prop guard opinions

Discussion in 'Props' started by Flying Flivver, Mar 27, 2012.

  1. Flying Flivver
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    Location: Ottawa ON canada

    Flying Flivver Junior Member

    I have a small tunnel boat that we swim off of alot and pick up skiers with after they fall. So for safty reasons I would like to get a guard for it.

    I would like to know the forums opinion of them?
     
  2. jehardiman
    Joined: Aug 2004
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    Location: Port Orchard, Washington, USA

    jehardiman Senior Member

    Compentent operator is the best safety system; everything else is just a backup and will always have issues.

    Edit: Perhaps I should have added sober.
     
  3. Submarine Tom

    Submarine Tom Previous Member

    Post two sums it up.

    Don't waste your money on false assurance.

    Invest in a safe boating course or some real safety gear.

    -Tom
     
  4. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    never have the motor going when you are picking up a wet ski person out of the water !!!. always come alongside on your side of the boat so you can see them at all times and stop the motor .
    simply putting the motor out of gear is far too dangerous !!
    also never tow the ski rope out the back of the boat !!
    when the person falls off the skiis check make sure they are ok and quickly haul in the rope then go to pick them up . The rope is always floating on top of the water and can give a nasty burn! and if it gets wrapped round any part of your body you are in serious trouble !!. :eek:
     
  5. michael pierzga
    Joined: Dec 2008
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    Location: spain

    michael pierzga Senior Member

    I see very many PROP gaurds on outboard yacht tenders. The crews speak highly of them and have no operational problems.
     
  6. Landlubber
    Joined: Jun 2007
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    Location: Brisbane

    Landlubber Senior Member

    ...all our surf rubber duckies here have prop guards, so I guess there is a good reason for em.
     
  7. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    Unless its an inboard, but you need to trust the driver.

    We used to do demonstrations like pick up a skiier without the boat coming off the plane. I cant wait for someone to say its impossible.

    We also did 360 turns -- easy-- the boat went clockwise and the skiier went anti clock!!! DANGEROUS your better believe it is, whoooa.

    PS an outboard can not do this stuff.
     
  8. tunnels

    tunnels Previous Member

    Yes the surf rescue All have them thats a part of the regulations in case they run over a person in the water in the waves while being rescued .

    The prop guards also knock off speed as well so during surf compititions They spend lots time fileing and cleaning and polishing the welds on the guards to try and make then just a little better with less drag .

    Been there done that !!,and made lighter stronger surf boats and bits for them !!was a part of the job in the company i worked for a couple of years .

    Made glass bottomed surf boat with stepped transoms!! they went like a scolded cat and at full speed could spin in there own length!. They could also go up the face and punch out the top of a curling wave which was totally unheard of !! a soft bottomed boat could fold in half and most times flipped on the back upside down !!.

    Go askthe guys in surf life saving club and get the low down for you prop guard !!. they are about the best and most efficent around !! might even give you the most exciting ride of your life !!:D:p:p
     
  9. jehardiman
    Joined: Aug 2004
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    Location: Port Orchard, Washington, USA

    jehardiman Senior Member

    We need to be careful here what we call a "Prop Guard". Many surf and tender prop guards are to protect the prop and the mother vessel, not a person in the water. The space between the struts is too large to prevent digit injestion.

    bad[​IMG] good [​IMG]
     
    1 person likes this.
  10. keysdisease
    Joined: Mar 2006
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    Location: South Florida USA

    keysdisease Senior Member

    This issue comes up here in the US about whether the Government should require them on outboards and I/0's.

    The Industry is against them, and one of their arguments is that the guard would cause a blunt trauma injury that would be worse than getting cut up (most probably true at higher speeds, not so much a slow speeds.) They also bring up handling issues, increased fuel consumption etc.

    Below link is to a review of a Florida lawsuit which includes the propguard question. There have been dozens of these suites here in the US.

    Steve

    http://www.propellersafety.com/wordpress/wpcontent/uploads/deckerOMC.pdf

    Horsepower and Speeds - a 25 (or 28) horsepower motor in a 13 foot boat minimizes many issues the industry raises at higher speeds (blunt trauma, handling issues, performance decreases, fuel consumption, etc). They tried raising them here, but the impact seemed minimal in the news coverage. If it had been a larger, faster, higher horsepower vessel things would have been tougher for Deckerʼs team.
     
  11. Flying Flivver
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    Location: Ottawa ON canada

    Flying Flivver Junior Member

    thanks everyone.
     
  12. tom kane
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Hamilton.New Zealand.

    tom kane Senior Member

    Thundercat racers us a prop guard. There must be some merit in using them,and they don`t seem to slow the craft down too much. I would prefer a guarded prop myself and have used them in small boat work they can and do save many incidents both operator related and equipment.
     
  13. Flying Flivver
    Joined: Oct 2011
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    Location: Ottawa ON canada

    Flying Flivver Junior Member

    On a Thundercat is where I first saw them and thought they seemed practical, although those guys a a little nuts!
     
  14. Frosty

    Frosty Previous Member

    There can be no doubt that they slow the boat and at a guess I would say considerably so.

    If used for racing and therefore every one has one then the race is still fare.

    Sounds like Health and safety has had their noses in it.
     

  15. tom kane
    Joined: Nov 2003
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    Location: Hamilton.New Zealand.

    tom kane Senior Member

    prop guard opinion

    there is a difference between a prop guard and an attached kort Nozzle. The guards on thunder cats are usually much bigger diameter than the prop,about 2 inches clearance all roung and are intended as a guard. A kort nozzle is smaller and has less clearance around the prop intended for safer operation and extra thrust for small o/bs. They reduce the slashing effect of an open prop and do save a lot of damage to props and people.
     
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