The Truth about Boat Propellers. Part 2 - My hub kit slips on impact

The Truth about Boat Propellers. Part 2 - My hub kit slips on impact

Don't trust any hub kit to "give" when you hit something.

Some top OEM engine manufacturers will claim that if you hit a solid object underwater, the hub will slip and protect your engine. That notion is common among boaters today. The fact is that they are wrong! Sure, sometimes when you hit something hard, you're hub will indeed slip. Your prop will be destroyed, and many times so will your gearcase/lower unit.

To confidently rely on your hub kit to protect your drive is not a good idea. Mercury shows a diagram on their box, illustrating the break point of their hub so that your drive will be protected upon impact. They boast this information to many of their customers. This is a down right lie by a major corporation. Does the Merc hub slip? Sure. Often times when you definetely do not want it to - gunning the throttle, hopping big waves, or just cruising around. It is my strong opinion that Mercury and other manufacturers claim their hubs are fail safe to cover themselves for such a high failure rate under normal conditions.

The holds true with the rubber hub. Rubber is indeed soft and has some give. But how can any hub be smart enough to stay intact under extreme torque conditions of hitting the throttle hard, pulling a skier, hopping a wave, but at the same time "slip" under impact. It is simply not true.

Here are the facts:
Most aluminum propellers will sacrifice themselves under impact, saving the lower unit. Stainless steel props are less forgiving, thus if you hit a solid enough object under water, it will very likely cause damage to your lower unit - regardless of which hub you have.

Still skeptical? Ask any marine service center how many repairs they have done as a result of the boater hitting an object underwater. I'm sure that number will be substantial. Another fact: almost all of those propellers had either a rubber hub or Mercury style hub or any other hub inside of them. What happened to the claimed protection for your lower unit?

Don't get me wrong, I'm sure that some boaters' hubs did actually slip on impact and possibly save their drive, but that is not the norm and you should never rely on that to happen for you.

The next time you buy a boat propeller, ask the seller or even the manufacturer about their hub.

Peter Sagartz
eBuyersWorld.com