April 5, 2012. Samuel Valero
Johnson boat propellers are available in both aluminum and stainless steel varieties. One of the first decisions any boating enthusiast must make when considering propellers is this very issue – choice of metal.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Aluminum
Aluminum is generally considered to be an “all purpose” metal appropriate for a wide variety of recreational uses. This is because it is less expensive than stainless steel. Johnson propellers that use aluminum are, therefore, more affordable for the average boater.
Although aluminum is indeed less strong per cubic inch than stainless steel, it is fully strong enough for most common boating uses. Pleasure crafts generally come equipped from the factory with aluminum propellers already installed. As long as a boater is careful to check that the propeller is from a reputable company and meets quality standards, it will be able to live up to the demands commonly placed on it during family fishing trips and other casual outings.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Stainless Steel
Stainless steel, on the other hand, is a much stronger metal than aluminum. This not only makes it more durable and long-lasting, but it also means that stainless steel can both survive more abuse and remain reliable under more trying circumstances.
High-end boating is the kind of situation where stainless steel Johnson Props are preferable. This is because a stainless steel propeller will allow boating enthusiasts to accelerate much faster and will also permit higher top speeds.
The major disadvantage of stainless steel, however, is that it is a more expensive option than aluminum.
Those new to the hobby of pleasure or sport boating may not realize that there is a wide variety of propellers available for most boat engines. This is not immediately apparent since marine engines generally come pre-equipped with a propeller already installed. It is easy to think of this propeller as “the” propeller that must work with that engine. In reality, it will be a stock propeller that is selected as a compromise position in order to please the majority of boat enthusiasts thinking of buying that engine.
Aftermarket Considerations
Once a boat engine has been purchased, the new owner is free to switch out the stock propeller that comes standard with it for a more specialized propeller that can offer specific advantages related to a larger diameter size, a different number of blades, or another approach to the issue of pitch. Replacement propellers are generally known as “aftermarket propellers” and they are available from several manufacturers. Many different Honda Boat Propellers, for example, can be purchased separately from engines so that boaters can mix and match in order to find a propeller that provides the best performance for a particular application such as towing a water skier, which requires the ability to “hit it,” or accelerate very quickly.
Honda props are available in a wide variety of configurations including three and four blade arrangements as well as left- and right-handed rotation. They are made of both stainless steel and aluminum.
Updated April 5, 2012. Published April 1, 2012. Samuel Valero
