Prop guard

[Bjjams]

Does anyone have any recommendations for a decent prop guard? I fish the Mississippi a lot and since I upgraded to a 25 mariner last year, I’m little worried about hitting rocks and gravel. I never went fast enough with my old motor to matter. Does anyone have experience with Mac’s prop savers? I’m not sure whether to get the one that loops and connects to cavitation plate or one that connects to the skeg and protects the bottom only.

[EBass]

After two lower units ruined (more like destroyed) by rocks you'd think I'd get one. But nope.

I have a 25H to. I just go slow in the rapids unless I know it well.

I want to know how much performance is lost like MPH. I do fish lakes a lot, otherwise I'd get a jet if I had the $$$.

[Bjjams]

Yeah a jet would be ideal but not gonna happen this year, or next! I'm not too concerned about power loss unless it's that significant. What I don't want to do is put on the prop guard and have that be just another thing broken by those mystery rocks that pop out of nowhere. I may just save the 140$ and put it towards a new prop or skeg if/when the time comes.

[Alagnak]

Have a jet now here in MN but still mostly run props in AK. I had a Mac's guard on a 25 here and it was well worth the money. Keep your motor unlocked obviously and it would just kick it up out of the water when you hit hard but didn't break the skeg off and I'm sure it saved the prop a few times. You are still going to bend a blade over a little if you side swipe a big boulder because they don't protect from the side.

It DID lose a little top end speed- like 1-1.5 mph. Well worth it though.

If it's a section I have to navigate through that I know is going to be a problem I stop and put on my 'rock prop' (beat up one) to go through the crappy area or up river to fish what I want and switch it back to a good prop on my way back down river after going back through it. Only takes a few seconds to swap one out. Then when you are going slow through a fast water section you know you are going to rub you don't care if you hit so much.

[motley man]

Saw one on web under homemade prop guard that was made from pitch fork, and I have made them myself. The one on the web was a great design, that clamped on and protected the whole front of motor.

[ChuckN]

I have an aluminum plate that bolts onto the lower unit skeg of my 25hp Yamaha 4 stroke. I have hit many rocks at high speed and this plate has worked well so far.

[Bjjams]

Would a "rock hopper", "river runner" style be more useful and protective than the circular "prop saver" kind? I was talking with a co-worker who said only get one of the circular guards, the plate ones don't help enough. Sounds like that's the style some of you are using with success though.

I like the idea of a homemade one, not sure I want a pitchfork on the back of the motor though! After some googling I saw some decent homemade circular guards that are cost friendly.

[b123]

i use a rock hopper style on my 30 hp johnson and i can honestly say it has impressed me. I have hit some stuff pretty hard and no lower unit damage at all, this goes from rocks to logs all at 20 mph. Im actually looking to move up to a 80's merc 50 HP and i really want to find one for that too. The one negative thing i have found is if you get into shallow gravel it seems to chew up props due to getting gravel stuck between the guard and prop.

[Bjjams]

I think I'm going to try the Mac's river runner. I'm a little nervous about drilling into the skeg though. Do the holes need to be repaired if I decide to take it off?