STAINLESS OR NOT

[JimS123]

I bought a new 18' Caravelle tri hull in 1972 with a 125 Johnson, factory aluminum prop. In 1973 the SST came out and since I dinged the alum almost every time I took the boat out I spent the $185 for the SST as I previously stated. One of my better decisions in life.

Sometime later our work group at the company had a picnic at a park on a lake. I was alone in the boat and it didn't happen immediately, but I got 5 skiers up with that rig, I think I remember the pitch was 17", top speed alone, no water toys, was 39 indicated. No doubt most if not all the skiers were on 2 and at least a couple were light weight folks. Only stayed up for several hundred yards as one and then two fell off.....forgot how to ski....and we terminated the experiment. But I was amazed at pulling that stunt off.

Love the story. THAT's what can't be quantified to justify the expense of SS.

I don't remember what I paid for the SST back in the 1970's. 30+ years after I sold the boat I happened to see it along the side of the road for sale. The upholstery was trashed, the gel faded and chalked and I shed a tear for what was once my pride and joy. But, interestingly enough, the ole' SST still looked good.

My last prop cost about $800. To me it was money well spent.

 

[Texasmark]

Love the story. THAT's what can't be quantified to justify the expense of SS.

I don't remember what I paid for the SST back in the 1970's. 30+ years after I sold the boat I happened to see it along the side of the road for sale. The upholstery was trashed, the gel faded and chalked and I shed a tear for what was once my pride and joy. But, interestingly enough, the ole' SST still looked good.

My last prop cost about $800. To me it was money well spent.

I remember the $185 easily as that was a lot of money back then for just a prop and wife and I had 4 offspring to raise trying to have some fun with water sports........but it was well worth it. No more prop problems, or lunch breaks across Dallas to a prop shop hoping to make another trip across Dallas before the week end coming up with a repaired aluminum prop.

 

[airshot]

In my 60 plus years of boating, I can count on one hand the number of aluminum props I have damaged. While some can, I could never justify the cost of a SS prop for an extra 1-2 mph. In my younger days, working at the boat shop, most of our lower unit repairs came from outboards that had SS props, guessing the stronger prop transferred the damage to the next weakest area. But today's boaters are all about performance no matter the cost. Glad to see the boating economy doing so well.

 

[Texasmark]

In my 60 plus years of boating, I can count on one hand the number of aluminum props I have damaged. While some can, I could never justify the cost of a SS prop for an extra 1-2 mph. In my younger days, working at the boat shop, most of our lower unit repairs came from outboards that had SS props, guessing the stronger prop transferred the damage to the next weakest area. But today's boaters are all about performance no matter the cost. Glad to see the boating economy doing so well.

It all depends on where you fish and I agree SS can tear up a LU/geartrain. I fish clean water and keep track of the depth. When I was having problems in 1972 the lake had just filled about 3/4 of the way and the saplings were still alive and everywhere. A lot of times the engine was near idle.

I was fishing lake Austin (TX.) once and was putting along at a reasonable clip, glass smooth water......I happened to be standing at the helm and all of sudden, this boulder, probably 20' across and about 6" under the surface appeared. I did a hard right turn, had the throttle at the firewall and had enough speed and time to make the U-turn and miss getting damaged. I was real lucky. I guess doing what i did lifted the prop and skeg adequately to miss hitting the boulder......I didn't have a depth sounder then....even before Heath Kit sold them....my first.....wouldn't have worked anyway as the boulder was a boulder.....not a sloping sand bar.