Stainless Steel Prop

[Mike the Pike]

Hey folks I need your input about changing my Prop for a stainless steel model.

 

Will I see a difference in performance speed fuel economy etc..

 

For those of you who have made the switch to stainless are you glad you did.

 

I would be changing mine on a 50 HP Honda.

 

MTP

[BITEME]

Well Mikey

with your new light weight frame and your Tweety Bird Suit you just might beat Percher

Seriously Dont waste your money Mike your gonna really PO if you bottom out and there isnt alot of give there at least with aluminium it will break

Something to think about

Its not about pretty

 

Peter

[PERCHER]

Mike it wont help.The only way you will catch me is put a Merc on the back.But if you want to spend around $500.00 to try thats up to you.

[charlesn]

Mike, I think at the 50 HP mark, it is sorta questionable the gains you will receive from a SS prop. I'd think there might be some, but maybe not. I know at the bigger HPs it definitely does make a difference.

 

Unless you hit something really hard, the SS prop is better than an aluminum as an aluminum prop will get all dog-eared in a hurry whereas the stiffer SS doesn't get affected by minor hits unless you really do something harsh to it. I might be the wrong one to ask though as I go through 2 SS props a year and back when I ran aluminum, went through 7 repairs in one season...

 

You may be able to find a 15-17" SS prop used or on-line for about a hundred bucks. If you can try before you buy, that's even better.

 

Good luck,

 

Charles

[misfish]

I cant say I know the difference as I have yet to try a regular prop,but Im told it does make the boat go faster.

 

 

 

the stiffer SS doesn't get affected by minor hits unless you really do something harsh to it.

 

And the replacement cost is double if not triple, the aluminum prop.

 

Hey Charles,she,s getting cuter by the posts bud. Must take after her mom.

[Tybo]

BLIING!!!

[charlesn]

Yeah, replacement cost is definitely more. Then again, some people will ship their props off to a specialist to have them blueprinted, tuned, or whatever for $500 or more in order to gain 2 mph.

 

Is it worth it? Hard to say. Depends on your priorities and how much cash you're willing to burn.

 

Having eaten (as in literally eaten due to having the prop wash come over the bow into my face as he eases on by at 72 mph) JPD's prop wake on many a chilly morning some days I would say that there is no cost too high for that extra few mph. lol

 

Charles

 

P.S. Thanks Brian, do you want me to email ya a 150 MB video of her in a jolly jumper to the sound of Michael Jackson's Billie Jean? lol

[irishfield]

Mine will be coming off the Verado when I head for Lakair. I'll be running the back up Aluminum for that rock pile ! LOL

[Tybo]

Their is a substantial increase in running a SS prop.

There is virtually no flex to a SS prop, which reduces

the prop slip. which in turn will create more thrust.

[aniceguy]

a slightly better hole shot and potentially on the 50 a mile or so more in speed.

 

The down side with stainless is that something as simple a a small nic at minimal speed can damage the lower unit. I run both a stainless and aluminum on a 50 and generally the stainless stays on for the most part.

[Headhunter]

As already mentioned, the stainless has a few up sides. The down side, you'll be taking your prop off every time you park your trailored boat, for fear of someone stealing it! The other option is to sleep under yer boat!

HH

[bigbuck]

Not worth it, keep a spare aluminum in the boat with some tools so if you hit something the prop breaks, with SS, you'll need a spare prop AND lower unit. If you are desparate for more speed, start saving the pennies and buy a bigger/faster boat.

[Tacklebuster]

keep your money, don't bother. Repairs very expensive, and can do more damange to the housing if you do hit something. The gains in terms of performance for a 50 HP motor are going to be negligable at best.

[charlesn]

I can agree about the gains not being worth it, but I'm not sure where all this housing and lower unit talk is coming from. I've gone through 7 SS props (all badly nicked up or chewed up in some form) in 4 years and I have never had lower unit damage. Skeg damage, yes, but that's what the skeg is there for.

 

I think it is misleading to say that damaging a SS prop instantly leads to lower unit damage. If you hit your lower unit on something, it doesn't matter the kind of prop you have.

 

If you rub a tree or stump with an aluminum prop, chances are there will be some folding or damage to an ear. With a stainless prop you often don't even notice at the end of a day.

 

Rocks and boulders are another story though as I have learned on many occasions.

 

Charles

 

P.S. Headhunter is correct in that a SS prop is more likely to get stolen. Investing on one of those custom prop guard locks might be something to look at.

[Gerry]

On a 50 HP engine there will be no improvement in performance so don't waste your money. A different matter on higher HP machines, i.e 115 HP and up. The greater the HP the greater the difference in performance. The improvement is achieved because of the stiffer blades, they will not flex. You need to be running at 50 mph + to notice this though. The other improvement comes from having thinner blades. This permits a different pitch to achieve the same performance, i.e less resistance. The downside as mentioned is if you hit something hard. The aluminum will absorb the shock and protect those brass gears and prop shaft, not so with a SS prop. Anytime you hit something with a SS you should have the propshaft examined.

[POLLIWOGG]

I think I got a 15/17 ss in the barn , it weighs about 50lb. A little big for a 50?

 

I pollished a pair for a nieghbor but he sold the boat before we could try them out. they went from about a 50 grit from being left in the water to mirror smooth, I thought my arms would fall off before I finished them.

 

I use the ss in L.O. and stay with aluminium in shallow water but i've never tested one against the other.

[lilkynan]

Thought seriously about it for my Merc inboard - but after smashing my regular prop a couple times while being really careful, I thought I would save the $1000 and the damage to the lower end. Seemd to make sence to make the prop the weaker point in the system just in cas if contact. Akin to a sheer pin on the snowblower.