Prop Guards

[Thistle]

Hi!

I usually post on PBO but I suspect that some of the good folk on this forum might be better placed to help with this ...

I am considering fitting a prop guard to a 40HP outboard fitted to a planing dory. Is there anyone out there who has experience of using a prop guard on a similar boat? What did you find were the pros and cons? Given the choice over again, would you fit one or not?

Oh, and PLEASE ... thanks in advance for answers of the type "I've no experience of this but I think ...", but no thanks. It really is the folk who have been there and tried it I would like to hear from - lots of virtual beers for them!

 

[AndieMac]

Hi!

I usually post on PBO but I suspect that some of the good folk on this forum might be better placed to help with this ...

I am considering fitting a prop guard to a 40HP outboard fitted to a planing dory. Is there anyone out there who has experience of using a prop guard on a similar boat? What did you find were the pros and cons? Given the choice over again, would you fit one or not?

Oh, and PLEASE ... thanks in advance for answers of the type "I've no experience of this but I think ...", but no thanks. It really is the folk who have been there and tried it I would like to hear from - lots of virtual beers for them!

I use seriously heavy duty SS prop-guards on both my marina work-boats. Both are 17ft. alloy, centre console dinghies, with a 75 hp Merc and a 90 hp Etec. The old 75 has had one for nearly six years now. These are both fully enclosed grills/cages, front, sides and back.

When floods are running, with logs and heavy debris, the prop-guards are perfect, I just bounce over the top.
Backing up to, and running over dredging pipes, resting against concrete and steel pontoons under power, there is no worries, but ropes will still get drawn in through the grills and around the prop.

Our guards protect the entire lower gear case from low speed, commercial type work impact, and are custom built for the job, however in Queensland I'm sure there is a manufacturer who produces them for recreational users, surf life-saving etc. which is just a vertically mounted ring around the outside of the prop.

There is a degree of speed/power loss (with our heavy duty models) that would be dependent on how close the grill bars are apart, weight of the guard etc.
I guess that depends on how much protection you need for your prop, or arms and legs.