Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

loose rivet

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 31, 2011
Messages
151
I picked up a super clean 9.5hp at a flea market on Saturday, to my surprise it seems to be in perfect working order. Even the impeller appears brand new.
I've owned several of these before but I notice that this motor has a plastic prop.
Both of my other 9.5hp motors have aluminum props.
Did they switch to plastic in later years or is this some sort of 'spare' or temporary type prop?
 

RotaryRacer

Lieutenant
Joined
Jul 18, 2004
Messages
1,361
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

I had a 1968 9.5 HP that had a plastic prop. I had no idea it was plastic until on a cold cold day I was running along and one of the blades snapped off. I replaced it with aluminum. No idea if the plastic prop was from the factory or not. It was already 28 years old when I got the motor.
 

loose rivet

Petty Officer 2nd Class
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Jul 31, 2011
Messages
151
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

I'm used to seeing plastic props on the smaller motors but this is the first 9.5 I've seen with one here.
I've got a 3hp, a 4hp, and a pair of 6hp motors all with white plastic props but all of my 9.5s have always had aluminum.
I don't run in cold water with this motor, so I doubt that'll be an issue.

Does anyone know if there is any advantage to a plastic prop?
Were they used because they were cheap or were there other reasons?
I would think that they would help limit gear damage if you struck a rock or stump but unlike aluminum, they're not repairable.
Of course in 30+ years of boating I've never yet broken a plastic prop. I've dinged up a few aluminum props but that was in bigger water on a bigger boat.
 

rolmops

Vice Admiral
Joined
Feb 24, 2002
Messages
5,299
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

My 1964 9.5 came with a white plastic prop and today in 2012 after 48 years it is still in good working condition
 

TN-25

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
607
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

Dad's 1965 Johnson 9? came stock with an aluminum prop. When it got damaged he replaced it in the early/mid 1970s with an OMC Accessory Lexan prop. That is all OMC offered for a short time as the replacement 3-blade, 8 1/8 diameter, 8" pitch prop (part # 385940) but later OMC dropped them and reverted back to the aluminum props. That same prop was also spec'd as the replacement prop for 1958 - 63 10-horse motors. I guess they produced too much thrust for the 9? & 10-horse motors. The Lexan props came stock on the 4 & 6-horse motors starting around 1973 and continued through 1977 or 78 as far as I know.
 

loose rivet

Petty Officer 2nd Class
Joined
Jul 31, 2011
Messages
151
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

I was mostly concerned whether or not the Lexan prop was meant to be a full time prop or just a temporary spare prop like the one piece composite props you can buy for larger motors to save weight in the boat. When I bought my 19' boat it came with a graphite composite prop which was in a plastic tub, the papers with it said it was only to be used at low speed in emergencies and not to exceed 3000 rpm. I dumped it on eBay and got myself a duplicate aluminum prop to carry.

I've got a 1990 3hp and a 1978 6hp with plastic props, but all of my 9 1/2hp motors have always had aluminum props. My 1973 9 1/2hp Evinrude came new with a three blade aluminum prop and it's still on it today. It was bought new by a neighbor who sold it to me when it was only 5 years old, as far as I know its never been changed.

What I've been contemplating is whether this thing is really a super low hours original motor or a super nice restoration job. The paint and decals look original, there's almost no exhaust residue in the lower port, and the carb had no odor of gasoline at all. The prop is completely unmarked, the spark plugs appear brand new, and the paint on the power head is minty perfect. Even the wiring and light colored plastic looks new. I bought it for less than what the prop would sell for at the dealer.
It even came with a super clean 3 gallon metal OMC fuel tank, and four round, red white and blue pop top cans of OMC oil. I think I'll keep the cans unopened and just run modern oil but its neat to see something so original. It even came with a factory service manual, parts list, and owner's manual.

I've always liked these little motors, simple, light, and reliable.
 

TN-25

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
May 27, 2008
Messages
607
Re: Evinrude 9.5hp plastic prop?

Hey loose rivet, any chance you could share some pictures of you lovely find? It is very rare to find any motors of that vintage that are original that don't have at least some battle scars.
 
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