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Old 07-01-2018, 09:14 PM   #15
ursa minor
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In reality the difference between the "impact damage" from hitting something with an aluminum propeller and a stainless propeller is minimal. If you hit something at speed you can wipe out the lower unit regardless of what material the propeller is made of. Stainless steel has a higher strenght than aluminum and allows for a thinner blade profile relative to the same propeller in aluminum resulting in a more efficient propeller when properly designed.

Like many things, propeller design has come a long way in the last 30 years. The stainless propeller on the Whaler you're considering may well be the ideal choice for that boat. Why would you remove a perfect propeller to substitute something less efficient on the odd chance you would hit something? Don't buy into the aluminum absorbs damage myth.

We have a Whaler with a mere 90HP for reference; the stainless performance propeller on it made a massive difference, try 43 MPH top end vs 38 with the supposedly same aluminum propeller. That's a pretty significant difference, I'll pay attention to the markers and charts to avoid damaging it...
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