Propeller Advice

I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

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"Wally" wrote in message
...
I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

It all depends on how fast you intend to be going when you hit something. I
fish a lot of shallow water, with stumps, rocks, gravel and sand. If I know
I'm in an area that I'm likely to hit something, I simply slow down.

I run a stainless prop, have for over 10 years now. I have yet to have to
have a prop repaired. Prior to that, with aluminum, I fixed or replaced
them with alarming frequency. I still hit things, but a stainless prop is
much tougher than aluminim and won't bend.

A composite prop I think would make a great backup prop, but I wouldn't run
one as a main prop from the reading I've done about them. But then again,
that's just me.
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...


I simply slow down.



Hahahahaaa.... that's a good one Steve! Aren't you the guy that I seen
running about 50mph over that 1.5' area on Boom Lake? You know, between the
island, and the same little hump that I was tempted to get out of my boat
and help it float over???

"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...


I simply slow down.



Hahahahaaa.... that's a good one Steve! Aren't you the guy that I seen
running about 50mph over that 1.5' area on Boom Lake? You know, between the
island, and the same little hump that I was tempted to get out of my boat
and help it float over???

Wally wrote:

I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

Remove notthis to reply by Email.
I have been running stainless steel props on motors from 115 to 225 hp
since 1979 and have never had lower unit damage although I have had to
have many props worked on after hitting everything from rocks to stumps.

I thought those composite props were for emergency use - did not know
they had developed better ones.

I think a stainless with an XHS style hub would serve you better for
performance. It would hold up better to minor bangs and knock, and if you
hit soemthing hard the the hub will give and is easily replaceable.

I run a river system with a few iron wood stumps in or near main high speed
corridors, and lots of sand bars. Around here a skeg with paint on it
hasn't been in the water. Its not uncommon to see a boat hung on a sand
bar, and more than once I've found myself hammering the throttle and
trimming up the motor to clear a sand bar as I feel the skeg thumping along.

Stainless serves me well. I feel vulnerable running anthing else. My
little boat has an aluminumbecasue I can't find a stainless pitched long
enough, but I will be sending one off to be repitched soon.

--
** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com


"Wally" wrote in message
...
I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

Remove notthis to reply by Email.

I think a stainless with an XHS style hub would serve you better for
performance. It would hold up better to minor bangs and knock, and if you
hit soemthing hard the the hub will give and is easily replaceable.

I run a river system with a few iron wood stumps in or near main high speed
corridors, and lots of sand bars. Around here a skeg with paint on it
hasn't been in the water. Its not uncommon to see a boat hung on a sand
bar, and more than once I've found myself hammering the throttle and
trimming up the motor to clear a sand bar as I feel the skeg thumping along.

Stainless serves me well. I feel vulnerable running anthing else. My
little boat has an aluminumbecasue I can't find a stainless pitched long
enough, but I will be sending one off to be repitched soon.

--
** Public Fishing and Boating Forums
** www.YumaBassMan.com


"Wally" wrote in message
...
I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

Remove notthis to reply by Email.

Go stainless, those composite props are good for emergency back ups.


--
Bill
Chesapeake, Va


"Wally" wrote in message
...
I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

Remove notthis to reply by Email.

On Wed, 16 Feb 2005 08:17:38 -0600, "Charles B. Summers"
sent into the ether:


"Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers" wrote in
message ...


I simply slow down.



Hahahahaaa.... that's a good one Steve! Aren't you the guy that I seen
running about 50mph over that 1.5' area on Boom Lake? You know, between the
island, and the same little hump that I was tempted to get out of my boat
and help it float over???


More like 65/70MPH :}

For the record I have yet to see Steve slow down unless he is going to
fish :}


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www.outdoorfrontiers.com
www.SecretWeaponLures.com

"Ronnie Garrison" wrote in message
...
Wally wrote:

I am considering putting a Pirahna Composite prop on my 17 foot
aluminum bass boat, 90 HP Mercury, The syatem looked good, with
replaceable ears. The lake I fish in South Texas, Choke Canyon, has
lots of debris, trees, easy to ding an aluminum and rewelds here were
arouns $70. I really am twitchy about changing to stainless steel, if
the clutch does not slip, may have serious lower unit damage and I
have been told by a couple people in the area not to go steel.

Any thoughts or advice greatly appreciated.

Wally

Remove notthis to reply by Email.
I have been running stainless steel props on motors from 115 to 225 hp
since 1979 and have never had lower unit damage although I have had to
have many props worked on after hitting everything from rocks to stumps.

I thought those composite props were for emergency use - did not know they
had developed better ones.

Yeah, supposedly there are some companies that are touting their props a for
regular use. The reports I've read, when comparing performance specs, tell
me otherwise......
--
Steve @ OutdoorFrontiers
http://www.outdoorfrontiers.com
G & S Guide Service and Custom Rods
http://www.herefishyfishy.com