Posted by Tom W Clark on 02/22/14 - 8:55 AM
#13
I had a stainless steel prop on my 170 and hit oysters/rocks and sheared/spun the hub. Took several hours to get towed home.
Had to unload the boat. Missed a day of fishing. Fishing days are important to me because I live in Texas and the boat is in South Carolina.
I replaced the stainless steel prop with aluminum. I 've hit oysters since and have not sheared/spun the hub. I've replaced the prop but haven't missed any fishing time.
If you spun a hub on your Montauk 170, you should have simply swapped out the Flo-Torq II hub insert. That is beauty of the Flo-Torq (and other) square bore hubs: they are field replaceable. I always carry a spare insert onboard.
I'm sorry you missed any fishing time, but you can't blame that on a stainless steel prop. Indeed, your story reinforces what I've been saying: stainless steel props do not necessarily cause engine damage because the hub is designed to protect it.