Stainless Prop or not?

N

nite fisherman

Seaman Apprentice
Joined
Jul 14, 2011
Messages
33
I have a 16 ft starcraft with a 60 horse Johnson. Would it benefit me to replace the factory prop with a stainless prop of the same size and pitch?
Thanks
 
C

Chris1956

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Mar 25, 2004
Messages
27,142
Re: Stainless Prop or not?

IMHO, Stainless steel propos are good if you need the prop to withstand encounters with sand and muck. On the shallow bay where I boat, my I/O would hit bottom enough to chew up an alum prop each year. A SS prop solved that issue.

Other than that, you can find al props that are nearly as high performance as a SS one, at 1/3 the price.

So in your case, the answer is yes if you hit bottom often and chew up the prop. Be aware that your setup wil not gain too much with a SS prop, as they are best suited for high performance boats.
 
gm280

gm280

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Jun 26, 2011
Messages
14,590
Re: Stainless Prop or not?

I concur with Chris1956's comments. Stainless steel props do have a few advantages over aluminum props. One being they are made out of stainless steel and therefore are stronger then aluminum and for that reason they can be made thinner for less drag and less flexing while spinning. That allows them to perform better than same pitched size aluminum props. Being stronger also helps with impact and sand bars they may run into. So yes you will benefit from a stainless steel prop. How much is yet to be known. And is it worth the extra cost? If I had the option to purchase one for my boat I probably would just for the longevity and performance enhancements...JMHO!
 
littlerayray

littlerayray

Lieutenant
Joined
Feb 17, 2013
Messages
1,456
Re: Stainless Prop or not?

first question what are you doing with your boat if you are looking for enhanced performance then no the cost isnt worth it
and if your fishing in shallow waters a good depth finder and triming up may be all you need to do to save the aluminum prop
 
S

steelespike

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Apr 26, 2002
Messages
19,069
Re: Stainless Prop or not?

watching swamp people the other day I saw an example of what can happen with too hard a contact with a ss prop.
A couple of women gator hunters were maneuvering slowly in shallow water and struck a log or stump.
seemed light but cracked their Tohatsu 90 gear case wide open so you could turn the gears with your fingers.
I did notice that the gator hunters all use ss props,they must hold up better in the mud and vegitation they run in much of the time,
but sure could be costly in the case of a hard contact.
 
catfishr1

catfishr1

Petty Officer 1st Class
Joined
Nov 26, 2011
Messages
281
Re: Stainless Prop or not?

Howdy nite fisherman; I resisted going to S.S. for over 40 years. In 2008 had to have my lower unit repaired because of a low r.p.m.strike on wood with a aluminum prop. This incident caused me to rethink my logic. Bottom line decided that SS or aluminum is a personal choice. Went to S.S. , it done everything I wanted & more.Am extremely happy with it. I for one will not worry about tearing my lower unit up with it.As have repair bills to show you can screw your lower unit up with aluminum too. It is the hub system that is your primary protection.Hope this helps.
 
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