Prop Guards

[Stevie J]

Hi All,

Been thinking about prop guard for the rib. Red 14" for me. Cost £185.

For diver safety, rope/creel lines, cetacean/piniped encounters. And the potential of a boat meets terra firma issue!

Out yesterday and "found" a rock at 4 knots! Big bump, no prop damage, small chunk out of the skeg but that can be filed smooth.

Just thinking a plastic prop guard would have been smashed to bits (as Alisdair MacFadyen said they probably would just 2 hours before we set off!). An inflexible SS one may have made it even worse!

So do they just protect against the soft stuff (mamalian flesh) and not the hard stuff? And do the claims of working like a Kort Nossle stack up to low speed/pick up performance and fuel economy improvements?

Cheers Stevie

[samt]

Those plastic ones pretty much smash on first impact. The stainless steel ones are better, but they will ruin the performance and handling of the boat in every way.

I would only fit if required by legislation, i.e specific safety boat work.

[paintman]

Originally Posted by samt

Those plastic ones pretty much smash on first impact. The stainless steel ones are better, but they will ruin the performance and handling of the boat in every way.

I would only fit if required by legislation, i.e specific safety boat work.

Zapcats would tend to disagree........

That said the only way you are going to avoid damage to the prop & skeg or to any guard you fit is not to run into things. Which isn't that difficult.........

[jeffstevens763@g]

we had a plastic one at work first time out something went into the guard [rod/stick] wiped out the guard and prop £300 gone

[steco1958]

I had one on the last Rib, (Blue) tohatsu 50, performed well, and when in and around swimmers/bathers such as picking people up from the beach in Spain, gave a sense of assurance.

Last year with newer rib no prop guard, a kiddy decided to swim around the rear of the boat as we were picking folk up, had to give is father a Bol*****, even though no power on, still sharp bits to do damage.

[Stevie J]

So they just protect against the soft stuff and not the hard stuff?

What about the claims of low speed/pick up performance and fuel economy improvements?

[SimonCh]

they are good for inexperienced boat handlers around people in the water. Apart from that, they are the devil.

Bring on the cavitation!

[Poly]

Originally Posted by SimonCh

they are good for inexperienced boat handlers around people in the water. Apart from that, they are the devil.

Bring on the cavitation!

I'd say they are really bad for inexperienced boat handlers around people: they encourage complacency and you can do a lot of damage without using the prop.

Zapcats are one of the cases where I think there is a compelling case.

[Fender]

Originally Posted by Stevie J

So they just protect against the soft stuff and not the hard stuff?

What about the claims of low speed/pick up performance and fuel economy improvements?

Anything that 'drags' through the water will hit your fuel economy, never in a million years will a prop guard improve your figures.

[Roflhat]

The zapcat racing series runs prop guards, the thundercat series doesn't. Its generally accepted that there is a 10% top speed penalty for using one.
Interestingly the only serious incedent in the sport involved someone getting their arm stuck a prop guard. I wouldn't get one, as mentioned in other replies, it will ruin the performance and reduce fuel economy

[steco1958]

Originally Posted by Stevie J

So they just protect against the soft stuff and not the hard stuff?

What about the claims of low speed/pick up performance and fuel economy improvements?

I did not experience any lack of speed or pickup, I suppose there maybe an effect on fuel economy, however when out boating, I tend to just put in the petrol, if I thought about the cost, I probably would not have a boat !!

[Patch]

Safety Safety Safety. That's all it is.