stainless pop for a 22 cruiser

[buddywaters]

My 22 C Dory cruiser is now 1 year old and I have some dings on the aluminum prop from my trips to the outer banks of N. C. I am considering a stainless steel prop for the 90 4 stroke Yamaha motor.
Would appreciate suggestions as to the best prop for that motor.
Thanks so much for any help. My email is garlandwaters@suddenlink.net

[Les Lampman]

Hi there.

The answer to your question is there's no such thing and the "best prop"...just as there are no "perfect" tires for your particular vehicle. From a technical standpoint you need to install a prop that lets the engine operate within the range specified by the manufacturer but after that it's all about design and operating characteristics. Once you know your shoe size you can't just buy shoes willy-nilly (unless you're extremely lucky) because they all "feel" differently; same holds true for props. Even someone running the same make and model of engine on the same hull may not like the prop you'd choose and vice versa. There are just too many variables like operator preference, water conditions, boat weight, typical operating speed, etc.

You really need to get a hold of a good Yamaha dealer or a good prop shop and tell them what you want out of the prop. A professional shop will work with you to get the best prop for your use and needs.

Good luck...

[hammerhead]

My mechanic talked me out of the stainless steel props with this simple logic.

Once you install a stainless steel prop, you now have a prop stronger than your internal parts. So when you hit the bottom of the boat ramp or that unseen submerged item, something has to give. This was when I spent $2200 replacing my ol Mercruiser outdrive. Do these hondas have sheer pins?

so if your prop is stronger than the gears in your gear box

Well just a thought, im sticken to aluminum props.

[Les Lampman]

Well, what's supposed to happen is that prop's rubber hub lets go to protect the propeller shaft (and therefor the internals). I'm not sure where the urban myth of a stainless prop damaging the engine started unless back in the bad-old-days the hubs didn't do their thing. If a shear pin breaks it breaks and you're dead in the water. If a hub spins it usually lets you move the boat at kicker speeds (sometimes a little quicker) if you need to find a better place to change the prop. It rare to find a shear pin on any engine larger than 5 hp these days.

The downside I see on stainless props on low horsepower engines (under about 125 hp) is that they weigh a lot more and they aren't as responsive when that small engine tries to get them spinning. The other is that if you do crunch one they're a lot more expensive to repair. But they do put up with sand and small debris a lot better than aluminum. If you tag an aluminum prop and don't repair it quickly the out-of-balance operation can damage seals and bearings. Each has its good points and bad.

[Sea Wolf]

After going the stainless route, I found that I didn't like the big "CLUNK" that occurrs when you shift into gear with a 13-15 lb stainless prop, so I went back to the 4 lb aluminum variety. I just didn't like the sound of what might be happenng to the shift dogs down in the lower unit.

This is probably an over-reaction, but .............

Joe.

[starcrafttom]

About that rubber hub. I went fishing with this guy "motorhead" from stockton ca. We had talked on the net and decided to go for a day of sturgeon fishing. Well when I walked up to his boat I had to make the decision to go fish or run for my life. I am not a picky person about fishing boats. If it floats-we go fishing. Well I had doubt about this thing floating. Motorhead took so long parking the truck that the boat had more then enough time to sink and didn't, so I figure it was ok for the day and hey the delta is not very deep.

You had to see this thing. It was a old 70's trihull glass ski boat about 15 to 16 ft. The last guy to wax it was on the production line. There were several large poorly done patches in the hull. The carpet was more of a memory then a floor covering. The windshield was a ancient memory if it had existed at all. The foam in the seats was top notch thu. It had well at lasted the fake leather that had covered it. the engine cover of the i/o was bare weather wore ply wood of a unknown but vintage age. As far as thru bolts and anything metal, well you cant really appreciate the bonding power of rust until you see it in action. You maybe asking what this has to do with rubber hubs and props. hang on , I am getting to it. When motor head finally came back from parking the matching truck I learned how he got his name. I like the sound of a deep throaty v-8, but when he turned the key I feel in love and ever guy at that dock spent 10 seconds looking for the drag boat before they realized what I already knew. motorhead is not a name, its a way of life. every dollar spent on that boat, and there were many, were currently being exhausted out the 4 inch pipes of a 400hp engine in the worse looking boat I have ever been seen smiling on.

Top speed was in the 70's and really squarely. motorhead never did open that thing up all the way. The first time he tried to was a month after I meet him. we were on the sac in down town sac. a really nice drag boat with a load of bikinis and a-holes had just passed to close to us coming out of the no wake zone. MH did not like that but he was not as mad as the driver of the other boat when he could not lose us at 60mph heading up river. We did our best hee haw imitation as we passed him waving out straw hats. (yes I owned a straw hat). guys boat was called "I Sue". not use to getting shown up I think. As we pulled away MH floored it and the boat slowed to a stop but the motor did not. We shut it down and spent a while figuring it out. The H.P. had spun the rubber hub. We figured it was old and MH ended up replacing it.... four times. every time he really jumped on that motor we would spin the hub. It just could not take the torque. he ended up selling it and getting a maxima so the wife and kids would come out on the water. his wife being smarter then me would not get on the trihull. love that boat.