Propellers.......aluminum or stainless?

[Gill-T]

Ok, I got a nice ding in my propeller from a log I hit doing 35 mph on blast-off at Orleans pro/am. I assume a ding in the propeller will cause an unbalanced/ wobble issue that may effect the health of the lower unit? Do I go with aluminum which is cheaper and will break when hiting something, taking a page from Nascar bodies to protect the drive, or do I go for speed and durability with a stainless prop? Who knows what?

[10thMTNDAVE]

Having just had the unfortunate experience of clipping a rock just before the cut in Henderson Harbor with my new G3 (Stainless prop). I would go for the aluminum!!!

This was a small rock that sticks up to around 6' totally surrounded by 15' water and unmarked. If I had been moving faster, would have gone right over with no problem, but I had slowed down to approach the cut and the ass of my boat was hanging low in the water. Didn't hardly ding the prop at all, but what it did do was bang up my skag and bend the drive shaft.

New Aluminum Prop (Yam 13 3/4 x 21) is only $179.00

Getting a new Prop shaft, O-ring, seal, and a ten hour service on my Big motor and kicker with labor, along with the Aluminum Prop set me back $879.00

ROCKS

[ray koziatek]

yup protect the drive systemwith aluminum(not 100% guarentee), you can have sent in for repiar(if not really wacked too bad) for 1/2 price of new one ,then you always got a spare on board.

[Chromeslayer]

peir propeller in grand island will fix yer alum... i had one done that had a minor ding in it from ice... $35 i think it cost me

[Knotlost]

Alum is the way to go, ss is faster, by a few % but not even close to worth it for a fisherman. Hammer out the dent with a ball peen hammer very carefully, you will be surprised at what you can fix if you have a little black smith in you.... Unless you loose a piece out of it the prop will still be ballaced and you get it straightened out. I don't think many guys even try to fix them as they are afraid of wrecking a wrecked prop? Even a small break isn't a big deal on a fishing boat prop, at it can be welded. I have a duck boat that I have rewelded the prop 12 x and its still working like a charm.. They do weld easy as well.

[J.D.]

My home port is Braddocks Bay, and is VERY shallow most of the year. I switched over to a composite prop 2 years ago and am very happy with the performance. I runs just like aluminum, but the blades will deflect before they break removing most of the stress taken when you hit something with your prop. The price is right too. I bought it as a spare, but after running it a few trips, decided to run it full time...

http://www.comprop.com/

[Knotlost]

Where did you get the comprop? I dont see a way to get it direct?

[J.D.]

Cabela's. Bass Pro, Overtons,

[NitroMusky]

how fast is your boat/how many hp? if you're turning somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hp (cant remember exactly where the line is) then you shouldn't be running aluminum. at a certain point the aluminum is not strong enough to hold up to the power of the motor and you risk thowing a blade into the cavitation plate or worse, which is a lot more than the cost of a SS prop. and yes the're are plenty of shops that repair SS props, both local and out of state (national-mail order).

oh I should have mentioned I have a 135hp and I wouldn't even THINK of putting an aluminum prop on mine.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[tree top flyer]

I dont know if this holds water or not but the way it has been explained to me is, stainless has less flex so you will get more speed out of it but if u hit something it wont give witch could damage the lower unit. I remember a chart once comparing the 2 and i think on a speed boat we were only talking one ore miles faster than a aluminum.

[jekyll]

if you're turning somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hp (cant remember exactly where the line is) then you shouldn't be running aluminum. at a certain point the aluminum is not strong enough to hold up to the power of the motor and you risk thowing a blade into the cavitation plate or worse,

This sounds like an old wives tale. I tend to think that if aluminum wasn't strong enough to safely work, then no new motor would come with aluminum. The owners manuals of my 150 and 250 say nothing about not using aluminum.

Aluminum is your friend. Props are far less expensive then lower units. I've had 2 repaired for my 150 hp Evinrude. Cost $45 or so while a new prop cost much, much more. I've had better luck keeping my prop free of nicks and bends on my 250 hp IO: it is aluminum as well.

SS is better for pure performance as long as you understand and accept the risks (lower unit damage, theft, cost) in the unadulterated quest for a little bit of additional speed at top end.

[Tim Bromund]

how fast is your boat/how many hp? if you're turning somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hp (cant remember exactly where the line is) then you shouldn't be running aluminum. at a certain point the aluminum is not strong enough to hold up to the power of the motor and you risk thowing a blade into the cavitation plate or worse, which is a lot more than the cost of a SS prop. and yes the're are plenty of shops that repair SS props, both local and out of state (national-mail order).

oh I should have mentioned I have a 135hp and I wouldn't even THINK of putting an aluminum prop on mine.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

That may or may not be true with outboards, but it certainly isn't true with I/O's. They pretty much ALWAYS come with aluminum props standard, even way up into the high 200 HP range. your typical 5.0 L (305 cid) or 5.7L (350 cid) Mercruiser Alpha1 I/O's are 230-260 HP and Aluminum props are found on pretty much all of those unless the owner elected to replace it with a SS prop for the performance increase.

As stated above, that sounds like it may be one of those old wives tales floating around out there.

Tim

[10thMTNDAVE]

I also think this must be a wives tale.

Just put an aluminum prop on my 250 Yamaha outbord, and it is a factory prop. If there was some truth to the tale, you would think that the manufacturer would have a notice posted somewhere and would not warantee replacing a stainless with aluminum.

Much rather pound out an aluminum prop than have to go through replacing the prop shaft again because it got bent while the SS prop got a single ding and a few scratches. Would rather spend my ca$h on other fishing gear than boat repairs!

[off track]

how fast is your boat/how many hp? if you're turning somewhere in the neighborhood of 100 hp (cant remember exactly where the line is) then you shouldn't be running aluminum. at a certain point the aluminum is not strong enough to hold up to the power of the motor and you risk thowing a blade into the cavitation plate or worse, which is a lot more than the cost of a SS prop. and yes the're are plenty of shops that repair SS props, both local and out of state (national-mail order).

oh I should have mentioned I have a 135hp and I wouldn't even THINK of putting an aluminum prop on mine.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

We have 125hp outboard Yamaha's and they came new from the factory with Alum. props

[Fish-hawk]

Been fishin /Boating for 35 yrs+ and presently own two boats one of which runs a 225hp rude with a factory installed aluminum wheel. Go with the aluminum, next bump you hit you'll be glad its not stainless!!!

[jimski2]

I used to go 2 or 3 aluminum props a year. Then I bought a power tim and tilt engine, very few prop problems, and I take my boat into the beach daily.

[jekyll]

I used to go 2 or 3 aluminum props a year. Then I bought a power tim and tilt engine, very few prop problems, and I take my boat into the beach daily.

Yup, me thinks you will go through many props ifin you drive your boat like an amtrack.

Semper Fi.