Do you run a stainless prop?

[CDA205SP]

How many of you are using a stainless prop? If you have one do you think it's worth the investment right away or wait till I ding the factory aluminum or skip stainless altogether. I have a '11 205 sport with 4.3 MPI. Any prop recomendations? My use is water sports and mostly wake sports. I am not looking for just top speed but something good all around. Maybe this doesn't exist??

 

[CV-23]

I run one on every boat: 115hp Merc/Glastron Carlson CV16super, 260hp/350 Glastron Carlson CV-23 and my 454/330hp Sea Ray 270 Sundancer. All are factory Merc props. I ran a Black Max Aluminum prop on the CV-23 and it ran identical rpm and speed. I was shocked and used it as a spare prop. Newer designed Alum props are very good but the strength of stainless really pays off on the heavy and high performance boats. I would not spend the $$$ on a new stainless prop. Plenty of used ones around. It's your call but if/when you hit bottom....it costs alot more, Mike.

 

[Loneranger]

I have run aluminum and stainless on the cobalt and have stainless on the sea ray. I am sure that somewhere theremay be some objective evidence of benefits and harms but I have never seen it. I have heard that aluminum for better torque, more foregiving to sterndrive if you hit something and stainless for better top end speed but may transmit forces to the drive and cost more to repair.

Stainless is more expensive than aluminum to replace however my costs to have one repaired is really trivial in the difference. On the cobalt I cannot honestly tell you I notice any difference between the two. I definitely would not go out and buy a new or used prop just to have a different material. If you want a spare (which is why I have two sets for both boats) then go for it. On my fresh water lakes I hit something all the time and have my props reworked almost every season.

John

 

[CDA205SP]

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like I can be happy with the factory aluminum prop for now.

 

[blaster]

If you have the 4.3 MPI it should have come standard with a stainless steel prop.

How many of you are using a stainless prop? If you have one do you think it's worth the investment right away or wait till I ding the factory aluminum or skip stainless altogether. I have a '11 205 sport with 4.3 MPI. Any prop recomendations? My use is water sports and mostly wake sports. I am not looking for just top speed but something good all around. Maybe this doesn't exist??

 

[blaster]

I have used a stainless on the 3 I/O's I've owned. I boat in tidal areas with sand and oyster bottom as well as mud. I always would chew up aluminum props about every 30 hours. I put on the stainless and it stayed on until I sold the boat. Now if you have less than 100 HP you won't really see much performance improvement with stainless over aluminum. The exception might be a gheenoo with a 25 on a jackplate or some other micro high performance application. On the 205 I have run both aluminum and stainless props and the best all around prop is the 19" Vengeance.

 

[Go Aweigh2452]

I started running stainless after the second aluminum prop hit debris that same year and I had that repaired. That was in 96. I had that stainless rebalanced three years ago because I repowered and wanted to ensure all was good. It really did not need to be rebalanced... The cost of fixing the aluminum twice paid for the stainless. And I have hit much debris here in the Puget Sound... Even launched the boat once...

 

[Kermit]

Someone mentioned it earlier but I thought the 205 Sport MPI motors all came with SST props, usually a Vengeance 19.

I have two High 5 SST props, a 21 and a 19. The 21 came with the boat (PO added it) and is great for WOT with 2 people on board. Otherwise, it's way too steep. The 19 is great for water sports and general use with 4+ on board. It has an awesome hole shot. At WOT it's good for around 47 mph with 5 on board.

 

[CDA205SP]

I have not taken delivery on the boat yet (will be here on Friday) but the dealer sheet that lists all the options and equipment lists an aluminum prop. So you think that the 4.3 comes from mercruiser with stainless? If you you have any info along these lines it would be great because I would prefer to have the 19" vengence and will bring it up with the dealer.

Thanks for the great info.

 

[MonacoMike]

Someone mentioned it earlier but I thought the 205 Sport MPI motors all came with SST props, usually a Vengeance 19.

I have two High 5 SST props, a 21 and a 19. The 21 came with the boat (PO added it) and is great for WOT with 2 people on board. Otherwise, it's way too steep. The 19 is great for water sports and general use with 4+ on board. It has an awesome hole shot. At WOT it's good for around 47 mph with 5 on board.

