Solas or Hustler?

legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
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I'm looking to replace my Quicksilver Black Diamond 13p with a Solas or Hustler 15p. They both look good. What's your preference and why? Thanks.
 

WesNewell

Chief Petty Officer
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Jan 3, 2018
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497
Solas makes both aluminum and stainless props, Hustler is an aluminum prop series from Turning point props. I don't use aluminum props. Amita is the Solas aluminum prop series. I wouldn't use either one As I'd probably chew it up the first time I used it where I fish.
 

legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
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Yeah I meant Amita or Hustler. I think I'll stick to aluminum unless I start tearing up some. In three years I've spun a hub and tore up one aluminum prop. The Black Diamond seems to work well but I want to go from a 13p to a 15p and thought about trying another brand.
 

QBhoy

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Personally, I’d have none of them. Quality isn’t great from what I’ve seen. Fairly cheap though. Much better props out there. Mercury have a great range of props that are compatible with most of not all engines. The hubs are the changeable part that makes them comparable.
 

H20Rat

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Mar 8, 2009
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After my previous experience with Turning Point props, I'd stay far, far away from them. The chunk of metal you get will best be utilized as a garage wall ornament, and doesn't belong on a boat.
 

harringtondav

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May 26, 2018
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Yeah I meant Amita or Hustler. I think I'll stick to aluminum unless I start tearing up some. In three years I've spun a hub and tore up one aluminum prop. The Black Diamond seems to work well but I want to go from a 13p to a 15p and thought about trying another brand.

I'm with you in sticking with aluminum. I've bent two Alpha prop shafts taking a hit with SS props. I've taken similar hits with aluminum and been able to limp home, with a straight prop shaft. It seems the aluminum blades are a better fuse than the hub.

I have a Turning Point 21 P, and it works fine. But I tend to stick with Michigan Wheel and their pressed in hubs. Hub kit + prop costs more than a pressed in hub prop. True that the replacement props are less expensive if you have the hub kit, but then you are married to that brand.

Are you sure your boat will perform satisfactorily going from 13p to 15?. Generally higher WOT speed and lower rpm, but your hole shots may be disappointing. Also if you pitch too high, you can overload your engine.
 

Bikestdy

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Feb 20, 2018
Messages
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On my boat all I have ever had is Turning Point props and haven't had an issue with them. I just went to a 4 blade this summer and am highly satisfied with it (boat used for water sports). It drives like a different boat with the 4 blade and runs smoother than it ever has and pulls much harder. I've never tried Solas but have been curious to try them as well as the others to see how much difference there is between brands (more a curiosity about top speed, original materials stated my boat could hit 45, the most I have ever seen is 38mph).
Don't worry about hub systems as harringtondav said, if you have the square hub system, it is compatible with Mercury, Solas, Turning Point, and Michigan Wheel. I actually have a Solas hub with my Turning Point prop, because I wanted a rubber hub instead of the composite that TP offers.
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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Opening several Turning Point props last season revealed their Quality control leaves a bit to be desired. Several props had a blade that had a different contour to the others, as in a bend in the blade.
Mercury makes very good Props, not the cheapest, but with props you usually get what you pay for.

SS vs. AL... If you boat where there is a chance of chewing up the prop from sand abrasion, the SS will last longer. If the chewing up will be from Impacts with rocks/hard bottoms, then Stainless is something to be avoided, unless you like to replace propshfts or other internals of the gearcase

Pressed in Rubber Hubs are going the way of the dinosaur, and semi solid(composite or composite with tiny rubber bits) are the new norm. The rubber hub didn't do much for protecting the prop, it was there to cushion the gears from the shock of engaging forward or reverse.
 
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legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
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371
I'm with you in sticking with aluminum. I've bent two Alpha prop shafts taking a hit with SS props. I've taken similar hits with aluminum and been able to limp home, with a straight prop shaft. It seems the aluminum blades are a better fuse than the hub.

I have a Turning Point 21 P, and it works fine. But I tend to stick with Michigan Wheel and their pressed in hubs. Hub kit + prop costs more than a pressed in hub prop. True that the replacement props are less expensive if you have the hub kit, but then you are married to that brand.

Are you sure your boat will perform satisfactorily going from 13p to 15?. Generally higher WOT speed and lower rpm, but your hole shots may be disappointing. Also if you pitch too high, you can overload your engine.

