Stainless Prop Vs. Alum.

[SUCHFUN]

Just Had A Few Questions About The Pros And Cons Of A Stainless Prop Vs. A Alum Prop. I Have A 2002 170 Cool That I Bought This Spring As A Left Over. Only Have About 10 Or 20 Hours On It So Far. (tooo Much Overtime To Enjoy Right Now) I Get About 32 To 35 Out Of The Boat Right Now. And My Boat's Speedo And Gps Seems To Be A Close Match. Just Wandering If The Stainless Will Give Me Any More Speed Or Performance. Or If There Is Any Drawbacks. I See All This Big Bass Trackers Type Boats Going Down The Highway With Stainless Just Trying To Figure Out If Missing Out On Something. And Second Just Wanted To Know If I'm In The Same Ballpark With Other 170's With Speed. I Run About 32-35 At 5800 Rpms Have A 50 Hp. Yamaha Two Stroke.. Thanks For The Help....

[Cincinnati]

SS props will grab better and are thinner - more efficient. But watch out. SS is stronger than the gears in your lower unit. So if you hit something with the prop, then you're out big $ on a lower unit. Aluminum is softer than your gearbox and will bend up when impacted. Go with aluminum unless you're into racing. My alum prop cost just over $100 - SS costs up to $350.

[Putershark]

Or better yet get a Prop Pulse unit and have a even lighter 4 bladed unit for the enging to spin. As far as saftey goes, I highly agree with my buddy Cincinnati and save on your lower unit if you ground your boat. Matter of fact, the boys back at the shop hit a stump (maybe split a Gator head wide open) or something with mine during recent trials and snapped off 2 blades, and still made it home on what was left of the other two. No damange to either the skegg (skegg guard kept that from happening) or the lower unit

[fridaysoff]

Suchfun,
I have a 170CC with a 60hp 4 stroke Yamaha. I get up to 36 mph (gps) at 5800 rpms. I also have an alluminum prop. I live at the coast Wilmington,NC. and I'm always scraping the bottom looking for bait, etc. I will stay with aluminum. My brother lives in Huntersville. Nice town; soon to be downtown Charlotte the way my brother talks about the growth!
John D.

[Jan from Humboldt]

I was always under the impression that the reason there is a rubber hub inside the modern prop on an outboard was to provide the ability to absorb the shock of an impact and provide a slip ability to protect the shaft.

Am I wrong in this or are stainless props built differently?

I assumed the hub was there to protect as every now and again you see posts relating to someone "Spinning" a prop.

[Putershark]

Yes Jan,
Many props do have that type of hub, but the nano second it takes to break (and I have seen a lot that did not) can / has already transmtted that shock to your lower unit. Even if you drove away from the grounding the stress cracks have already started and it is only a matter of time before you can have some kind of expensive issue.

[Jan from Humboldt]

Ah, makes good sense, thanks.

I've always liked the looks of the stainless props but have resisted buying for looks as I get good preformance from the aluminum props.

[woodNfish]

I just bent one of the blades on my aluminum prop and have to get a new one or get it repaired. I'm going to do both. A new aluminum prop is around $100. Getting the old one repaired is under $50. For $150 I'll have a new prop and a spare if I bend it.

Putershark is always quick to push the Propulse which is arbon fiber, has fully adjustable pitch and replaceable blades. I am sure they are fine props, but a new one runs about $220 and the blades are $30 each. Break two and you've spent more than the cost to repair an aluminum prop. For $70 less I'll have all I need even if I bend all three blades.

Don't buy stainless steal for the reasons mentioned in one of the other posts. You don't want to take a chance on destroying your lower unit.

woodNfish

[Putershark]

Wood,
Are thay that expensive up there? Wow...

New here they go for like $180.00 and replacement blades are $22.00 so the next time you come South on vacation you should consider getting one or order one from West Marine http://www.westmarine.com/webapp/wcs...roductId=47168 and have it shipped up

Dave

[striperking]

I have ss and i love the performance i have been a little nervous about the hitting things in the water, but i can avoid every thing i see and do something dumb like jump over the jettie wall. Well paying attention where you go goes a long way! But every thing is operating in good condition so the ss props can't be but so bad.