Prop blades: What do you prefer: Aluminum, Composite, Steel?

[Texasmark]

Re: Prop blades: What do you prefer: Aluminum, Composite, Steel?

Back in 1972 I bought a new boat with a 125 Johnson...OEM alum prop. Must have had that thing repaired half a dozen times....seemed that anything you hit, including a 2" sapling at idle one time negotiating thru a wooded area fishing....I know as I saw it hit it.

About that time OMC came out with their SST black teflon coated SS prop. I bought one and never had the prop off again. Only way I would run alum is if I was fishing rocks.

Mark

 

[Triton II]

Re: Prop blades: What do you prefer: Aluminum, Composite, Steel?

Hi TII,

I'm in Malta, tiny island south of Sicily. Great boating location as we have bluewater right up to the coast line and 30meter underwater visibility in nearly all areas.

Aside from paying around $7.63 for a gallon of unleaded it's a great place to have a boat!

Thanks NSD. I've been to several Med islands from Gibraltar to Cyprus, but not Malta. One day... one day!

TII

 

[Mac525]

Re: Prop blades: What do you prefer: Aluminum, Composite, Steel?

glade to hear that the piranha's are workning out for you and I think the new hydro bites would beat the ss props all around. The "rails" on the blade face should really cut slip due to the resriction of lateral movement of the water across the blade surface

 

[NSD]

Re: Prop blades: What do you prefer: Aluminum, Composite, Steel?

glade to hear that the piranha's are workning out for you and I think the new hydro bites would beat the ss props all around. The "rails" on the blade face should really cut slip due to the resriction of lateral movement of the water across the blade surface

Hard to beat an S/S prop, I don't think that's their intention with the Hydro Bites and I doubt they will actually manage but would be very interesting to try them out. Pity they haven't yet updated their website with them in detail and are keeping them at the moment just on the 4 bladers

To give you an idea:

Evinrude Rebel 15.75x15P 3 Blade S/S runs 5,650rpm
Evinrude Rebel 15.5x17P 3 Blade S/S runs 5,300rpm

Piranha 3 Blade 15x19P Composite runs 5,850rpm on my setup showing with their prop I need more bite which of course they don't offer in a 3 blade configuration at the moment (very poor imo)