Foil Drive Prop Comparison | 2-Blade vs. 3-Blade | Which is Better?

Foil Drive systems come standard with a 2-blade propeller, and it works great. However, they also offer a 3-blade prop as an upgrade. How is its performance different from the stock propeller, and which one is right for you? Ryan got a chance to get out in the water to test both back-to-back and was able to make some interesting observations.

What Are Some Differences?

Ryan was out in small, challenging conditions where the assist from the Foil Drive was pretty much a must. He was surprised to notice that the 2-blade prop seemed louder both in and out of the water. His guess is that there was more turbulence with only two blades to break the surface tension of the water against the blades.

The 3-blade prop did seem to have a bit more thrust with that extra blade, and that made it easier to get up and going, especially in the flat water sections. It wasn't a huge difference and the 2-blade also worked fine, but it was noticeable.

The 3rd blade also made it easier to transition the motor in and out of the water with the prop running. It was smoother because, with the three blades, at least one was always in the water providing thrust, where there were brief moments where both blades were out of the water with the 2-blade prop, which can create a slight pulsing effect during the transition.

The blades on both propellers do fold back to reduce drag when the motor isn't running. Still, the 2-blade prop is going to have slightly less drag than the 3-prop. It's not really noticeable though, and if you usually have the motor out of the water when you're not using the assist, this won't be a factor at all.

Which Prop Should You Choose?

It depends. The included 2-blade propeller is certainly adequate, and since it's an assist, it won't matter much of the time you're riding. However, the 3-blade does give you a bit more thrust and can help in those flat water starts and in catching the waves. It'll give you just a bit of extra performance out of your Foil Drive. And if you tend to run the motor while transitioning the Foil Drive in and out of the water, the 3-blade prop does make that process feel a bit smoother.

There are some legitimate reasons to go ahead and upgrade, but you'll need to decide if they'll make enough of a difference for you. If you're still undecided, definitely give us a ring and we'll be happy to discuss it with you.