Prop guard

J

Jim Lefers

New member
Not very good on this iPad so please bear with me! I purchased a 16' cruiser to run the everglades waterway this winter and have been outfitting in preparation for that trip. It's motor is a 50hp suzuki 4 stroke and my question is does anyone think it's necessary to install a prop guard to avoid any slow collision with either manatee's,alligators or crocs and avoid damage on possible groundings. I am not concerned with losing performances as its a very slow trip anyway and could be removed after the journey. We keep it here in St.Charles,Mo on the Mississippi River on a hoist under a dock at the umr225 and will use it here when we return. My other question is the salt use where it's almost impossible to flush. Visiting the everglades last winter we talked to boaters there and got many varied opinions on the motor but the most common opinion was to keep engine lowered when in salt to keep fresh air out(as in don't tip the engine when not in use) and flush as soon as possible after use . Lots of the access ramps there forbid flushing because of fresh water supplies are very limited and water use is carefully watched. Any advice is appreciated the prop guard I have been looking into is offered by 'Prop Guard ' company . Gonna try and post a picture of the cruiser,as I made my living working a 'bobcat' loader and a excavator I named her 'mini bob' .thanks to the fellow 'brats',Jim Lefers
 
One thing I noticed when I was in Hawaii last year is that all the public boat ramps that I saw have wash bays to rinse your boat/trailer as soon as it comes out of the water. Plus there is no fee to use them. They just ask that you limit your rinsing to 15 minutes. It'd be nice if saltwater ramps on the mainland had these as well, but I have never seen them.
 
ssobol":2i0p89pe said:
One thing I noticed when I was in Hawaii last year is that all the public boat ramps that I saw have wash bays to rinse your boat/trailer as soon as it comes out of the water. Plus there is no fee to use them. They just ask that you limit your rinsing to 15 minutes. It'd be nice if saltwater ramps on the mainland had these as well, but I have never seen them.
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Better launch facilities here in OR have them. Ditto WA. Of course, water is not usually in short supply here, unlike drier parts of CA, where it is illegal to wash your car at home, but OK at car washes, because they recycle their water.
 
Don't know of anyone using prop guards in Florida. Not that someone doesn't but I never see them on other engines and don't know personally of anyone that does. If going slow is your norm then manatees won't be a problem besides they are at a distinct disadvantage in a collision. Most folks don't even realize what they may or may not have hit because there is rarely any damage to the boat/motor.

As to the motors....I generally keep mine up if in salt. If you do not have bottom paint you will see why. We just spent a week in the 10 Thousand Islands/Romano Shoals area and had a coating of marine organisms covering the hull. It does not take long. If you listen closely at night you will hear little discreet popping noises on the bottom of the hull. I'm no scientist but something is happening under there. My theory is they'll do the same to the motor and water passages so I keep them up if we anchor for the night.

Never, ever have we had access to any washdown facilities at any boat ramp. Best chance for that would be to launch from a private ramp at a marina or repair shop that is on the water. You will not stop the deterioration no matter what you do.
 
I dont have one but seems like a weed catcher to me.

My noneducational guess-timate is microorganisms will be forming a biofilm on the boat in 20 minutes and visible growth in 18 hours.

Sounds like a fun trip, you could adjust the tilt for skinny water ( it take might several adjustments but have plenty of time ) . I heard python snakes are a big problem something to consider if they get onboard
 
Like Brent said they can be weed catchers. You did not mention weeds where you are planning your trip so it may not be a problem. We have a lot of guys that like heading into the weeds and marshes around Long Point(Lake Erie) to fish and hunt geese. The prop guards and jet drive outboards tend to get clogged up with weeds and stall. Some use the Mud Buddy outboards which work much better. One guy I met had one of the long tail Mud Buddy motors which he said worked great in the shallows. The only drawback he said steering was a bit tricky at higher speeds.

Yes, buying a Mud Buddy just for your one trip would be a bit of overkill -- just thought I'd mention it. They are available with enough hp. to move your 16' at the speeds you are looking for.

Regards, Rob
 
Jim, Prior to our purchase of the CD22 iin 2003, we had a RIB that we used for exploring in the Upper part of British Columbia, Yukon & Northwest Territories on very isolated rivers & lakes. I ordered a prop protector like the one you showed the link to, & immediately returned it. It was much to big, looking like a weed collector & with its depth below the prop all the more apt to hit something that might have been missed without it. I installed Mac River Runners instead & they saved me many times from severe prop damage. I liked them enough that I used them on our CD22 when we cruised the upper 200 miles on the Yukon River.

Jay
 
We have had several trips into the Everglades--and see no reason for a Prop Guard.

You can carry a several gallon garden sprayer, with a solution of "Salt Away" for when you cannot flush the motor. Not sure about the 50, but most Suzuki's have a flushing port. I have a 140 on the Caracal Cat, which we have used in the Everglades. The boat is kept in the water for about 3 months in the Keys, and flushed after each use--motor is kept "up" between uses--as are most of the other boats in the area where we boat. If you leave the motor down you run the risk of some marine growth on the lower unit.

Not sure where you are going in the "Everglades" , but we were a bit disappointed in the "Everglade" side of the barrier at Flaminco--the Birding and wild life was better on the Salt water side. The degree of salinity with vary in different parts of the Everglades, but generally should be less than in Florida Bay, or the Gulf Of Mexico. There should be a net flow of fresh water into the ocean bodies from the Everglades, but this is a problem which has consumed billions of Federal dollars in trying to "rebalance" the water of the Everglades.
 
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