"trainfan1" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:



Just sort of lurking in this conversation, but if a stainless prop and an
aluminum one were exactly the same dimensionally, why would one perform
differently than the other? Friction differences due to surface
characteristics?

1. Blade thickness.

2. Blade flex.

The SS prop has the advantage in both categories and is therefore more
efficient.

The downside is that if you hit something you will end up doing some serious
damage to your lower unit vs. an aluminum prop shedding part of its blades.

--
Skipper

*JimH* wrote:

The SS prop has the advantage in both categories and is therefore more
efficient.

The downside is that if you hit something you will end up doing some
serious damage to your lower unit vs. an aluminum prop shedding part
of its blades.

I've come to a different conclusion after 5 decades of scraping bottoms.
The SS holds up better and does not add substantial additional risk. I
say that having hit submerged concrete at WOT while river running (even
having to repair holed lower units from impacts). If you do a LOT of
boating, SS is the way to go.

--
Skipper

"trainfan1" wrote in message
...
Doug Kanter wrote:



Just sort of lurking in this conversation, but if a stainless prop and an
aluminum one were exactly the same dimensionally, why would one perform
differently than the other? Friction differences due to surface
characteristics?

Doug, no one would make a NiBrAl, brass, or SS prop with blades as thick
as needed for the "same prop"(dia, pitch, area, shape) in aluminum, so you
will never be able to make that comparison.

A SS prop will be forgiving on logs & sandbars. Personal experience on
our Glastron shows little difference in speed(SS slight advantage) but the
SS is less prone to blow-outs and gives a better trim attide than the
"same spec" aluminum.

Polished SS props can be very pretty on your floating Camaro, too!

Rob

With that last line, you sold me on aluminum, simply for spiritual reasons.
Too many floating Camaros around here, driven by "brunos", as my son
(correctly) calls them. If I ever find out I have three months to live and
prison doesn't matter, I plan on adding some new fishing structure to a few
of the lakes around here. :-)

I thought Skippy had a "21' Bilgeliner?
Fredo

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Skipper wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

Just sort of lurking in this conversation, but if a stainless prop and
an
aluminum one were exactly the same dimensionally, why would one perform
differently than the other? Friction differences due to surface
characteristics?

Stainless steel is STIFFER than the aluminum prop and will outperform
it. Also, aluminum props ding up much easier than steel props. Stainless
is the way to go.

--
Skipper


Identically dimensioned aluminum and stainless props will perform about
the same under identical circumstances for most boaters. If you are
pushing a 21' fishboat with a 200 hp outboard, and you have two props, one
alum and the other stainless, and they have the same pitch, diameter and
blade geometry, the performance will be about the same. Different cup
design, very high speed boat, et cetera, and thinner blades available on a
stainless prop might make a difference.

What would an ersatz Skipper know when the real Skipper never owned a
boat?

R u sure?
I thought he had a 2152 or 2252 bilgeliner cuddy cabin?
Wasn't that the boat he was talking about trailering all the way to the sea
of Cortez? Also didn't he challenge someone here to a trailering contest at
one time?
"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
FREDO wrote:
I thought Skippy had a "21' Bilgeliner?
Fredo

"Harry Krause" wrote in message
...
Skipper wrote:
Doug Kanter wrote:

Just sort of lurking in this conversation, but if a stainless prop and
an
aluminum one were exactly the same dimensionally, why would one
perform
differently than the other? Friction differences due to surface
characteristics?
Stainless steel is STIFFER than the aluminum prop and will outperform
it. Also, aluminum props ding up much easier than steel props.
Stainless
is the way to go.

--
Skipper

Identically dimensioned aluminum and stainless props will perform about
the same under identical circumstances for most boaters. If you are
pushing a 21' fishboat with a 200 hp outboard, and you have two props,
one alum and the other stainless, and they have the same pitch, diameter
and blade geometry, the performance will be about the same. Different
cup design, very high speed boat, et cetera, and thinner blades
available on a stainless prop might make a difference.

What would an ersatz Skipper know when the real Skipper never owned a
boat?




Naw. Skipper never owned a Bayliner.