steel vs alum prop

[fasternu]

I was thinking about repropping my boat this year. With all things being equal (pitch, size, fins, etc.) What should I expect to see different between a standard aluminum prop and a stainless steel prop? It isn't necessarily performing bad, unless it is really loaded down with people/gear, but just curious what would change, if anything. Thanks in advance.

[JohnMickish]

A couple questions first. How big a boat and what is the HP of the motor? The smaller the motor the less difference you will see.

You may want to rethink keeping the pitch the same since stainless props flex less than aluminum props do you usually go down one size in pitch.

Another thing, not all stainless props are the same as far as blade cup, blade size and such. Prop companies have stainless props for every situation. A prop for a bass boat will not be ideal for a ProV or a pontoon, and vice versa.

[leechlake]

I had a boat that was maxed out HP wise so even with the Aluminum it got up fast but with the Stainless it was a smidge quicker and it just felt different. Part of that may have been in my head but it sure felt different.

[traveler]

I run a 150 yamaha 0n a 20 ft bay boat. Went to a SS last year and it's noticeably better handling, and gained a couple mph as well. It's not the same pitch, don't remember exactly the change, I went on the advice of my prop guy.

[fasternu]

The boat is a 17 foot Crestliner with a yamaha 90 two stroke. I just am not sure how the 2 types of props would perform, or if there was a difference or not. I am maxed out on rpms when alone in the boat (which is not often), and when loaded down lose the whole shot of course, and about 5mphs.

[JohnMickish]

I used to run a '96 Lund Pro V 1775 with a carbed 115 on the back. I switched from a 19" aluminum to a 17" cheap stainless and it was like a new boat. The old aluminum prop was in near perfect shape but wouldn't hold the water when it was rough. To try and keep the boat at a dry attitude the prop would cavitate. Top speed was 40ish at 5800RPM. The cheap stainless fixed the cavitation problem, making the boat much more enjoyable to run. The MPH and RPM stayed the same.

Contact a prop shop and see what they say. Many will loan out a prop for you to try before you buy. I know Brainerd prop does this.

[SkunkedAgain]

Last summer I dropped down in pitch on my 16.5' Navigator with a 90hp 4-stroke. The stock prop worked fine for most conditions with good hole shot and speed. However, we tend to take guests across the lake to our place and you had to go WOT with people and gear to get up on plane. Changing the pitch and staying aluminum was fantastic and exactly what I wanted. I now have to be careful if it's just me in the boat, so I don't over-rev (even though there is a limiter). It's also better for skiing and tubing.

I didn't go SS because I typically boat on the iron range, so hitting rocks is more of an "when" than an "if" question.

[NAMASafetyDirector]

Was going through the whole prop dilema last year with my boat..ended up contacting PropMD down in the cities. They were more than helpfull and knowlegable. Sold me a PowerTech stainless prop which ended up being just a little too light so I returned it for nothing except the shipping and sent me a new one 1 pitch up. Made the call Thursday before a long holiday weekend and they next day shipped it and had it sitting in my garage when I got home from work Friday! Great service and great tech's there! Would reccomend them to anyone that's struggling or just plain needs some advice on props.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I can't really offer any performance advice that hasn't been mentioned.

However, I'll say that I will never put a SS prop on any of my boats ever again. Down here in shallow water land I've taken out more than one lower unit with a stainless prop.

That's just me, good luck.

[Crappie Rage]

For my 18 footer with a 140 the ss prop made all the difference in the as far as the hole shot went. Went from 3 blade aluminum to 4 blade ss.

[traveler]

I can't really offer any performance advice that hasn't been mentioned.

However, I'll say that I will never put a SS prop on any of my boats ever again. Down here in shallow water land I've taken out more than one lower unit with a stainless prop.

That's just me, good luck.

I think this is a good example of when a SS prop is a bad idea...I would have never gone SS when I was running my boat around the lakes up here in the arrowhead....just too many rocks and too much danger of exactly what Eric experienced. But...

now my boat lives up on Red lake, where the rocks are few and far between, I feel fine with the SS, and can enjoy the real benifits it offers preformance wise.

but I'm still careful with it in shallow water...