2 New Props

[Navy Chief]

Well, I finally bit the bullet and bought Stainless. I have been running an aluminum 12 1/4X15 on my 40HP Tiller Evinrude. It has done well on my Lowe Roughneck 1860VT. It will push the boat without problems, I just couldn't justify $300 for a new prop. Iboats.com has numerous SS Michigan Props on clearance and I got a Rapture and Michgan Match SS all for $315 with shipping. The way I figured it, 2 for the price of one and I get a spare. The Rapture is 12 1/2X13 and the Match is 11 3/4X13......what do you guys think it will do for the boat? Was I justified an getting them...or did I waste my money? Any input is greatly appreciated.

Chad L.

[Ben]

You should see a better whole shot and probably a couple of mph more on top end. I've never run Michigan Wheel props so not sure how they perform but anything has gotta be better than the aluminum. Aluminum props have their place but not on the motor for regular use. They are cheap and much lighter than an SS so they make a good spare prop. If you're running in rocks or a river etc, where you're constantly banging up the prop, they are easier to hammer back out, they take a lot of the shock off the LU gears and are easier on the wallet to replace. You can replace an aluminum about as cheap as you can repair a stainless. I have one aluminum prop I run on my 25 Merc one for my 9.9 tiller motors is use when running a river near me that you don't go in without hitting submerged trees/limbs, or have to run across sandbars to navigate it, the other 10 - 15 props I have for my motors are all stainless. Stainless is the only way to go for normal lake fishing.

I think you did the right thing dropping to a 13" prop also.  An aluminum prop's blades lay back so much under a load, they tend to loose a lot of pitch, something the stainless is not going to do.  I"m not too sure about the 11 X 13 though, not knowing what kind of rpm you were turning with the aluminum.  If nothing else, it should make a great prop when carrying a heavier than normal load.  You always want a prop that will keep the rpm within 100 - 200 of the recommended max rpm for your motor with your normal load at WOT.

[Navy Chief]

Ben,

 I was pretty much right on with the propping before, 5300 RPM with the Aluminum. So by following all the peoples recommendations from the site, I dropped down to the 13 with the SS. Once I get home in the late summer, I will test both the props and see which one works best for each scenario I throw at it. Either way I will have one spare SS and a spare Aluminum if I decide to hit the rivers were I run the risk of hitting sand or stumps. The wife even emailed me back and told me to go ahead and get the SS props, good thing she did cause I already had