It is true that boating enthusiasts do not have to understand how a propeller works in order to use one very successfully for activities as diverse as cruising a river or lake, getting to a favorite fishing spot, or pulling a water skier.  Knowing the principles involved in propeller function, however, can make a novice [...]

A cursory examination of the Mercury boat propellers available for sale will almost immediately raise the question of blades.  Some Mercury props have three blades and some have four.  How is a boating enthusiast, particularly a novice one, to know which arrangement is best? The answer is that either one can be best depending on [...]

Those new to the hobby of pleasure or sport boating may not realize that there is a wide variety of propellers available for most boat engines.  This is not immediately apparent since marine engines generally come pre-equipped with a propeller already installed.  It is easy to think of this propeller as “the” propeller that must [...]

Johnson boat propellers are available in both aluminum and stainless steel varieties.  One of the first decisions any boating enthusiast must make when considering propellers is this very issue – choice of metal. Advantages and Disadvantages of Aluminum Aluminum is generally considered to be an “all purpose” metal appropriate for a wide variety of recreational [...]

Boat engines both old and new are able to use Evinrude boat propellers in order to attain optimal performance.  Evinrude engines use many types of propellers, using primarily the metals of aluminum or stainless steel.  Aluminum propeller blades are lighter than those made of stainless steel are, but stainless steel has strength advantages over aluminum [...]

One of the best producers of marine hardware today is a company called Buck Algonquin.  Their catalog of products is extensive and includes all the major categories of hardware that boating enthusiasts can need. This includes hoses, clamps, deck hardware, and exhaust fittings, as well as valves, plumbing fittings, and steering hardware. In each category, [...]

The popular image of a boat propeller is a shaft with one set of curved blades extending from it in a geometrically symmetrical pattern, but boating enthusiasts are also familiar with the duo prop.  First introduced in 1982, Volvo duo propellers provide boaters with a more efficient propulsion system.  This is because in Volvo propellers [...]

One unfortunate side effect of immersing metals in seawater is corrosion. A specific type of decay known as galvanic corrosion can happen when two kinds of metal are connected and then exposed to salt water.  In layman’s terms, this causes the metals to behave in a battery-like fashion; current will begin to flow between them [...]

One of the most important elements in a boat propeller system is the shaft seal.  Marine shaft seals are a mechanical seal created when a surface in circular motion turns against an unmoving surface. Packless Sealing System Shaft Seals PSS shaft seals are a specific kind of seal that use a carbon flange as the [...]

Since Australia is the “island continent,” it only makes sense that boating is one of the most popular activities in the nation.  In fact, all six state capitals as well as the national capital are located along the coast, which means that a significant percentage of Australians live near the ocean. One challenge for boating [...]