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Thought I'd ask the collective wisdom of the'Fire.

I just bought a new boat--lucky me--its a 17ft Crestliner with a 115hp Merc 4 cycle. Big diesel Tugs and small skiffs with 20hp motors I understand, but runabouts like this a new to me.

I got a couple of questions, why are stainless steel props 3 times as much money?

The boat came with a A45 17p prop--I can get a SS but its 19p for cheap--what will change performance wise?

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They last much longer than an aluminum prop, can be reshaped if you hit something and bend it, don't shatter if you hit something, on a higher horespower motor you can get them reworked to suit what you need pitch and cup wise etc....

Depends on what you need. Down here they are a godsend when you are driving a boat with a 250hp motor going 70mph+ in this on LOTS of lakes.

Down here you really normally only see kicker size motors without a SS prop, but that probably varies regionally as we have lots of stick ups, shallow water and even pipelines you can run over.

[Linked Image]

Last edited by NathanL; 05/16/14.

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Thanks Nate--I've never shattered a prop but have torn the wings off a few. Gotta local guy here who rebuilds alum props till they look like new--charges $60

I'll bet it would cost a lot more for SS

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A ss prop won't flex under power maintaining its pitch. You may have to go with slightly less pitch. You might even get a higher top speed from your boat

SS allows more cup allowing you to trim out more which provides more efficiency.

It is heavier so it works better for slow speed trolling as it acts like a flywheel smoothing out the engine.

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I always liked mine just cuz it was tough. Less friggin around. I think I got a couple miles an hour more, too.


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Originally Posted by Azshooter
A ss prop won't flex under power maintaining its pitch. You may have to go with slightly less pitch. You might even get a higher top speed from your boat

SS allows more cup allowing you to trim out more which provides more efficiency.

It is heavier so it works better for slow speed trolling as it acts like a flywheel smoothing out the engine.


That flex is a big factor. Tuning a known is easier than guessing the flex. They're also a bit less drag, more aqua dynamic.


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SS props do have less flex, but the bigger downside depending on where you fish, is if (when) you hit schit there is a greater chance of doing damage to the lower end whereas an aluminum prop bend and give quite a bit more. 3 blade for top end/ 4 blade for better acceleration.

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I agree with the above. SS props flex less, and because of that perform better. You will have better hole shot and top end. Still, if you hit a rock you are more likely to damage the lower unit. SS props can usually be repaired, but in my experience it can get expensive. Aluminum are, obviously, less expensive. I have never had one repaired.

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RDFinn hit the nail on the head. Moore likely to damage the lower unit big time with a SS prop. Yeah, they're nicer and smoother and more efficient, but there is that one big downside -- damage to the lower unit. Aluminum tears and the gears don't. shocked


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The big thing is here hitting stuff while even idling and a SS prop handles that much better than an aluminum one and we have lots of stuff to hit while idling. Down here you rarely see a new boat for sale without a SS prop unless it's 25hp or less because most dealers know they can't sell them like that.


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Always took a different view than most, but that's probably oriented to the world I drove boats in. Thing about SS props when you're working shallow hard bottom is they don't yield much when you hit a chunk of coral or an oyster bar perched on limestone. The guts of your lower unit will however, and eventually something will let go.

OTOH, lots of horsepower and a surface drive mandates SS props. And if not properly constructed they can still sling a blade and that's always exciting.

Everybody gets to pick their own poison I guess.


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I hear ya loud and clear. Hitting stumps, while bad, isn't as big of deal as hitting a shoal (solid terra firma) on the fly. On Lake Champlain, they don't mark anything, so you're on your own.

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They sure swipe them faster. MIA @ 2




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Originally Posted by NathanL
They last much longer than an aluminum prop, can be reshaped if you hit something and bend it, don't shatter if you hit something, on a higher horespower motor you can get them reworked to suit what you need pitch and cup wise etc....

Depends on what you need. Down here they are a godsend when you are driving a boat with a 250hp motor going 70mph+ in this on LOTS of lakes.

Down here you really normally only see kicker size motors without a SS prop, but that probably varies regionally as we have lots of stick ups, shallow water and even pipelines you can run over.

[Linked Image]


That reminds me of a big cove on Sam Rayburn I used to fish 45 years ago. I used to see schools of 4-5 lb bass busting the surface in an area bigger than an acre, Nathan.

Sam was the bass factory until the outcries from hotshot BASS bastards finally resulted in the buffalo fish gill netters being forced off the lake. Then the thousands of alligator gar became hundreds of thousands. So, rather than lose a few bass to the netters Rayburn lost millions to the gar. A big gar can snap a ten pound bass like a pretzel. Now, if it weren't for the fact most fishermen don't keep bass there probably would be very few , i figure.

Last edited by eyeball; 05/16/14.

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Yeah I fished Rayburn a lot more than T-Bend condiering I lived 5 minutes from T-Bend for 15 years but I didn' thave a quick pic of it available. They all just about look alike, Rayburn, T-Bend, Wright Pattman, Fork, Pinkston, Lake Nacogdoches, Murval.

Damn now I'm wishing I was fishing.

Last edited by NathanL; 05/16/14.

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Does Rayburn have fish like this ? I've never been to Rayburn.

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Yes it does, or close to it. Is that Mexico or Falcon/Amistad in the pics?


I remember the first tournament I fished with a 5 fish limit and the winning stringer was 37 pounds. I figured that day I would go back to just fishing and not competeting. I have some pics around here somehwere. My personal best on Rayburn is right around 8 broke 10 on Caddo once.

Rayburn is a fun place to figure out but if I just want to catch fish there are other better lakes that are smaller in the area that are slot lakes unlike Rayburn.

Last edited by NathanL; 05/16/14.

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Those are from Lake El Salto in Mexico.

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Nice. Yeah Rayburn is nice if you fish it a lot but you really need to fish it midweek during the busy season it gets a LOT of fisherman from Houston on weekends cause it's so close.


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You still go or has the sinaola been too strong?

I've seen at least 12 pounders on Rayburn and had 20 lb line broken a few times, once by a monster fish I saw to be a bass which I had hung on a shad chrome Big O.

Last edited by eyeball; 05/16/14.

The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time by the blood of patriots and tyrants.

If being stupid allows me to believe in Him, I'd wish to be a retard. Eisenhower and G Washington should be good company.
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