Captain Bonehead

[Orion]

All excellent points. Also, don't think because your depth sounder says 25' of water, that your safe. There are some 24' rocks in there!

I've been boating on this lake for 45 years. Whenever I'm somewhere that I don't regularly travel, the chart is out. At night the GPS is also on, and we're travelling within the "new" speed limits. With one bonehead exception when I was on the lake when I was 17 in a very high-water Springtime, with no chart, I have maintained virgin props.

There are many other tricky areas besides the Witches and Graveyard. I've seen a boat with it's outdrive ripped out, sinking onto the shoal near Pistol Island (very tricky nav there).

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Orion

There are many other tricky areas besides the Witches and Graveyard. I've seen a boat with it's outdrive ripped out, sinking onto the shoal near Pistol Island (very tricky nav there).

That's the only place I wrecked a prop on the lake. I was at dle speed, and exploring in my second boat. Figured the skeg would protect the prop from a light bump, but it did not... Aluminum props and rocks don't play well together. SS is vastly more resilient. I put a spare on and continued on my way.

I was able to repair the aluminum prop myself too. Just welded some new material to the three damaged blades, shaped them like the one good blade, made a jig to prove it was still balanced, and painted it black. Kept it as a spare when I switched to an SS prop. The new owner still has it.

[partsman]

Originally Posted by Dave R

That's the only place I wrecked a prop on the lake. I was at dle speed, and exploring in my second boat. Figured the skeg would protect the prop from a light bump, but it did not... Aluminum props and rocks don't play well together. SS is vastly more resilient. I put a spare on and continued on my way.

I was able to repair the aluminum prop myself too. Just welded some new material to the three damaged blades, shaped them like the one good blade, made a jig to prove it was still balanced, and painted it black. Kept it as a spare when I switched to an SS prop. The new owner still has it.

A point to ponder in this regard.........

If you hit a rock while using an aluminum prop, you wreck the prop. The cost is about $100 for a rebuilt or up to $170 for new.

If you hit a rock while using a stainless steel prop, you generally bend your prop shaft. The cost to repair could be well over $1000.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by partsman

A point to ponder in this regard.........

If you hit a rock while using an aluminum prop, you wreck the prop. The cost is about $100 for a rebuilt or up to $170 for new.

If you hit a rock while using a stainless steel prop, you generally bend your prop shaft. The cost to repair could be well over $1000.

Perhaps, but SS props are awesome...

[Phantom]

Partsman -- NOT True.....although that was the fact with older models, the newer SS prop's/outdrives have a Phenolic (hard plastic) slip ring which guards the drive shaft from damage. Trust me, I know ...... I tested it (not on purpose) last fall in Low water with a Bravo-3 (dual SS prop) outdrive. Now the cost factor of the prop itself is still a vast difference. But as Dave r points out....the performance difference is very noticible.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by Phantom

Partsman -- NOT True.....although that was the fact with older models, the newer SS prop's/outdrives have a Phenolic (hard plastic) slip ring which guards the drive shaft from damage. Trust me, I know ...... I tested it (not on purpose) last fall in Low water with a Bravo-3 (dual SS prop) outdrive. Now the cost factor of the prop itself is still a vast difference. But as Dave r points out....the performance difference is very noticible.

I know someone with a Volvo Penta duoprop and SS props that ran aground in Moultonborough Bay and did need new propshafts. Far as I know, the VP DP does not have slip rings and nor do Bravo 3 props. I am certain my B3 props do not have them. Regardless, unlike a VP DP drive that allows a choice of aluminum or SS, I have no choice but to run SS props on my B3, they are all that's available.

[jetskier]

Originally Posted by Dave R

I know someone with a Volvo Penta duoprop and SS props that ran aground in Moultonborough Bay and did need new propshafts. Far as I know, the VP DP does not have slip rings and nor do Bravo 3 props. I am certain my B3 props do not have them. Regardless, unlike a VP DP drive that allows a choice of aluminum or SS, I have no choice but to run SS props on my B3, they are all that's available.

I found a rock with my Volvo DP drive a couple of years back and it was not pretty. The rock took out the prop AND the prop shaft. net net $1,700 and a large mental note to avoid that spot.

Jetskier

[Seeker]

I'm going to try one of the composite, variable pitch replaceable blade props on my 135 Optimax for awhile this year as I get used to the lake. They are 4 blade and should you break a blade just take that one and the opposite one off and come in on a two blade prop with no vibration. About $200 with replacement blades $30. I haven't nicked a blade yet in 55 years but then I haven't boated much on Winnie.

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by Seeker

I'm going to try one of the composite, variable pitch replaceable blade props on my 135 Optimax for awhile this year as I get used to the lake. They are 4 blade and should you break a blade just take that one and the opposite one off and come in on a two blade prop with no vibration. About $200 with replacement blades $30. I haven't nicked a blade yet in 55 years but then I haven't boated much on Winnie.

I actually have a composite on my Duo prop because of the changeable blades, after having to refinish the stainless a couple times I decided to go that way, they get nicked up real easy from the sand and small pebbles that don't do anything to a stainless but I lost no speed with it.

