Way to go Lee! I sometimes think we need opinions expressed here a little more firmly. That doesn't mean rudely, which you were not, just more expressive to drive the point home. More than a few times I've seen things posted that really needed a lot more discussion and no one respond, myself included.
Years ago when selecting a prop I did the research including reading the Propeller Handbook. I came to the conclusion that while the math and engineering were correct, it really was just a starting point and needed to be tested in the real world. It's like hull speed, it's real close but a lot of variables can come into play. I think Lee is right that if a two bladed prop were better overall, more people would be using them.
On the other hand, if you're concerned about sailing more then motoring, the two blade might be a better choice. I think either choice would work for most Westsailors. While I found Campbell props to be interesting, I felt the Max prop to be a far better choice. We have three blades for good forward motion, better backing as the blades reverse themselves and lastly the feathering prop reduces drag noticeably.
We saw a marked improvement in boat boat performance, maybe as much as a half knot at lower wind speeds.