Propeller Advice
I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated. Wally Remove notthis to reply by Email. |
Wally
Feb 16
2005
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| It all depends on how fast you intend to be going when you hit something. I
fish a lot of shallow water, with stumps, rocks, gravel and sand. If I know
I'm in an area that I'm likely to hit something, I simply slow down. I run a stainless prop, have for over 10 years now. I have yet to have to
have a prop repaired. Prior to that, with aluminum, I fixed or replaced
them with alarming frequency. I still hit things, but a stainless prop is
much tougher than aluminim and won't bend. A composite prop I think would make a great backup prop, but I wouldn't run
one as a main prop from the reading I've done about them. But then again,
that's just me. |
Steve
Feb 16
|
|
Hahahahaaa.... that's a good one Steve! Aren't you the guy that I seen
running about 50mph over that 1.5' area on Boom Lake? You know, between the
island, and the same little hump that I was tempted to get out of my boat
and help it float over??? |
Charles
Feb 16
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| I have been running stainless steel props on motors from 115 to 225 hp
since 1979 and have never had lower unit damage although I have had to
have many props worked on after hitting everything from rocks to stumps. I thought those composite props were for emergency use - did not know
they had developed better ones. |
Ronnie
Feb 16
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| I think a stainless with an XHS style hub would serve you better for
performance. It would hold up better to minor bangs and knock, and if you
hit soemthing hard the the hub will give and is easily replaceable. I run a river system with a few iron wood stumps in or near main high speed
corridors, and lots of sand bars. Around here a skeg with paint on it
hasn't been in the water. Its not uncommon to see a boat hung on a sand
bar, and more than once I've found myself hammering the throttle and
trimming up the motor to clear a sand bar as I feel the skeg thumping along. Stainless serves me well. I feel vulnerable running anthing else. My
little boat has an aluminumbecasue I can't find a stainless pitched long
enough, but I will be sending one off to be repitched soon.
|
Bob
Feb 16
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| Go stainless, those composite props are good for emergency back ups. |
IBNFSHN
Feb 16
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| More like 65/70MPH :<} For the record I have yet to see Steve slow down unless he is going to
fish :<} danl4x@charter.net
Remove the x for e-mail reply
www.outdoorfrontiers.com
www.SecretWeaponLures.com |
Dan
Feb 16
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| Yeah, supposedly there are some companies that are touting their props a for
regular use. The reports I've read, when comparing performance specs, tell
me otherwise...... |
Steve
Feb 17
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| I did slow down......But let's think about it Charles, how many aluminum
props have you and Jerry bunged up since I've known you guys? How many
props have I had worked on? Stainless for me! |
Steve
Feb 17
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| I working on getting a stainless for mine Steve... it's just the price that
has kept me from it so far. Between that and feeding my three kids, there's
no difficult choice to be made. I have finally gotten everything back in order now that my wife is back to
work, so maybe it won't be long from now. Then again... I'm still having to
wait for that 24v trolling motor too! |
Charles
Feb 17
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| The stainless for mine goes for about $350. and an Aluminum goes for about
$190. I got one of each from Ebay for less than a hundred for both. It never
hurts to check Ebay. There was a Marine Store going out of business and he
had tons of props. |
Jerry
Feb 17
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