Prop Problems

[Seaweed]

Hi

Came off the water last night after a bumpy ride due to some windy conditions. I didn't notice anything at all different with this run out on the Ottawa and I didn't venture into any shallow water under the drive of the big motor and yet when I got in I had a tip of a prop blade ripped up pretty good.... kind of looks peeled sort off.

I know the prop was reconditioned before the sale and it was pretty much pooched prior to the rebuild... not chewed up but looking like it was getting flakey and soft. Anyway looks like she will have to be replaced but probably could be tig welded back to keep as spare.

Anyone out there know where I can pick up a replacement prop for a 1996 Mercury 75 hp

I can not give you any number on it because it was a rebuild and the person who rebuilt it, and I guess this is a common practise, removed the number and replaced it with theirs.

According to a local Mercury dealer the number should be something like 48-77350

the numbers I have on the prop are

near each blade these numbers appear

6868

B2487

6341

What is a resonable price for a new prop?

Would I be better to go to a stainless.... I know these are more expensive but if I am going to be chewing up aluminium ones then maybe I would be better with something more durable.

HELP!

[M.T. Livewell]

Seaweed, I had found a place on the Quebec side here that has a pretty good deal on props. If I can find the number, I'll flip you a pm.

As for aluminum vs stainless, I love this debate.

I guess it depends how much you wanna get out of your motor. And how dialed in you think you are right now. That is to say, I would not drop the $400+ if you are not running in your ideal operating range. Check your RPMs under you most common load (i.e. 2 guys, full livewell) if that is how you typically fish. Then try to match the prop to get you as close to the top of your rpm range as possible without going over. Do this with an aluminum prop. Then, once you flip to steel, expect the RPMs to drop 1 - 200 or so.

Good luck.

M.T. Livewell
(I'm just a little obsessed about this lately )
Dislaimer!!!! - I really have no experience other than what I have read and been suggested by others. So, good luck.

[Xenos]

Stewart bells and sons in Perth will rebuild that prop for about 60- 70 bucks. And Chandlery in Britannia is a Michigan match dealer ( great props). As far as stainless there not recommended on engines under 150 HP. As the driveshaft will break before the prop on anything smaller.

[McQ]

The prop repair shop is

Marc Marine
819 Maloney E
Gatineau, Quebec

Phone (819) 643-9104

They handle most of the prop repair for dealers in the region.

[Cancatchbass]

Just want to clarify a point.

Stainless props are fine for all mid-high HP motors, not just 150 HP plus.

Who gave you that info, Xenos?

CCB

[Seaweed]

Thanks everyone for the input. I have learned a few things today on my mission to get back into business and back on the water. The three punch numbers on my prop meant something and I didn't know it being a rookie. Each set of numbers represents a rebuild. So if I have this prop fixed... and I might so that I have a spare... it will have been fixed four times. What probably happend with my prop is that it failed due to metal fatique. This happens with white metal faster than most other metals. It happens even quicker when white metals are heated due to welding. So I will probably bite the bullet and buy another prop.... and yep it will be aluminium for now because the stainless ones are just way to friggin expensive... like more than double the cost of other props.

Lesson learned.

So since I bought my boat I have had to do the following.....

Replace the bunks... they were old and rotten..... didn't even look when I bought her.

Replaced the prop... even though I asked for it to be reconditioned I didn't know it had been done already twice before or I would have insisted on a new one or negotiated it into the price.

I will soon be rewiring the plug for the electric because it fell apart already... I can do this.

You know what .... buying a used boat is tough to cover all the bases. Hopefully all of you will learn from the string we did when I was shopping for this boat and also from what MT, Carlco and I have shared here since we bought our boats and fished from them. Oh well live and learn I say.

I wouldn't trade it though... darn good boat for sure.

At least it didn't happen mid-season fishing tournaments too.

[Xenos]

A dealer, I was told not to use one on my Merc unless I had a lot of cash for repair work. Now I only have a 50.

[bass ackwards]

seaweed
Sounds like you hit the shoal in britannia bay, I've chunked up 2 props on it. you're lucky it wasnt a ss prop or you would be paying more, check out laurentain marine for a used prop or try a prihanna prop, dont know about merc but rudes go by pitch and diameter, and of course spline config.
try the chanderly on poulin ave they have props also they can send ypou old one away for repairs approx $80.00, good luck

[Moosebunk]

My skeg was already "shortened" at the bottom. Now my brand new $160 prop has 4 bites out of it. And here I thought the water was still high.

Looks like I won't have to worry about squat for the rest of the summer. Happy rock hoppin'.

[Buck]

Hey Seaweed,

Try G.G. Lalonde on Innes Rd, a bit before tenth line. They can order pretty much anything. Also, a pro is good to be rebuild at least 5 to 7 times. They do it for a pretty cheap amount. I have a 40 Mariner, and it costs me approx 65$, and it looks really good and it stands up for the year, even after I punish it when I'm bass fishing at Petrie!

Good luck

Buck

[LORENZO]

HEY XENOS.

I have to agree with CCB with this, he is totaly right on this one. I have been running a S.S. prop on my 90 H.P. merc motor now for 2 years and never had a problem, as a matter of fact I know many others with the same set up, even on smaller engines. If you say is true why would MERC or any of the others manufactures sell them. But on the other hand if you hit something, the S.S. prop will do more damage then the alluminium prop.

LORENZO

[SkeeterJohn]

I think this is one of the biggest things that should concern people.

Damaging a prop in itself is going to happen sooner or later but the chance of damage to the lower unit is just something we all could do without... The prices involved can be astronomical and it makes me wonder how so many can zoom around in such shallow water without a care in the world of what's below the waterline.

Perhaps fishing the st. lawrence i've come to deal with sudden decreases in depth that has made me more wary of this... it's nothing to be in 40ft of water and suddenly come up to 3 ft...

I hear so many people mention stumps in the ottawa but we still see people doing 60mph+ in 3ft of water...

I think seaweed it sounds like your prop could have hit some debris in the water and perhaps failed due to it being rebuilt previously... i know you've told me about being careful in the shallow water so i know you know the seriousness of that.

It's not too bad i guess having to drop $200 for a new prop but get into some of the SS blades and you could be talking 700+ and on the high end over a grand !!

Boating isn't cheap no matter which way you look at it