stainless steel props

[Taxus812]

I have 2002 180 Horizon fish and Ski with a Johnson 150 outboard. I have a 14 1/2 x 19 aluminum prop currently (40 Mph @ 4700 RPM). I live on the lake I boat in so I really don't worry about having a spare on hand.

I was looking to get a second prop over the winter. Originally I was going to use aluminum again because it is a good possibility in the lake I live on that hit a rock or stump fishing.

Somehow I started looking at stainless steel with the breakaway hubs. They seems interesting. Seems like you get the benefits of Stainless and the benefits of the prop breaking away before your lower end does.

How have these been working out for shallow water ? do they break away as advertised? (are they a nightmare ?)

 

[robert graham]

Re: stainless steel props

For rocky/stumpy areas maybe check out those carbon composite props called "Comprops"....very inexpensive compared to stainless or aluminum and are designed to break off in a prop strike.....

 

[Taxus812]

Re: stainless steel props

I was really interested in Stainless Steel for its strength. Most of my wear on my prop is at the tips where it gets dinged and pitted. I was told to avoid stainless because it doesn't give and will cause damage to my outboard.

I read about breakaway hubs and it sounds like I can get the strength of stainless steel and give when impacted.

I wanted to see if it works as advertised or not so much and should be avoided

 

[82rude]

Re: stainless steel props

my buddy who is a well know prop guy in this area has a few lower units where the hubs of these new style s/s props did not work as advertised good enough.i don't think any lower unit though is strong enough to survive a fast hard hit .im proably not really qualified to talk on this as its been 35 years since ive hit a rock and the last trip out was the first time in the same that I hit a log though zero damage was done.the skeg should be first to go in theory unless you back into something or are unfortunate enough to side swipe something.in all fairness ive also seen disaster al prop damage also.do the new hubs work ?yes! but not 100 percent .hows that for a copout!

 

[stylesabu]

Re: stainless steel props

i have used all 3 ss.alum and composite.ss is the fastest but it took out my lower unit,i hit a rock in Canada and broke off 1 blade. I have used comp for last 2 years almost as fast as aluminum. but it just bounces off stuff. im smarter and more carful than i used to be but I really like it for river and smaller lake fishing. I have an 1775 lund pro-v witgh a 150 johnson on it

 

[Taxus812]

Re: stainless steel props

I inquired about using a stainless steel prop on my boat for use in my area (CT River and Rainbow Reservoir). I got a tour of the low end grave yard at my dealer (all replaced this summer). All stainless steal props with break away hubs. Aluminum or composite is still the best application in this area for my type of boat.

 

[Texasmark]

Re: stainless steel props

I run SS exclusively for their performance and ruggedness. HOWEVER if I boated in a hazardous environment I would go with alum and just eat the loss in performance. When you whack something at high rpms, it takes time for the impact to work through the mechanics. Even though you may have a sacrificial hub, the drive line could get damaged before the hub has time to shear. It's a "moment of inertia" thing.....all the inertia in the drive line and all of a sudden it gets stopped. Mass x velocity, (kinetic energy) just doesn't stop instantaneously.

One of the reactions to such is shearing woodruff keys in the flywheel.

Years ago, when SS was just coming out, I was idling through some trees and bent my alum prop blade on a 2" sapling with a 125 hp engine. I know that's what did it as it killed the engine and the engine was tangled up in it. Pretty benign obstacle to bend up a prop at idle. Seemed every trip out would cost me a prop repair. But contrary to what I said, I put an OMC SST on the boat and never had another prop problem for the 7 years I had the boat. But there were no boulders.

Mark

 

[Taxus812]

Re: stainless steel props

I basically boat on a dam controlled river (farmington river in CT) that turns into a 240 acre reservoir (rainbow reservoir). The water level changes hourly (it can go up to 3 ft) there are lots of hazards if you boat in the river part (which I do). There are always logs floating down, sandbars and rocky portions. (If you look at the Skeg its polished clean at the tip). You can avoid the shallows and hazards if you stay in a channel (the Malibu crew here with their inboard ski boats ski there exclusively) . I dont, I like to get the boat into some 3 to 5 ft shallows to fish or swim.


The other area is the CT river and that is about the same, lots of shallow areas and debris.

So It sounds like I stay aluminum for now.

 

[Bamaman1]

Re: stainless steel props

Your sure are running a low speed for 150 hp on a fish/ski boat. Is your motor running right? You should see 5500 to 5800 rpm's with your engine, and another 10+ mph.

My 150 hp tritoon boat runs as fast as your fishing boat.

Check your local retail market and see if there's a prop shop close by. Their experience is free if you buy a prop from them.

 

[Taxus812]

Re: stainless steel props

Your thinking the same thing as I am. The type of boat is kinda misleading Its really a bow rider with a fish and ski package. So they call it a 180 horizon fish and ski.

My 2002 johnson 150 has a wot range of 4500 to 5500 (they upped it I'm 2003). I was planning to step down to an 18" pitch prop to get it in the power zone

 

[Texasmark]

Re: stainless steel props

I was planning to step down to an 18" pitch prop to get it in the power zone

I don't know what you mean by this. Since you said "step down" I'll assume you mean lower the pitch to up the rpms to the top, or at least near the top of the recommended rpm range. Great. 2 strokes do not like to lug. They are free agents and love to run. Run it bubba.

Mark