I have a 1995 Sylvan 824E Special Edition with a Force 90hp. I want to get from 6000 rpms at WOP to around 5500 thus going from 13p to 15p. And both Quicksilver Black Diamond props I bought here from iBoats.
 
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harringtondav

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Don't worry about hub systems as harringtondav said, if you have the square hub system, it is compatible with Mercury, Solas, Turning Point, and Michigan Wheel. I actually have a Solas hub with my Turning Point prop, because I wanted a rubber hub instead of the composite that TP offers.

I had hub kit props from two different manufacturers. Each stated to only use their hub kit or risk damage, etc. Apparently I got bamboozled by their attempts to keep me in their fold.

Its very important that the hub, prop thrust washer, and splined lock washer work together to put the clamping force only on the hub. If you get parts mixed up and the prop body gets clamped tight to the prop shaft, the hub won't offer any protection.
 
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jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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The TP hubs are bit larger than the Mercury ones, and require a bit more effort to get them to fully seat in the prop. A bit more reluctant to removal also. Some of the Securing nuts/system varies between different brands
 

Bikestdy

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Feb 20, 2018
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I had hub kit props from two different manufacturers. Each stated to only use their hub kit or risk damage, etc. Apparently I got bamboozled by their attempts to keep me in their fold.

Or maybe they have changed their tune, because i was seeing it advertised on their websites specifically stating the competitors names of which brands their hubs fit. They all have a slight variation to the overall design, but ultimately are the same.
 

Chris1956

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Mar 25, 2004
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Both the Mercury black diamond and the Solas aluminum props are standard props. The TP Hustler has more rake and will give higher performance, if your boat can utilize it.

What size boat and HP are you planning to install the prop on?

Unlike some others, all I run is Hustlers. They give great performance and I have seen or experienced zero defects.

They do make a 4 blade prop with two different shapes of blades. I have not tried that one.
 

roscoe

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Oct 30, 2002
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Bought a few (3) hustler turning point props when they first came out.
I think the 3rd one was defective out of the box, very brittle.
Then they changed their hub design, so I couldn't use the other 2 on my new motor,because none of the old hubs were available.

So in the trash they went and needless to say, but I will anyway, never again. They left their customers holding their useless trash. I don't trust that they wouldn't do it again.
 

H20Rat

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Opening several Turning Point props last season revealed their Quality control leaves a bit to be desired.

That was my experience also. It might take several tries at a TP prop before you get a decent one. I bought 2 new SS TP's this summer, the first one was horrible. The hub had a fairly noticeable runout/wobble if you spun it by hand. It vibrated bad enough while running it would have destroyed the lower unit bearings. The second one was better, which is all relative. It still had visible runout and vibrated, but not enough where I was concerned for the lower unit.

The 4 blade aluminum Solas prop outperformed both of the TP stainless steel 4 blade props.
 

Bikestdy

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Feb 20, 2018
Messages
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They do make a 4 blade prop with two different shapes of blades. I have not tried that one.

That is what i put on my boat this year, i felt it met their claims. I did not notice any speed decrease but definitely pulled harder. I was only able to get out twice this year once with a 19p and the second time a 17p due too the 19 being a bit too much to have good power for water sports, but put the engine in the correct rpm range. I came from a 17p TP 3bl. I think it did drop my rpm slightly but i don't recall how much.
 

legalfee

Petty Officer 1st Class
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May 10, 2018
Messages
371
Both the Mercury black diamond and the Solas aluminum props are standard props. The TP Hustler has more rake and will give higher performance, if your boat can utilize it.

What size boat and HP are you planning to install the prop on?

Unlike some others, all I run is Hustlers. They give great performance and I have seen or experienced zero defects.

They do make a 4 blade prop with two different shapes of blades. I have not tried that one.

It's a 24 foot pontoon with 90HP Force outboard. I don't know if I'd benefit from a raked prop.
 

Chris1956

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I doubt you will benefit from a raked prop. You might benefit from a 4 blade prop, but I will need to defer to someone with experience in that.
 

jimmbo

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May 24, 2004
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A prop with more Rake can help lift the Bow a bit, but it also can tolerate high mount a bit better too, often a problem with pontoons

I've tried many brands and models of Props over the Decades, and have always chosen OMC or Mercury Props, even on my Volvo. You do get what you pay for when it comes to propellers, especially when it comes to Higher Performance Props,
 

Faztbullet

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Mar 2, 2008
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Solas Amita 3 C+ works very good. That what I use on my toon and sell my customers as a replacement...
 
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