Proper care and maintenance of your propeller is just as important as engine care. A boat prop that is not in good condition can cause many problems such as roughness; cavitations; corrosion, and surface damage, which reduces its efficiency and hence raises fuel consumption and can cause other costly damage. A propeller is an important part of any boats equipment.
a) There are so many situations where you can become stranded in large bodies of water like the might Skeen River because of propeller damage. We recommend that you ALWAYS carry a spare propeller for use in such emergencies. A spare propeller may mean the difference between getting your boat home or being stranded for a long period of time. Another advantage to a spare prop is that if you ever damage your propeller, you have a prop to use while your other is being repaired. A sparre propeller can be purchased at a reasonable cost. Just ask us to give you a price on a replacement.
b) If your propeller is damaged, NEVER run your boat for long periods of time with a damaged propeller as you may cause severe damage to your propeller from “cavitation burns” or brush failure. Extended use of a boast with a damaged propeller may cause damage to you engine or stern drive.
c) Apart from seeing obvious damage, symptoms of a damaged propeller are vibration, loss of speed, apparent slapping (canvitation), loss of power or poor fuel economy.
d) Your propeller is no different than the engine and to maintain the best possible performance from your boat you should have your propeller serviced at least once a year or certainly every time that it si damaged.
e) Close attention should be paid to keeping the propeller shaft greased to avoid problems removing your propeller. Be sure and use a water proof grease before you fit the prop and make this a routine part of you boat maintenance.
f) If you have a Solas Aluminum Alcup propeller you should grease the torsion rods inside the hub with a good quality marine grease. To do this you need to remove the plastic nut which retains the brush kit in the center of the propeller. Don’t forget this is a left handed thread. Once you have done this remove the bush kit and grease the springs. Re assemble and be careful not to over tighten the retaining nut.
g) Some stainless steel propellers are prone to discoloration and corrosion. To help prevent this you can use products such as Quicksilver’s Corrosion Guard which is a spray giving a clear protective film coating to the metal.
h) Your propeller is very important in achieving maximum performance from you boat. We recommend that you not try and repair it yourself. You could cause further damage that would result in the propeller being beyond repair and it may cause other damage to your lower unit. It is very inexpensive to have your propeller professionally repair and serviced.