SHETLAND OWNERS ASSOCIATION

Hi all,

We have a 2023 Suzuki DF50 50HP on a Shetland Family four used in inshore sea. The prop is the standard prop that came with it and it works very well (up to perhaps 20kn or maybe more at times. I've only once or twice seen a warning about over RPM on WOT so I think that means it must be matched just right. It can be difficult to get the boat on to a plane sometimes but I would imagine that's just because 50HP is just about enough to get enough power needed.

The prop has very recently been damaged after hitting a rock in shallow water in a river (it still works but all three blades have been chipped/damaged).

So I thought I'd put a message here about prop choices if I'm going to buy a replacement prop (size, pitch and number of blades).

If anyone has any knowledge or opinions on this I'm very interested

thank you

Derek

If the prop has been largely fine, check the numbers stamped into the hub and buy another the same size.
I’d send the damaged one to Steel Developments for a 1st class repair service and keep it as a spare.
https://www.steeldevelopments.net/

Because the boat was still in a marina I purchased what I could get in a hurry from a local stop - a Solas 13-14" prop with a "11" pitch so who knows really but it was in stock. Then when I went down and swapped the props (very easy when I backed the Shetland in and had access to the engine) I took off the existing original prop and, stamped on it was "11 - 1/2 X 13" so I think I've probably ended up swapping like for like by pure luck.

This is what happens to a prop when it hits the river bed