking the heck out of your RC boat and breaking the motor mounts.  So instead of replacing the prop you’ll end up replacing the whole boat.  That’s also why you don’t run with a damaged prop.  

The pitch and diameter are the most important part to get right for a prop; otherwise the engine struggles to get you where you want to go.  If you’re into racing competitions then having the right pitch will get your remote controlled boats across the finish line first.

When pitching remote controlled boats

When setting the pitch on a prop you’ll need to know a little more information such as the RPM of the engine, diameter, and the number of blades.  You’ll also need to know the pitch calculation which is a math formula but if you aren’t any good at formulas then there are many pitch calculators on different website you can use.  You can also look for a pitch gauge to do most of the work for you.  At this time they are rather hard to find so if you do find one let us know where you found it so we can share with our readers.  They will greatly appreciate it.

There’s much more to remote controlled boats than propeller pitch

Pitch is only the beginning when setting up your propeller to get the most out of it.  There are blade cupping, prop diameter, rake, and vent holes to explore as well.  Next time we’ll cover blade cupping and propeller diameter.  Come back in a couple of days to find out what they are or click on our RSS feed to keep in touch. 

Can you explain propeller pitch better for remote controlled boats or do you have any questions about it?  Leave a comment so we can answer any question you might have about your remote controlled boats propellers.  See ya soon!

Selecting A Prop For Your Remote Controlled Boats Can Be A Daunting Task!

Choosing the right prop for your remote controlled boats is not an easy task.  Props come in many different size, shapes, and materials.  You need to decide what type of remote controlled boats you want then decide what you want your boat to do then you’ll be able to choose the right prop for it.

The prop is the propeller that runs the boat across the water.  If you’re into racing RC boats then you’ll need a certain type of prop compared to a leisure craft.  Props come with your remote controlled boats but they can be changed out to any type you want.  Again, it depends on what you want to do with your boat.  Let’s assume you want your boat to be a racing boat and enter competitions.  The first thing you need to do is look at all the propellers to find the one you want for the type of boat you have.  Check out this

Types of propellers for remote controlled boats

 Racing propellers come in various material such as aluminum, beryllium copper, stainless steel, plastic and carbon.  They can be left (standard) or right hand drive.  Depending on the type of remote controlled boats you have, you’ll need to test the various props to see which one will suit your needs.  The best way to do that is to talk to the other boaters in your area or go to the Best RC Boats and ask.  

For racing, you’ll want a prop that has the ability to get a “plane” from the starting position.  The “plane” is putting the RC boat on top of the water from a stop.  It will give you a head start in front of the other racers.

What to look for in a propeller for your remote controlled boats

Here are the two most important things to check out when looking for a new prop for your boat:

• Know that RMP (revs per minute) relates directly to speed.  You can never have a propeller that is too small.  To keep the forward motion instead of just spinning out you’ll need to check the props RMP.
• Be sure the prop is for a surface or a submerged boat.  Check the pitch of the prop with the RMP’s for your engine to see if it can take a faster prop.  There’s a rule of thumb: “For every 2″ of propeller pitch, rpm’s will change approximately 400 rpm’s.”

Keep in mind when choosing a prop for your remote controlled boats, do not over prop.  Sometimes bigger is not better.  You don’t want to burn up the motor with a prop  that is too big  for the boat.  There are many factors to look at when choosing a new prop for your remote controlled boats.  Come back to read the next installment of “Aluminum vs. Stainless Steel props for RC boats”. 

Leave a comment about remote controlled boats and let us know what else we can help you with and don’t forget to visit us Best RC Boats for answers to all your questions.