Why stainless?

So i’ve been running this new (to me) alumacraft for a few weeks now. I get that most guys with a boat this size try and run stainless props, but i can’t help but wonder whether or not its necessary that I do.

I’m getting 47MPH top speed right now, i plane out in a heartbeat, and have had no other issues or reasons to really think I should consider a stainless prop.

That all said, I am still a newbie, and have a lot to learn, so please inform me. Why should I go drop hundreds of dollars on a stainless prop?

Only you can answer that. Do you feel you should get higher top end speed? Do you blow out around corners? You said holeshot is great.

We could help you out with a few more specifics. What motor are you running, what RPMs are you getting out of your current prop? What is your goal, higher top end, better handling or hole shot?

There are a ton of guys who feel that 1 or 2 more mph is worth a few hundred dollar investment, others aren’t in such a hurry and are happy with a stock prop. If you feel that you’d like to try to sneak out a few more mph, then usually going to stainless allows you to find more agressive props. Since you are running 47mph in an Alumacraft, I’m going to guess, you’re running a 150.

Yes, it’s a Merc 150 4 stroke, 2014. Personally 47 MPH is more than enough for me. i don’t often fish lakes big enough to justify going that fast anyway. I tend to cruise around 30.

I haven’t noticed any blowout around corners. While I’ll say the holeshot is great, it’s probably not as good as my old boat. I had a 1625 fury xl with a 60 4 stroke (Merc also). That boat would get on plane instantly. The alumacraft is a little slower, but not in a way that’s uncomfortable. It’s still pretty darn quick.

So for me, no, 1 or 2 more MPH is not worth hundreds of dollars. Instant holeshot… I don’t know. I do like holeshot.

If holeshot and handling are your biggest goals and you don’t want to break the bank, the mercury spitfire in the same pitch you have now will give you just that. I’m guessing you have a stock blackmax probably a 19 pitch (but you’d have to check). The spitfire is an aluminum 4 blade that you can find in that $100 to $150 range (without the flo-torque hub, which you should already have in your current prop). You will lose only about 100 rpm, maybe 1mph, but your holeshot will be much improved. As will your overall handling. A good dealer will let you try one out.

This is all assuming, you have the standard 3 blade blackmax on there now. The spitfire (or Nemesis is the old name, same prop), has done wonders for a lot of boats. Honestly, one of the best aluminum props I’ve ever seen. For your inteded use, before going stainless, I’d see if I could find a dealer to let me test out the spitfire. For your 150, I believe it’s the 14″ diameter props, and you’ll want to start with the same pitch you currently have and see what it does to your top end and rpm range. My experience has been that it really doesn’t change that much.

Ya know that’s actually an awesome suggestion. I had the Spitfire prop on my old boat and I did really like it, granted I had no other reference point.