Small prop to avoid damage?

[Oldpos]

I have a pontoon with a I/O and like to beach to boat a lot at camp grounds and sandbars on a lake in Georgia. Problem is I get a ton of small knicks and some decent ones from going into shallow water.
My prop is dead even with my skeg.
My question is can will a skeg protector in crease the length of the skeg and give a little protection to the prop tip? Or can I run a smaller diameter prop but do I have to go with a different pitch due to loss of diameter?
I also loose a lot of speed in tight corners pulling a tube, may more pitch is needed anyhow?

I have a 24ft parti Kraft pontoon with a 3.0L with alpha one gen II drive . I run a 16” 13P aluminum prop. It runs about 21 mph gps speed at 4400 rpm wot.

 

[racerone]

It just sounds like you need a depth sounder and take it easy.----Sounds like you have the correct prop.-----Changing to a smaller prop is not the solution !!

 

[Sea Rider]

If like beaching trim the motor up a tad before the prop ventilates too much and take it easy on the throttle when reaching the shore...

Happy Boating​

 

[Chris1956]

A stainless steel prop will take all kinds of punishment from sand and silt, and love it. Not for use in rocks of any size.

 

[Scott Danforth]

I have a pontoon with a I/O and like to beach to boat a lot at camp grounds and sandbars on a lake in Georgia. Problem is I get a ton of small knicks and some decent ones from going into shallow water.
My prop is dead even with my skeg.
My question is can will a skeg protector in crease the length of the skeg and give a little protection to the prop tip? Or can I run a smaller diameter prop but do I have to go with a different pitch due to loss of diameter?
I also loose a lot of speed in tight corners pulling a tube, may more pitch is needed anyhow?

I have a 24ft parti Kraft pontoon with a 3.0L with alpha one gen II drive . I run a 16” 13P aluminum prop. It runs about 21 mph gps speed at 4400 rpm wot.

I wouldnt be beaching a pontoon with an IO if the drive is not in deep enough water to trim up.

the prop is the least of your worries, burying the drive in the muck and sucking muck into the impeller taking it out should be your worry.

as racerone pointed out, you need a depth finder

 

[QBhoy]

Huge diameter prop for an alpha. One might imagine that a smaller diameter with a similar pitch, might see you better. Get your rpms more into the correct rpm range too.

 

[Oldpos]

Huge diameter prop for an alpha. One might imagine that a smaller diameter with a similar pitch, might see you better. Get your rpms more into the correct rpm range too.

I have one guy on here saying this is correct and you say it’s not. Where should I be at rpm wise? Any thoughts on size?

 

[Oldpos]

I have a depth finder, but I also know I’m going into too shallow water , I usually cut the throttle going in, but sometimes when I push out it’s not far enough and I hit bottom a little bit even when trimmed up. Nature of the beast I guess, just wondered if a skeg guard would help making the skeg a little longer so the prop doesn’t hit first. It’s a hard clay bottom lake so the drive does sink into the muck. I’m hitting more hard clay with like a very light 57 size gravel rock