Re: SS Prop Why???
Do you NEED one? No. Aluminum will push you down the lake just fine, and that shiny steel prop is under water so it doesn't "bling out" your boat unless it's on the trailer. Will it perform better? Probably. The blades are stronger so they don't flex as much and will maintain the intended shape better....important with the torque of a V-8 which can tend to flatten out aluminum blades over time. The also are less likely to be damaged by the occasional "ding". The blades are also (usually) thinner so there is less resistance in the water....meaning you can turn the exact same SS prop a little faster than the exact same design of aluminum props....everything being equal of course (which it never is).
As for the theory that hitting an obstruction with a SS prop will break something on the drive, that's only really true if you have a solid hub (i.e. race boats). Most have some sort of hub that will "give" if you hit something; Mercury has a delrin (plastic) hub (flotorqII) that'll break waaaay before you tear up anything in the drive. Some other brands have hubs made of different materials, but they all have some give in them. Not that the potential for drive damage isn't there.....it is.....but I've seen drives torn up by hitting something even when they had an aluminum prop. With all respect to those who would disagree, I just don't see that as a selling point either way. If you hit something hard enough you'll break....no matter what flavor of prop you have.
Only you can decide if it's worth it to you. It is to me. I made the switch to stainless about 5 boats ago when I had a 16' Whaler powered by an 85 'Rude. It made a noticeable difference....enough that I never went back to aluminum. Along with the slight increase in performance, in theory you should get slightly better fuel economy.....again, all things being equal (which they never are).
The downsides are the costs; much more expensive to repair (and not just any prop shop can fix them) and they're obviously more expensive to purchase. A good quality stainless prop for your boat new will go for $300-$450, depending on the brand. Used ones (in good shape) can be found for half that....sometimes even less.
If you have a local prop shop, go talk to them. Many of them will buy/sell/trade, and even let you take it out as a "loaner" (usually for a small fee). This way you can try before you buy and make a more informed decision given your particular needs/wants.
