View Thread
Before Posting, Please Read Our Posting Guidelines Below.

1. Use the full 4 digit year for everything you are asking your question about. Example: 1962, 1988, 2000, 2011
2. Include the correct name of your Whaler model. Example: Montauk 17, Montauk 170, Outrage 26, Outrage 260
3. Include the length when necessary. Example: 16, 17, 18, 20, 22
4. Do not post your email address anywhere on this site as it is already in your user profile.

 Print Thread
Props - Stainless vs Aluminum
Caseyuconn
#1 Print Post
Posted on 03/01/12 - 1:25 PM
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 62
Comments: 0
Joined: 04/02/11

I just purchased a new E-tec. The Evinrude promotions gives you a free stainless prop, nice. But I have gone back and forth about the benefit of stainless vs aluminum.

Stainless props are obviously stiffer, provide better fuel economy and less deformation under high load.

However an aluminum prop could save your drive shaft if you impact rocks through deformation of the prop.

I decided to go stainless because I could always pick up an aluminum later on. Does anyone have any thoughts on the pro/cons of stainless vs aluminum?

Thanks

 
CES
#2 Print Post
Posted on 03/01/12 - 1:50 PM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page
Photo Albums
Project Albums

Posts: 2681
Comments: 7
Joined: 04/27/07

There are no cons for a SS prop...... No reason nowadays to own an aluminum prop as a primary prop......SS are far superior.




Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
 
ioptfm
#3 Print Post
Posted on 03/01/12 - 3:42 PM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 1533
Comments: 3
Joined: 10/28/06

An aluminum prop is would be good to get back home if you were to loose your SS. No comparison between the 2 as far as performance goes.



Tom
1979 Sport 15'
 
cwk6
#4 Print Post
Posted on 03/01/12 - 6:55 PM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 175
Comments: 0
Joined: 10/04/11

you are right about the rocks though. If you run aground (like on rocks) at high speed with an aluminum prop you will totally ruin your prop. If you do the same thing with a stainless prop the prop will not tear up as easily and you run the risk of totally ruining your lower unit. I still think stainless is superior though. To me the moral of the story is DONT RUN AGROUND!

 
Harvey Boysen
#5 Print Post
Posted on 03/01/12 - 6:56 PM
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 103
Comments: 0
Joined: 11/03/08

Depends a lot on where you go. I fish a lot of skinny water. I've chewed up several aluminum props on oyster beds and rocks but I've always made it home. I've had some ugly looking props but they still work and didn't tear up a lower unit. If they had been ss I would have been towed home. If I only fished offshore I would have stainless steel.

 
Gamalot
#6 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 5:56 AM
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 1086
Comments: 3
Joined: 06/21/10

Is my understanding wrong? I always thought the SS prop have a hub kit that acts much the same as the older shear pins. If your prop does hit a stationary rock the hub will spin or shear so that your shaft should not be damaged. I have never owned a SS prop so educate me please.

 
CES
#7 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 8:28 AM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page
Photo Albums
Project Albums

Posts: 2681
Comments: 7
Joined: 04/27/07

Gamalot wrote:
Is my understanding wrong? I always thought the SS prop have a hub kit that acts much the same as the older shear pins. If your prop does hit a stationary rock the hub will spin or shear so that your shaft should not be damaged. I have never owned a SS prop so educate me please.


Your understanding is correct.....


Cliff
1966 13' Sport with a 1993 40hp Yamaha 2 Smoker
 
Swamp
#8 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 8:36 AM
Member

Posts: 162
Comments: 0
Joined: 01/28/11

Odds are if you plow into heavy covered rocks at speed you're going to end up breaking off the skeg, cracking the gearcase, cleaning off the lower unit, damaging the transom, blowing out seals in the trim hydraulics, etc. The idea that if you hit a big old submerged rock with an aluminum prop and you will be OK, vs a damaging the lower unit due to SS, just doesn't make sense to me.

 
dgoodhue
#9 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 9:18 AM
Member

Posts: 278
Comments: 0
Joined: 10/04/05

You can ruin your gearcase with an aluminum prop. My neighbor and I hit a mushroom mooring that was sticking up, I with my SS prop and him with his aluminum. He ruined his prop and lower unit. I did not with my sst, my prop is still works fine it just has nick in it and scratch in the blade. Did the sst save my lower unit, no I just got lucky (or he was unlucky).


If you want to save your lower unit from ground damage buy a composite prop.


Dave
 
Gamalot
#10 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 9:25 AM
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 1086
Comments: 3
Joined: 06/21/10

"If you want to save your lower unit from ground damage buy a composite prop."

Smarter idea would be to avoid hitting rocks and ground all together!

 
tedious
#11 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 9:45 AM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 1072
Comments: 2
Joined: 09/07/08

dgoodhue wrote:
You can ruin your gearcase with an aluminum prop. My neighbor and I hit a mushroom mooring that was sticking up, I with my SS prop and him with his aluminum. He ruined his prop and lower unit. I did not with my sst, my prop is still works fine it just has nick in it and scratch in the blade. Did the sst save my lower unit, no I just got lucky (or he was unlucky).


If you want to save your lower unit from ground damage buy a composite prop.



Dave, thanks for posting this! You hear everywhere that stainless props put your drivetrain at risk, while aluminum will protect you; I've always thought that was a total crock and now you've posted a real world example that proves it!

Tim

 
Tom W Clark
#12 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 3:55 PM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 4280
Comments: 7
Joined: 09/30/05

It is an Old Wive's Tale that an aluminum propeller will somehow protect your outboard motor. All modern propellers, aluminum or stainless steel, have hubs that will offer some impact protection.

But it is also true that if you choose to run your new outboard motor onto the rocks, there will be damage. Period. It doesn't matter if the prop is aluminum or stainless steel or what kind of hub you have.

Now if you occasionally run over a sand bar or oyster bed, as Harvey Boysen apparently done, and you use an aluminum prop, it will be mangled. If Harvey Boysen used a stainless steel propeller, it might loose a little of its shine but it would not be mangled.

It's your choice: You can keep buying a new aluminum prop every time you mangle one and suffer the weaker, less fuel efficient performance of an aluminum prop, or you can invest a little more up front and buy a good modern stainless steel propeller and enjoy its vastly better performance and durability. The latter will be less expensive in the long run.

 
mhinch
#13 Print Post
Posted on 03/02/12 - 6:01 PM
User Avatar
Member
Personal Page

Posts: 28
Comments: 0
Joined: 06/12/07

Tom,
Will you PLEASE run for office, you just make sense!


Matt
1996 Dauntless 15
50 HP Honda
67# thrust - 24 volt trolling motor
 
Jump to Forum:
Bookmark and Share
Today's Date & Time
November 24, 2024 - 5:59 AM
Visit our Sponsors
Nauset Marine - Whaler Parts and Accessories


Specialty Marine - Parts and Accessories


Wm. J. Mills and Co. - Boston Whaler Canvas


Carver Covers - The Best Covers Under The Sun



Click on logo to visit site
View all Sponsors Here
Users Online
Welcome
AuntiesMontauk
as the newest member

· Guests Online: 6
· Members Online: 0
· Total Members: 50,390
Login
Username

Password

Remember Me


Not a member yet?
Click here to register.

Forgotten your password?
Request a new one here.
Top 5 Models Posted
· Montauk 17 1,638
· Sport 13 1,366
· Outrage 18 556
· Nauset 16 402
· Sport 15 365

View all Models Here
Render time: 0.18 seconds Copyright WhalerCentral.com © 2003-2024 86,552,287 unique visits