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They arent as durable but they will do the job with a smaller horsepower engine. Stainless-steel propellers tend to be stronger than aluminum propellers.
This is only half true.
Stainless steel props vs aluminum. A stainless steel prop is better than aluminum if you are looking for the best performance durability and gas mileage out of your boat. Their only downside is they tend to cost more than their aluminum counterpart. The Advantages of a Stainless Steel Propeller.
Stainless steel propellers also offer boat owners many advantages. Stainless-steel propellers tend to be stronger than aluminum propellers. They are more resistant to corrosion in saltwater and are less likely to sustain impact damage.
Because of how thick the blades are the aluminum must be very bulky and thick to maintain its shape so it doesnt stretch or flew. Whats the Difference Between Aluminum and Stainless Steel Props. The biggest differences between the two are the weight and the stiffness of the prop and thats where the horsepower comes in.
A good rule of thumb is that if your outboard pushes 150 horsepower or less aluminum might be the best option. A stainless steel prop is more durable. If youre often in water where your propeller may encounter an obstacle a stainless steel propeller will be more resistant to damage than an aluminum one.
One of the benefits of aluminum propellers is their low cost. They arent as durable but they will do the job with a smaller horsepower engine. STAINLESS-STEEL PROPELLER PRO Stainless props provide better performance because their blades flex less.
In fact its quite common for a stainless-steel propeller all other things being equal to out-perform an aluminum propeller by as much as five MPH at top-end and two to three MPH at cruising speeds. Stainless Steel Props. The properties of stainless steel result in a propeller that offers more performance and more durability than an aluminum prop.
Stainless steel has five times more stress tolerance than aluminum which means the blades of a stainless steel prop can be much thinner than those of even a Mercalloy aluminum prop. Material Stainless vs Aluminum only accounts for approximately 10 of the actual performance of the propeller. The other 90 of performance is in the blade design.
Well designed aluminum propellers will out perform an average stainless steel propeller. So its important to research a propellers performance before your purchase. An aluminum prop will run just fine but there will be flex in the blades.
A stainless will hold its pitch no matter the speed. A good combo is a 19 pitch Tempest Plus. Stainless steel propellers provide better mileage than aluminum propellers possibly more than a composite depending on blade foil design.
The stainless steel propeller provides more speed but in this horsepowersizeRPM range only 2 3 MPH more. Stainless is tougher no doubt about it. Aluminum props are the most common due to their affordability performance value and reliability in nearly any situation.
Many boaters choose aluminum propellers over stainless steel because they weigh less and are much easier to repair when damaged. This allows for the use of smaller engines further reducing costs. Stainless Steel Props.
The properties of stainless steel result in a propeller that offers more performance and more durability than an aluminum prop. Stainless steel has five times more stress tolerance than aluminum which means the blades of a stainless steel prop can be much thinner than those of even a Mercalloy aluminum prop. There is no direct comparison between aluminum and stainless all though if you had identical props they might be very close with a slight edge to the stainless at WOT top end.
The differences have more to do with prop design things like blade area rake cupping vent holes shape of the blades number of blades etc. All are factors that create different characteristics in the way the prop works. You can almost guarantee that for every single steel prop sold there are 10 aluminum props.
In saltwater stainless steel is king but you can say that is due to the bigger horsepower that you see. Aluminum Props come in all the standard styles from 3 to 4 blade props. Different sizes are available from 25 hp outboard motors to 150 hp.
Stainless Steel vs Aluminum Boat Props Whats the Difference Between Stainless and Aluminum Props - YouTube. Stainless Steel vs Aluminum Boat Props Whats the Difference Between Stainless. Solas stainless steel propellers are made with the industrys highest percentages of chromium nickel and molybdenum resulting in a propeller that is more durable highly rust-resistant and less brittle.
Stainless steel propellers are more expensive. However they do have several advantages over aluminum propellers. Switching from aluminum to stainless steel prop Manufacturers suggested WOT is 4500-4800 rpm.
I have never ran open throttle fearing Id damage an engine. Ive only had up to 3500 rmp max. Ive only put about 13 hours on the engines since Ive had the boat one season.
Michigan Wheel is what is on it now. I am presently running a aluminum 17 pitch prop on my 2004 115 classic Mercury pushing a 19 foot Princecraft Deckboat low 40s MPH. I am very happy with the performance but am considering going to a Stainless Steel prop.
I called three different dealers and got three different answers on what pitch they recommend on the SS prop. The main downside of stainless steel props is the price. Stainless steel is a more expensive material than aluminum.
A stainless steel prop can be twice as much or more than the price of an aluminum prop. Repairing stainless steel is more expensive. Stainless steel props weigh twice as much as aluminum so you need a more powerful engine.
Our prop expert Andreas Kuppe explains the differences between aluminum and stainless steel propellers and how they can impact your boating experienceQues. The most common understanding of the difference is that stainless steel propellers perform better than aluminum propellers. This is only half true.
Material Stainless vs Aluminum only accounts for approximately 10 of the actual performance of the propeller. The other 90 of performance is in the blade design. One reason why many boaters choose aluminum propellers over stainless steel applications is because aluminum weighs about half as much.
These propellers are also very easy to repair when damaged. While aluminum is a great choice it can flex under extremely high rpms and this will cause a drop in pitch. The blades often tend to be thicker than stainless steel.
Aluminum propellers are relatively inexpensive and suitable for general purpose use. Stainless steel propellers are more expensive but are far stronger and more durable than aluminum. If you are looking to improve the performance of your boat upgrading to a stainless steel propeller is the most cost-effective way to get better handling acceleration or top speed out of your boat.