I have just bought my first boat and have so many questions.  OK, props.  I want a good prop that makes my boat faster reduces fuel consumption and lasts a long time.  Will I be telling my wife that I need to buy a stainless steel prop?  If I have to fork out $300 to $400 to replace my perfectly functional aluminum prop, can someone please give me some selling points that I can tell my wife so she will let me buy it?

Thanks

I looked into Stainless props...

seems like alot of money for very little improvement. On my 60 horse the prop shop near me said I could expect 3-5 miles an hour improvement...3-5 miles an hour is not worth $350 bucks as far as I am concerned.

I have never heard that a S.S prop will improve gas mileage.

I am not a prop expert so you might want to visit a prop shop for expert information but here is my $.02 worth.

Stainless props are more efficient than the aluminum props. They don't deflect as much under load and the trailing edge is cupped pushing more water back rather than having it slip off radially.

If you run 4 or 5 miles an hour faster in the same time frame you will go farther using the same amount of fuel. Thus more mpg.

What kind of a boat and motor do you have. How big, how much horse power? If I had a big motor on a pad hull boat I would buy the stainless and keep the aluminum as a spare.

what kinda setup you running  cant say without any info

I have a 1975, 16-foot Lund trihull with a 1990 Suzuki 85 hp 2 stroke.  85 hp is the maximum rated for that boat.

from a prop shop near me....

the fuel efficiency of a outboard is not really mpg...it is the rpm in relation to thrust...the more thrust you can provide at lower the rpm will improve your fuel efficiency...and a Staniless prop WILL do that for you. ( in comparison to an alumiinum of the same diameter and pitch...if you change pitch and diameter that changes everything) They offer less resistance in the water, thus lowering your rpm to thrust ratio and saving fuel...though it will likely never be enough to even notice the difference on the fuel gauge ( about 2%-4%)...unless you are doing calculations with a calculator. But if you want to have the peace of mind to know you have done all you can to save fuel...

the stainless prop for my boat would be $327...

still seems like alot of money with very limited advantage to me.

I think you would be throwing $ away. On a 85hp you wont notice alot of difference, I would wait until you need a new prop then get a SS.

My gut feel is that at 85hp you won't notice the difference. As previously said wait until you need a new prop or decide to carry a spare and buy the stainless then.

I would go with a stainless once that aluminum breaks and it will break eventually.  Too bad you've got a Suzuki, you can find used SS props on fishing boards for a half to 3/4 the price of new.  You'll have a tougher time finding Suzuki props though.