Asked by: Maxym Nibur
sports canoeing and kayaking

How do I change a boat propeller?

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Step 1: Block the prop, so it doesn't spin as you apply pressure to the prop nut. Step 2: Straighten and remove the cotter pin, using a pair of pliers. (Some props will have a circular tab, instead of a cotter pin). Step 3: Remove the prop nut with a ratchet, or a prop-puller (a wrench designed just for prop nuts).


In respect to this, when should I replace my boat prop?

8 Clear Signs It's Time to Replace Your Boat Propeller

  1. It Has Too Much Pitch. When researching propeller sizes, you'll notice two numbers associated with each one.
  2. It Doesn't Have Enough Pitch.
  3. It's a Compromise Propeller.
  4. You Damaged It in the Water.
  5. It's Made of Aluminum.
  6. You Want to Go Faster.
  7. You're Losing Gas.
  8. It's Not the Right Diameter.

Also, how do you know if your prop is slipping? To tell if your hub has spun, mark a line on the back of the prop hub with lipstick. You can also score your mark using a file. With the mark in place over the inner and outer hub, it's a simple matter to pull the prop and see if the mark has broken in two. If it has, you have spun a hub.

Similarly, it is asked, how tight should a boat prop be?

When you go to tighten the boat prop nut, you want to make it tight, but not crazy tight. A general rule of thumb is to tighten it by hand and add a 1/4 turn extra. You can find exactly how much torque to use by looking in your service manual for the engine you are tightening the prop nut on.

What size is a prop wrench?

1 1/16" or 1 1/8", can't remember off hand as my rapid jack plate takes one and the prop takes the other. Take 'em both and you are covered. 1 1/16". You'll need a deep socket.

Related Question Answers

Harwinder Schadt

Pundit

How do you fix a spun prop?

How to Fix a Spun Propeller
  1. Inspect the propeller first to determine if the hub has spun inside the propeller.
  2. Pull the cone off the front of the propeller, using the pliers.
  3. Loosen and remove the lock nut from the propeller shaft by turning it counter-clockwise with a ratchet, extension and a socket.
  4. Pull the propeller straight off the shaft.

Natascia Dardour

Pundit

Is a 3 or 4 blade prop better?

A 3 blade propeller usually offers top speed performance while a 4 blade propeller provides maximum thrust and smooth cruising operation. Four blades have some features of their own, though. They often provide more lift at the stern which will help accelerate the hull, especially if it is stern heavy.

Abdelrahman Soosten

Teacher

Will a 4 blade prop make my boat faster?

"Often, a four-blade propeller is the ticket," says Meeler. "The additional blade area grips the water better, allowing for quicker acceleration." The greater blade area also lifts the hull more while underway, which minimizes draft.

Dorotea Mathey

Teacher

Will a stainless steel prop increase speed?

As a rule, a stainless-steel prop (assuming the correct pitch and diameter) will make your boat go faster — up to 2-3 knots on some boats. Stainless steel is stronger and can be made thinner, allowing more speed. Stainless steel also flexes less and keeps its shape at higher speeds.

Jeison Quednau

Teacher

Does Prop diameter affect RPM?

A prop's two dimensions each affect performance in different ways. For every inch of change in prop diameter the RPM varies by about 500 RPMs (up or down) and every inch of pitch changes the RPM by approximately 150 to 200 RPM.

Zahia Erenkov

Teacher

What size motor can I put on my boat?

The rule of thumb is based on weight alone, and says you should have between 40 and 25 pounds of weight for each horsepower. For example, a 5,000-pound boat could have an engine with between 125 and 200 horsepower.

Aleena Rosenwald

Reviewer

What causes a boat motor to lose power?

You most likely have a filter problem or fouled plugs. That could be why your boat motor is losing power. Prevention: It's possible to buy a bad load of fuel, but it's more likely that the fuel went bad while in your boat. Leaving a tank near empty for long periods of time can cause condensation and water in the gas.

Ulysses Kalinowsk

Reviewer

How fast will a 200 hp pontoon boat go?

A good average speed is somewhere around 22mph (35 kilometers). Barefoot – This blog gives a formula that is helpful for those in the U.S. Take your weight in pounds and divide by 10. Then add 20. So if you're 200 pounds, you go to 20mph, then add 20, which means 40mph.

Sakura Boileau

Reviewer

What is a hub kit for props?

Most aluminum and stainless steel propellers instead of having the rubber hub pressed into the prop from the factory now require a hub kit made specifically for the boat owner's engine brand and horsepower. The hub kits are removable and transferable and are designed to break away from the prop if you hit something.

Ashraf Grewsmuhl

Reviewer

What is a prop hub?

By Mike Mazur. December 7, 2010. Here's a quick look at the evolution of prop hubs, the vital assembly that connects an engine's propeller to its drive shaft and simultaneously acts as a shock absorber should a prop strike an underwater object.

Janise Jenige

Supporter

What is a Flo Torq hub?

Mercury Marine, the world leader in marine propulsion and technology, introduces the Flo-Torq SSR HD, a propeller hub system designed to improve shift noise and vibration on high-horsepower outboards that use a heavy-duty 1.25-inch propeller shaft.

Jucelia Pfaff

Supporter

What size is a mercury prop nut?

SeaLux Marine Boat Prop Nut Mercury 11-69578 Brass Nylon Lock 3/4" Shaft, 1-1/16" nut.

Shon Lenci

Beginner

How much does it cost to Rehub a prop?

Re: How much to rehub a prop
It cost about 1/3 ($80) of a replacement. This included re-hubbing because the casting process destroys the rubber slip-bearing (or whatever that thingy is called!). Rebuilding is usually a set price depending on the size of your prop.

Bachira Frederichs

Beginner

Can you over tighten a prop nut?

Hard to believe you would be over-tightening the prop nut as this spec is often around 50 ft lbs. Hand tightened or otherwise too loose may allow the prop to slam back in reverse with great force against the nut and possibly shear the securing cotter pin with potential eventual loss of the prop.