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Mercury vs. Quicksilver vs. Solas Props
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gatorglenn
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Check out ptprops.com, it is for Powertech Props. There great prop. They have some with and without high rake and cupping added.
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I may be out of touch but 200+ for a prop on a 25 seems mighty high! I think I paid that range for a prop on my 115 Yamaha.
LDUBS
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Crazyboat said:
I have a 25 HP. Never bought a prop and had no idea of the cost. Holy cow.
muddywaders
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Those prices seem a bit high.I purchased a Mercury brand 10x13 aluminum prop at a dealer for $150 usd last summer.I looked online and the price I got was comprable.
onthewater102
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The price is high because he's looking at stainless models.
I looked into stainless for my 25hp and found there is really no point to a stainless propeller on a small motor.
Small motors (<70hp +/- depending on the source) don't have the torque to distort the prop on acceleration, which is the main reason for using stainless to make props. You end up with a heavier prop robbing you of some of the little power you actually have with nothing gained.
Durability? Anything you hit with a stainless prop that it survives which would have damaged an aluminum prop is going to cost you the hub. If it's a pressed in hub then you're out more than the replacement cost of an aluminum propeller. A hub you can replace yourself will still probably be comparable to the repair cost of an aluminum prop.
Cost more, performs worse & increased durability doesn't save you $$$ - why bother?
Not trying to take a tone telling you what to do...but I played devil's advocate on myself as I was looking into this and these were the facts that shot down any arguments I had in favor of a stainless prop for my 25hp merc.
What are you trying to achieve? Faster top speed? Hole shot? Stability? More/Less RPMs? There are many more variables at play than just prop material - and with an aluminum prop you can easily make changes to the prop (or have them made at a prop shop) to add features like cupping, or change pitch - all of which are much harder (cost more $$$) with a stainless prop.
I looked into stainless for my 25hp and found there is really no point to a stainless propeller on a small motor.
Small motors (<70hp +/- depending on the source) don't have the torque to distort the prop on acceleration, which is the main reason for using stainless to make props. You end up with a heavier prop robbing you of some of the little power you actually have with nothing gained.
Durability? Anything you hit with a stainless prop that it survives which would have damaged an aluminum prop is going to cost you the hub. If it's a pressed in hub then you're out more than the replacement cost of an aluminum propeller. A hub you can replace yourself will still probably be comparable to the repair cost of an aluminum prop.
Cost more, performs worse & increased durability doesn't save you $$$ - why bother?
Not trying to take a tone telling you what to do...but I played devil's advocate on myself as I was looking into this and these were the facts that shot down any arguments I had in favor of a stainless prop for my 25hp merc.
What are you trying to achieve? Faster top speed? Hole shot? Stability? More/Less RPMs? There are many more variables at play than just prop material - and with an aluminum prop you can easily make changes to the prop (or have them made at a prop shop) to add features like cupping, or change pitch - all of which are much harder (cost more $$$) with a stainless prop.
I bought a prop for my 3.0L Volvo Penta I/O for less than $200 and it's as big around as a basketball.
45 years of boating and I've yet to see a Solas prop worth putting on a boat ...
Adding a SS prop to a small outboard doesn't make much sense as has been pointed out, with the exception of being able to hit things with them. I'm not telling anyone to go out hunting for submerged tree stumps but a SS with take the hit, where an aluminum will dent, ding or bend. Hubs don't break all the easy and neither do lower units.
In my years of running boats (well over 40 now) I've hit a few things, never blew a hub or lower unit, killed an alum. prop twice, polished a SS one many times, but never a dent.
Smaller applications still I'd say go with aluminum.
In my years of running boats (well over 40 now) I've hit a few things, never blew a hub or lower unit, killed an alum. prop twice, polished a SS one many times, but never a dent.
Smaller applications still I'd say go with aluminum.
As one fellow said here there is no point or gain with a ss prop on a 25hp merc,I used a 14 pitch aluminum solas prop on my 25hp 2 stroke merc and I was hitting near 34 mph in my 1648 Jon boat with over 1000 lbs of total weight and it still had crazy planning power so I decided to try a ss in a 13 pitch,to my suprise no difference except I mean very minor feel in planning power,not enough to justify wasting over $100. The solas was $60 and it was awesome even know lots of people hate them for some reason. I won't buy anything but solas because I've had awesome luck everytime. Now yes ss will take a beaten and last longer but overall performance is to close imo to call but some people claim they see a night and day difference but I didn't with my experience. I tell you those 25hp mercs are so darn powerful.
edwonbass
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I have one of those 25hp Mercs. It’s a 1994 and runs like a Swiss watch. I just put a new prop on mine. Tore the other one pretty bad. I would have gone with a Solas if I was sure I was getting the right one. I ended up putting a Mercury 13p on there. I have a 16 foot tin bass boat, full wood decks, console, 3 batteries, and a bunch of gear. I am getting on plane rather easily and can run 25 mph. Great motor!
Imo the strongest 25hp 2 cylinder 2 stroke outboard to ever come out of production in it's day besides the Tohatsu/ nissan/sea pro merc which was the same outboard made by tohatsu. I had a 1993 25hp 2 stroke merc that had just insane power and I spun a 14 and 15 pitch aluminum prop on it. I still probably had some more power to spare to with a larger prop but with a 15 pitch prop my 1648 with 3 people and gear which was well over 1000 lbs ran in the low 30s which is incredible speed for a 25hp engine.
gatorglenn
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If you want a 4 blade. Get a Spitfire aluminum 4 blade, in the same pitch. SS is to heavy for this horse power. And the motor can’t turn fast enough, or pushing enough weight to flex a aluminum prop. So SS is really a waste of money. But the Spitfire is so much better then the Black Max 3 blade. In holeshot and drivability in holding power in turns.eview326 said:
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