Carry an Extra Propeller ?

[McBobKC]

New to salt water boating in the Gulf / West Coast of Florida where shallow water is everywhere

How common is it / does anyone regularly carry a spare propeller with them along with tools to switch out a prop away from Home?

 

[Hookup1]

Not common. Stainless prop, good chartplotter, sounder, BoatUS and insurance. Oh and a little common sense!

You can usually read the water. When in doubt slow down.

I have more trouble with the dinky canal in the Keys. Real bad after Erma but better after they cleaned it up. Get a little sideways and bump hard bottom. Stall engine but prop is fine.

 

[FREEDOM!!!]

I don't know anyone who caries an extra prop. Stainless props are pretty tough.

 

[McBobKC]

Noted / Appreciate

I have a great chart plotter, multiple transducers, and some common sense

I am continually amazed at the shallow water around here, particularly within the intra coastal

Mid 70’s through 1995 I spent a lot of time on Table Rock Lake, a Corp of Engineers Lake, around Branson with aluminum propellers, without chart plotters, etc and a lot of submerged trees and floating debris - propeller issues were common

 

[Hookup1]

Noted / Appreciate

I have a great chart plotter, multiple transducers, and some common sense

I am continually amazed at the shallow water around here, particularly within the intra coastal

Mid 70’s through 1995 I spent a lot of time on Table Rock Lake, a Corp of Engineers Lake, around Branson with aluminum propellers, without chart plotters, etc and a lot of submerged trees and floating debris - propeller issues were common

I do Islamorada for a month or two each winter. I'm always amazed how shallow the water is. Particularly in the bay. Running along at speed looking at the bottom. But in 20 years of fishing there it hasn't been an issue.

 

[FREEDOM!!!]

Noted / Appreciate

I have a great chart plotter, multiple transducers, and some common sense

I am continually amazed at the shallow water around here, particularly within the intra coastal

Mid 70’s through 1995 I spent a lot of time on Table Rock Lake, a Corp of Engineers Lake, around Branson with aluminum propellers, without chart plotters, etc and a lot of submerged trees and floating debris - propeller issues were common

Aluminum props are very weak. My first boat had that and I went through about 3 props in the first year. It's pretty difficult to damage SS props.

 

[wahoo33417]

I've always carried a spare aluminum 'get home' prop along with two sets of prop nuts and washers. If I'm changing a prop in the water I'm guessing I'm gonna drop something. Also, if you're going to carry a spare prop, you'll need a short board to hold the prop in place while you turn the prop nut.

For me its not so much shallow water, but offshore debris like trees limbs and pallets just under the surface that I see just at the last moment.

We also take a lot of boat trips far from home, so in unfamiliar waters. So far I've only taken out a transom mount transducer on a tree limb in the Mississippi River. Carrying spare props gives me some comfort.

Rob

 

[Ryhlick]

I carry a spare prop and a extra nut that goes on in case I drop one. I've spun a prop way off shore and it was not fun.

 

[Fishtales]

If I had a single screw, I may carry a cheaper AL prop as a spare. In 25 years of owing my own twin screw boats, I never needed one. I did need to have one SS prop touched up, it was minor so I waited till end of season.

 

[glacierbaze]

Anchor out in 10 feet of choppy water, and try to change one. At 10', you may be able to recover it off the bottom, if necessary.
When I cruised overnight, or longer, I carried a spare, to avoid having to pay an outrageous price in a pinch.

 

[Ky Grady]

When I vacation down in Florida, be it around Tampa or the Keys, I have a spare prop with me, although it's in the truck. I figure if something happens I can call TowBoat US and get back to the ramp and change out. At least I don't have to buy one when I'm down there.

 

[billy.mills]

I had a prop fall off once after the service tech didn't replace the cotter pin (on a friends boat, not mine), we made it 12 miles offshore before it fell off (single engine btw).... After that I carried a spare offshore until I upgraded to twins.

 

[Gulffisher]

Over 50 years of active boating experience and I have never needed a spare prop. Shear pins, yes. Limp home on a busted-up prop, yes. The only prop I can remember losing on a boat left along with the broken prop shaft so a spare prop would have been useless anyway.

I have what I consider better recommendations for you and another for billy.mills.

Get a Seatow membership (or the other one if better in your area).

Check behind someone else who works on your boat (especially the easy to see stuff like a cotter pin).

Happy boating!

 

[plymouthgrady]

I always carry a spare prop. also a prop wrench & a block of 2x4. i equate it to driving without a spare tire. i joking say if you've never hit a sandbar you haven't been boating long enough! joking aside, i've out in the middle of the bay when my prop spun. after limping over an hour home, i had a ball of powerpro braid wrapped around the spline when i pulled the prop. submerged logs, lobster pots pretty much any submerged object can damage your prop. peace of mind if anything happens

 

[FREEDOM!!!]

I always carry a spare prop. also a prop wrench & a block of 2x4. i equate it to driving without a spare tire. i joking say if you've never hit a sandbar you haven't been boating long enough! joking aside, i've out in the middle of the bay when my prop spun. after limping over an hour home, i had a ball of powerpro braid wrapped around the spline when i pulled the prop. submerged logs, lobster pots pretty much any submerged object can damage your prop. peace of mind if anything happens

Certainly nothing wrong with having a spare. If I were to do that I'd probably just get a cheap aluminum instead of a high dollar SS. Just enough to get me home.