from aluminum to stainless.....

[metalmessiah]

just wondering if there would be a need to change diameter or pitch going from aluminm to stainless props.<br />Im running a 13 1/4 x 23 pitch aluminum now.RPM's are perfect & top speed is good too. really slow out of the hole though.<br />everyone keeps telling me that a stainless prop will fix that since they flex less. its on a 1997 force 120 pushing a 17' astro bass boat.<br />getting around 54 mph & 5000 RPM with what I have now.

 

[12Footer]

Re: from aluminum to stainless.....

No need. It should perform the same. If you had excessive flexing with an aluminum prop, it would spin out the hub to protect itself. I'm not the prop guru tho, by any stretch.

 

[Hooty]

Re: from aluminum to stainless.....

If it wuz me (which it ain't) I think I might try a 22" and let the engine spin on up a little more. Might help your hole shot a little too.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[Jack Shellac]

Re: from aluminum to stainless.....

I believe the SS will do better because it has thinner blades and almost all are cupped. The cupping gives it a better bite on the water resulting in less ventilating and slipping and you get quicker acceleration. The old rule of thumb was that you can run an additional inch of pitch with SS and get the same RPM's. But the blade cupping offets that and that's why I say go with the same D x P. Just my opinion. Props are tricky and don't ever seem to work out exactly like you think they will.