[Dave M]

I'm not total up on the mechanical side of things. Dave R says SS props give you better performance. Are you using the same pitch as you would aluminum to get this performance. If so, what does the SS give you, more speed,etc. I have a VP Chris Craft. Is this slip ring visable.

Dave M

[jrc]

Originally Posted by Dave M

I'm not total up on the mechanical side of things. Dave R says SS props give you better performance. Are you using the same pitch as you would aluminum to get this performance. If so, what does the SS give you, more speed,etc. I have a VP Chris Craft. Is this slip ring visable.

Dave M

The theory is that SS is stronger than aluminum, so the blades are thinner causing less drag and the blades flex less and keep the same pitch even while spinning fast. Aluminum blades flex and flatten out, reducing the pitch as speed increases, just what you don't want.

[Orion]

Rule of thumb is you can go 1" higher pitch # with SS and have the same WOT RPM as aluminum. ......so you'll probably save gas, too!

[Rattlesnake Guy]

Kamper,
I actually have a family of tiny ants living in my laptop and was really nervous to see that one had made it to the inside of the screen. I am hoping they run out of food soon and move out. You got me good.

[Kamper]

RE: My Avatar (The dizzy flea).

This is just a passing fancy. I'll change it soon so nobody blows a can of Raid at their screen.

Enjoy it while you can. Feel free to snag it and share the joy. lol.

K

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Kamper

RE: My Avatar (The dizzy flea).

This is just a passing fancy. I'll change it soon so nobody blows a can of Raid at their screen.

Enjoy it while you can. Feel free to snag it and share the joy. lol.

K

I just need to keep my cats and dog away from it.

[Resident 2B]

Originally Posted by Kamper

RE: My Avatar (The dizzy flea).

This is just a passing fancy. I'll change it soon so nobody blows a can of Raid at their screen.

Enjoy it while you can. Feel free to snag it and share the joy. lol.

K

Kamper,

You got me!

I was just trying to kill the thing, before I read your post above.

Great avatar, especially in the summer!

R2B

[EricP]

Yesterday my wife out I were out on the SeaDoos near Spindle Point heading towards Meredith. Captain Bonehead was coming towards us, we were probable 250' or so off shore and didn't have a lot of room to move closer to the shore as it's not a perfect shoreline (straight). We were in line, she was maybe 300' behind me. This guy just keeps staying close to shore maybe 300' off shore and makes no allowance for us, just cruises right by us about 50' away never even slowing down. We both had slowed to headway speed at this point and I just sat there looking at this idiot, he never even looked towards us, just kept plowing along at about 25-30 MPH. You can't fix stupid.

[pondguy]

Are these the captain boneheads you speak of?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyyowF8U0nU

[Kamper]

Originally Posted by Seeker

I'm going to try one of the composite, (blades) ... should you break a blade just take that one and the opposite one off and come in on a two blade prop ...

That's a good theory but your prop is spinning so fast that if one blade is broken the odds are the other blades will strike the obstacle too, with similiar results. My suggestion would be to carry enough spare blades to replace them all since it probably wont take much more effort than just pulling two and maybe moving one, assuming you are that fortunate.

Alternatly, carry a fully rigged spare prop (or your old one) and keep the extra blades ashore. This will reduce your field repair time and minimise your exposure to the elements or traffic.

Good luck!

[hazelnut]

KAMPER!!!!! Your new avatar caused me to panic for a minute as I thought that a bug had made the inside of my Laptop screen his new home!!!!!!!

It actually happened to me with my old laptop, a bug was crawling around INSIDE the screen. Genius that I am I pushed on the screen smushed the bug and ended up with a permanent smudge.

[KBoater]

I'm like hazelnut I squished the screen. I have had outside screen problems so thought it was just another vistor. Highjack time.

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Kamper

Alternatly, carry a fully rigged spare prop (or your old one) and keep the extra blades ashore. This will reduce your field repair time and minimise your exposure to the elements or traffic.

Good luck!

I intend to carry my SS prop as a spare. Only question now is between a Piranha (changeable blades) or Propulse (changeable blades and pitch). Piranha seems available locally at Anchor. My SS is 14x19 w/ a cup so if the Piranha doesn't have a cup I'll go w/ 14x21.

[ossipeeboater]

Originally Posted by Dave R

That's the only place I wrecked a prop on the lake. I was at dle speed, and exploring in my second boat. Figured the skeg would protect the prop from a light bump, but it did not... Aluminum props and rocks don't play well together. SS is vastly more resilient. I put a spare on and continued on my way.

I was able to repair the aluminum prop myself too. Just welded some new material to the three damaged blades, shaped them like the one good blade, made a jig to prove it was still balanced, and painted it black. Kept it as a spare when I switched to an SS prop. The new owner still has it.

My wife hit a rock in that area going where I told her at no wake speed while I set up a rod for my son. The boat had maybe 4 hours on it and I needed to refinish both props(duoprop) and they were never the same so I ended up replacing and keeping that as a spare. A $1300 mistake that still keeps her from driving the boat even though I wasn't mad when she did it.