Does anyone recommend The Prop Guard? - Moderated Discussion Areas

  ContinuousWave
  Whaler
  Moderated Discussion Areas
  ContinuousWave: Whaler Performance
  Does anyone recommend The Prop Guard?

search | FAQ | profile | register | author help

Author Topic:   Does anyone recommend The Prop Guard?

grw66 posted 07-04-2003 09:20 AM ET (US)
I've seen these Prop Guards advertised at my local Boat store. Does anyone have one on there engine? Is it realy worth the money or is it all hype? I figure that the prop guard is cheaper than buying a new prop, but i don't plan on bending my new prop any time soon. Thanks, Gary
JohnJ80 posted 07-06-2003 10:57 AM ET (US)
If you are talking about those big rings around the prop, then I'd vote no. The induced drag woudl have to be horrible. (Besides that they look doofy) I'd put the money into a spare al prop in case you whack your good one.
Jarhead posted 07-06-2003 01:49 PM ET (US)
I would think they might be useful on a small boat with a small outboard used to run shallow obstructed waters.
Other than that I don't think they would be practical.
Duckin Whalers posted 07-06-2003 01:57 PM ET (US)
I used to fish the Snohomish River with a friend of mine who had a 17' sled with a 70 Yamaha. He put a skeg guard on to help protect the skeg. About a year later he hit a deadhead and broke the entire skeg off where he had drilled through to mount the thing. I think it is better to sacrifice cheap props than destroy major motor components. The prop can take a solid hit with no resulting engine damage.
I just wonder what happens when that big old ring hits a stump and either bends into your prop or twists your motor off of your transome. I think its better to have a blade of your prop dissapear than the later.
jimh posted 07-06-2003 04:07 PM ET (US)
Thanks to a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, you may find that the common law of the state in which you are boating may require use of propeller guards. This would not be for the purpose of protecting your outboard, but for the purpose of protecting your wife in case she falls overboard and your drive the boat over her, causing fatal injuries to her.
PMUCCIOLO posted 07-06-2003 11:22 PM ET (US)
Has anyone driven a boat with one of these devices installed? If so, how did it affect the boat's handling?
gss036 posted 07-07-2003 02:36 AM ET (US)
I use a prop guard on my 15 HP Honda kicker motor which I use for trolling. The main purpose is to keep the downrigger wire and/or fishing line out of the prop when making a sharp turn in a heavy tide rip. When fishing in waters around the SanJuan Islands and 10-12 foot tide run in 6 hours, the water really gets moving at times. Just about everyone around here uses them on the kicker motors.
They are not designed to protect high speed river boat props, like the skeg guards are. If you run the rivers, one should invest in a jet attachment for the lower end.
grw66 posted 07-07-2003 09:37 AM ET (US)
Thank you all for your comments. I think I'll hold off on buying one until the government makes me. I hope I don't need to wear a helmet too soon.

Hop to:

Contact Us | RETURN to ContinuousWave Top Page

Powered by: Ultimate Bulletin Board, Freeware Version 2000
Purchase our Licensed Version- which adds many more features!
© Infopop Corporation (formerly Madrona Park, Inc.), 1998 - 2000.

Author	Topic: Does anyone recommend The Prop Guard?
grw66	posted 07-04-2003 09:20 AM ET (US) I've seen these Prop Guards advertised at my local Boat store. Does anyone have one on there engine? Is it realy worth the money or is it all hype? I figure that the prop guard is cheaper than buying a new prop, but i don't plan on bending my new prop any time soon. Thanks, Gary
JohnJ80	posted 07-06-2003 10:57 AM ET (US) If you are talking about those big rings around the prop, then I'd vote no. The induced drag woudl have to be horrible. (Besides that they look doofy) I'd put the money into a spare al prop in case you whack your good one.
Jarhead	posted 07-06-2003 01:49 PM ET (US) I would think they might be useful on a small boat with a small outboard used to run shallow obstructed waters. Other than that I don't think they would be practical.
Duckin Whalers	posted 07-06-2003 01:57 PM ET (US) I used to fish the Snohomish River with a friend of mine who had a 17' sled with a 70 Yamaha. He put a skeg guard on to help protect the skeg. About a year later he hit a deadhead and broke the entire skeg off where he had drilled through to mount the thing. I think it is better to sacrifice cheap props than destroy major motor components. The prop can take a solid hit with no resulting engine damage. I just wonder what happens when that big old ring hits a stump and either bends into your prop or twists your motor off of your transome. I think its better to have a blade of your prop dissapear than the later.
jimh	posted 07-06-2003 04:07 PM ET (US) Thanks to a decision by the U.S. Supreme Court, you may find that the common law of the state in which you are boating may require use of propeller guards. This would not be for the purpose of protecting your outboard, but for the purpose of protecting your wife in case she falls overboard and your drive the boat over her, causing fatal injuries to her.
PMUCCIOLO	posted 07-06-2003 11:22 PM ET (US) Has anyone driven a boat with one of these devices installed? If so, how did it affect the boat's handling?
gss036	posted 07-07-2003 02:36 AM ET (US) I use a prop guard on my 15 HP Honda kicker motor which I use for trolling. The main purpose is to keep the downrigger wire and/or fishing line out of the prop when making a sharp turn in a heavy tide rip. When fishing in waters around the SanJuan Islands and 10-12 foot tide run in 6 hours, the water really gets moving at times. Just about everyone around here uses them on the kicker motors. They are not designed to protect high speed river boat props, like the skeg guards are. If you run the rivers, one should invest in a jet attachment for the lower end.
grw66	posted 07-07-2003 09:37 AM ET (US) Thank you all for your comments. I think I'll hold off on buying one until the government makes me. I hope I don't need to wear a helmet too soon.