Stainless vs. Aluminum - Follow-on Question

[TomP]

I have two props for my Mercruiser 4.3 Alpha One sterndrive. One is a 19p 3-blade aluminum (non-cupped) that is a good all around prop that is better for whole shot than is my 19P Turbo 3-blade SS prop (cupped). The SS Turbo is better for cruising, so I was planning to use it on a trip that we are planning to take on the Tennessee River. However, after reading one of the posts in Brodriguez's thread, I am concerned that if I hit something that it will do damage to the lower unit like the gentleman that said that he twisted his prop shaft after a somewhat minor hit. My question is this: Since the Turbo SS prop has splines and does not have the Flo-Torq hub that could absorb some of the impact of a hit, would it make more sense to go with the aluminum prop? Any words of wisdom here?

 

[Dhadley]

Re: Stainless vs. Aluminum - Follow-on Question

Fishing the flats we hit things all the time. I've been with a buddy who hit hard enough to break the verticle steering shaft in a 200 Johnson and the lower unit was ok.

The old style pressed in rubber hub will have more cushion thn the new style replacable hub kits. If it were mine, I'd go for efficiency. Checked gas prices lately?

 

[TomP]

Re: Stainless vs. Aluminum - Follow-on Question

OK. I think you are getting to the core of my question by suggesting that just because the Turbo prop dosen't have the Flo Torq hub, it still may have been designed to absorb impact from a prop strike. When I look at the prop from the back side, it seems to have a cylindrical insert (which has the splines on the front side) into an outer hub. It looks like the insert is made of metal (not rubber). Is this something that would give or spin if a prop strike occurred?

I definitely agree that it would be better to use the more efficient prop on the river cruise.