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dr
08-20-2002, 09:06 AM
I have recently dinged the SS prop on my 1995,16' classic. Visually it doesn't look bad; no noticible change in performance; a couple of places with 1/16th" nicks and/or misformed metal. Is it safe to wait to the end of the season to repair or should I do it now? There's a 2-3 week wait for this service.

Thanks

AVickers
08-20-2002, 09:18 AM
I'd wait... Until you REALLY need service.

If it were an aluminum prop, you could get water erosion or burning around the area, but with a stainless prop, you don't have to worry about that.

If the nicks are sharply burred, you might take a file or emory cloth to them to smooth them out -- mostly to avoid a razor-sharp cutting edge that could snag clothing, a boat cover or you when it's just sitting around. Deburring a prop is a relatively simple deal...

There was a post earlier about doing some minor fixing to your own prop. If you have a slight bend on the leading edge or tip, you can use two hammers to gently beat it flat between their faces - I've found that I can use a hammer in my left hand as an anvil and sandwich the ding/nick and tap it with a hammer in my right hand. Don't overdo it -- if you pound the metal too much or too hard, it'll get thinner and stretch. The post goes on to say that if you file a ding, you should only file on the leading side of the prop - the side toward the boat.