If you have the 4.3 MPI it should have come standard with a stainless steel prop.

I have not taken delivery on the boat yet (will be here on Friday) but the dealer sheet that lists all the options and equipment lists an aluminum prop. So you think that the 4.3 comes from mercruiser with stainless? If you you have any info along these lines it would be great because I would prefer to have the 19" vengence and will bring it up with the dealer.

Thanks for the great info.

Sea Ray website indicates that the 205 Sport does have a SS prop. Below is a link you can print and show the dealer. Good luck, MM

Pasted from the site:

"MerCruiser 4.3L MPI* Alpha ISterndrive (220 hp - 164 kW)

MerCruiser 5.0L MPI* ECT** Alpha I

Sterndrive (260 hp - 194 kW)

*Fuel-Injected Engines Std. w/Stainless-Steel Propeller & Remote Oil Filter"

http://www.searay.com/boat_graphics/electronic_brochure/company46540/213244_f.pdf

 

[alwhite00]

I went from a 3 blade 21 alum to a 4 blade 19 SS and couldn't be happier - I know it's not apples to apples but this pig jumps out of the hole compared to what it did before.

LK

 

[blaster]

The 4.3 carb 190 HP is the standard propulsion for the 205 sport. That one comes with aluminum. The MPI packages come with stainless props. If you are getting a new 205 with an MPI engine it should have a stainless prop.

I have not taken delivery on the boat yet (will be here on Friday) but the dealer sheet that lists all the options and equipment lists an aluminum prop. So you think that the 4.3 comes from mercruiser with stainless? If you you have any info along these lines it would be great because I would prefer to have the 19" vengence and will bring it up with the dealer.

Thanks for the great info.

 

[Banagy]

Go with stainless for best all around use and durability.

 

[Dave 205]

Blaster - thanks for the PM. Very timely, I may have some speedo problem, it fell to zero a couple of times recently while cruising, I figured some junk got in it. Your prop comments are also helpful regarding performance.

I'm beginning to think I have the black sheep of 205's - a fairly well optioned carbed V-8. I have a stainless three blade prop that likely came from the factory. I dinged it this summer, and it needs a little truing up and some polish. Before I invest in that, it is marked 5054 19. Can anyone identify it and tell me what I've got?

I was impressed that the stainless took the rock hit mostly in stride. I have a friend with an older 200 Select ande he has several props. He hit his aluminum this summer at no wake speed and it looks like a dog took a bit out of it.

Thanks!

 

[blaster]

Your welcome Dave. The last number indicates the pitch which you have a 19" prop. You are probably going faster than your speedo is telling you. Also if you notice the speedo go to zero while running you can stop and then hard throttle in reverse then immediatly throttle foreword. This may disloge the plants or whatever is clogging the pitot.

Blaster - thanks for the PM. Very timely, I may have some speedo problem, it fell to zero a couple of times recently while cruising, I figured some junk got in it. Your prop comments are also helpful regarding performance.

I'm beginning to think I have the black sheep of 205's - a fairly well optioned carbed V-8. I have a stainless three blade prop that likely came from the factory. I dinged it this summer, and it needs a little truing up and some polish. Before I invest in that, it is marked 5054 19. Can anyone identify it and tell me what I've got?

I was impressed that the stainless took the rock hit mostly in stride. I have a friend with an older 200 Select ande he has several props. He hit his aluminum this summer at no wake speed and it looks like a dog took a bit out of it.

Thanks!

 

[CliffA]

You are probably going faster than your speedo is telling you.

when my speedo reads 12-15 mph my gps says i am actually going around 25mph....i have cleaned all the tubes out and the opening in the outdrive.....i believe the factory speedo systems are known to not be very accurate......

 

[CDA205SP]

The 4.3 carb 190 HP is the standard propulsion for the 205 sport. That one comes with aluminum. The MPI packages come with stainless props. If you are getting a new 205 with an MPI engine it should have a stainless prop.

Thanks for the info. I will see the boat on Saturday and now have some good info from the manuracturer's website showing the stainless prop as ammo if the prop is aluminum.

 

[CDA205SP]

I spoke with the dealer and he confirmed that it does in fact have a stainless prop. Thanks for your replies.