Came home from dinner last night and my boat was sitting in the driveway with a bare prop shaft.

I'm thinking about a Solas prop, but I am not sure what else I need. I still have the forward thrust hub, but that is all they left me. If I order the Solas prop and a Mercruiser prop nut kit (and a prop lock of course) will I be all set? The solas site seems to show a spacer that is needed, but I cannot find the spacer online anywhere, is it included with the prop? It's a Mercruiser Alpha One drive.

I was hoping to reprop next spring and keep my old one as a spare. I guess someone else couldn't wait to reprop their boat.

Aluminum is going for good money. Most likely stole it for the scrap!!!!!!!!!i would scrap any thief I'd catch!

Oh, I wish it was aluminum. This was 4 blade stainless prop. They knew exactly what they were taking and likely had an intended use in mind.

I just want 5 minutes alone with the guy...

Why are you going with Solas?

Haven't read anything bad about Solas, and I can get a 4 blade stainless from them for right around $300, compared to $600 for a Mercury.

Is there a reason I shouldn't be going with Solas? There really aren't too many other choices in 4 blade stainless for under $500.

I'm considering the HR Titan 4 or the RUBEX HR4, both in 14.125" X 19P. I do know I want a 19P as I had a 4 blade 17P on there as the RPMs were about 300 higher than they should be at WOT. If I order one will I need anything other than the prop nut kit (nut and washers)?

I was hoping to take my time and research the props a little more before doing my reprop, but due to an ******* out there I don't get that chance. Also on a tight timeline as I am leaving to go out of town tonight and won't be back until Wednesday, so I need to get this ordered.

wow that is just soooo wrong!!
did you contact your insurence co?

woosterken.

Solas designs their props and Merc designs theirs. They do not work on a boat the same as they are perhaps as different as a chevy pick up to a ford pick-up truck. They both carry a load, but the driver most likely notices a difference.

Take a look at Michigan Wheel. I had an Apollo I bought for my Sea Ray, and was very happy with it. It was a three blade stainless, price was pretty good also.

No advice, just condolences. Didn't you get the boat recently? That really sux!!

that's very kind of the wife to send it out to be tuned for you, but she should have mentioned it.

Did I miss something?

The joke? :-p

Someone stole the prop with resale in mind. Keep an eye on your local classifieds for a while. If you find the guy I recommend this guy as an "arbitrator."

What else do you need? A security camera or a pack of dobermanns? Seriously, the losers that took your prop know you have to get a new one. They'll be back for a look see at least.

Or maybe something like this:

http://www.secureprop.com/howitworks.html

I've got a Pit/Shepherd/Chow, but she is a big wimp. The loser may be back, but he won't find an unlocked prop unattended any longer.

SeaVet -> Yes, we have had the boat for about 6 weeks.

seabuddy - I understand it isn't a Merc prop and will be designed differently. It's cheap enough though that if I don't like how it performs I will just stash it as a spare and drop the coin on a VenSura or Rev4. Hopefully I will be able to test it out this weekend, so I will give you my impressions.

There is a washer that is at the back of the prop -- and it rides on a beveled surface where the shaft goes from the size of the splines, to the next larger size as it enters the lower unit.
On mercruiser props the prop rests against that washer -- it is called a "HUB-thrust" on the Doug Russell parts site -- on there they are about $25.00. I assume they are needed for all mfgr of props on a mercruiser lower unit --

The thrust hub was still there, that's the only piece they left. I did find the original prop nut in my backyard, so I know how they snuck in and out with no one noticing. The Solas showed up today and it looks like I have everything I need to mount this puppy Saturday morning before I leave for the lake.

Thanks for the help everyone.

Now, about that doberman...

Did you get the 14.125" X 19P?

What elevation do you run at?

What engine/drive do you have?

Let us (well me, 'cause it's all about me!) know how that works out for you.

Yes, I got the 14.125 X 19. The lakes in MO and IL where I will be boating are anywhere from 400 - 900 feet elevation, so nothing too major. Engine is a 5.0 MPI mated to an Alpha 1 Gen 2 drive with a 1.62:1 drive ratio. The boat is 22 feet long and should weigh about 4400 lbs with our typical load of fuel, people and gear.

With the Mercury Offshore Series 14" X 17Pitch 4 blade on there I was hitting 5400 RPM and 54 MPH (Speedo) at WOT. This was with a full tank of gas but only 2 people on board, we were in about a 6-12" wind blown chop at about 625' above sea level.

We're heading out on Saturday so I will post my results as long as the rain holds off.

Thanks. I am looking at re-propping too and that info will help me decide.

When my friend got his semi-stolen Four Winns back from the guy who 'test drove' it, it was missing a bunch of stuff, the prop was one item. It was a rebuilt that I'd bought for it, and I still had his old prop. He had a buyer wanting to go for a ride so I told him I'd get the old prop & pick up new hardware for it. When he showed up with the boat I was surprised that the thief left the thrust washer AND the nut & lock...?

Thieves suck. Still remember last year almost sinking our new boat because some donkeyhole took my plug while the boat was parked in the lot...

We have a High Five that we use on the boat when we are doing watersports or have a heavy load. There was no spare when I bought the boat, so I picked up a used Mirage Plus on Ebay for $150. The boat is never stored with the High Five on it, and it only takes a few minutes to change it out.

The three blade could use a tuneup, but I don't want to spend the money in case it gets stolen.

We store the boat covered outside in the winter in a locked storage lot. I take the outdrive off for the winter, mostly to avoid it being stolen...

Hope you catch your thief!

Has that occured in your storage yard? I keep my boat outdoors, in a locked storage lot also, and my DP is on the back of it with the SS props also. I've given thought to taking the props off for the winter, but not the drives.

Frantically -> They left the nut? That's weird. I did find my old nut in the backyard. They must have dropped it while they were sneaking away.

DeepV -> Well after a day on the lake I have mixed feeling on the Solas. With the 14.125" X 19P 4 blade my engine is still hitting 5400 RPM at WOT which is too high, the top speed was lower than I expected as well, at only 46, but I did have about 300 more pounds in the boat. Cruising in the mid-range was improved over the old prop as the boat will hold a 26 MPH cruise at 3200 RPM where it would require 3500 before. The holeshot suffered a bit as well, but only slightly. I was still able to pop my friend right up on his slalom ski, he weighs about 175 lbs, tubing at 20 - 24 MPH was fine as well.

At this point I am thinking I will end up purchasing the Vensura (or a used Offshore Series 4 blade) in a 19P before next spring, and the Solas will be my spare.

May I suggest you watch out about getting a Offshore series if you want middle rpms performance.

seabuddy -> Yeah, I know what you mean about the mid-range performance with the Offshore. The 17P Offshore I had would need 3500 RPMs to cruise nicely, but it also had a top speed 6 MPH higher.

How does the Vensura stack up to the Offshore Series 4 blade?

I think of it as a re-named Offshore. That may be too simple, but that's what I do.

Well, that's the way they look to me too, but I've only been at this boat thing for a little while.

I'm going to give the Solas a few more trips out before I decide if it is truly going to be a spare.

TimBob, just wondering, did you get the Solas Titan 4 or the Solas Rubex HR4? Is there a difference in the blade design or just in the hub system?

I have read the Titan is a knock-off of...or at least very similar to the Vensura...don't know if any truth to that, do you? I see you are considering a Vensura so I will be very curious how the 2 compare if you do.