Wanted: Prop Guard

[51ROB20]

I am looking for an inexpensive (if there is such a thing) prop guard to fit my Mariner 25hp Has anyone got one or could someone tell me the best place to look for one. I have looked on e-bay but could not find one.

[mister p]

I think that "PropGuard" is actually the name for them and if I remember..........SafetyMarine may have them.

[SPR]

prop guards are not the answer in most cases....

[Poly]

Originally Posted by 51ROB20

I am looking for an inexpensive (if there is such a thing) prop guard to fit my Mariner 25hp Has anyone got one or could someone tell me the best place to look for one. I have looked on e-bay but could not find one.

Before you spend your money on a prop guard (which will cost you at least £100) have you researched the expert opinion on such devices?

Much has been said on here in the past but here would be a quick summary:

- screws up performance
- may take you longer to reach a person in the water
- screws up fuel consumption
- complacency that the prop is guarded can make drivers less aware of people in the water and drive more dangerously
- not 100% certain to avoid prop injury
- risk of prop strike from competent helmsan acting responsibly very low
- RYA advice is training not guards is best practice

[smiffysteve]

Originally Posted by 51ROB20

I am looking for an inexpensive (if there is such a thing) prop guard to fit my Mariner 25hp Has anyone got one or could someone tell me the best place to look for one. I have looked on e-bay but could not find one.

if you read all and still want a prop gaurd i have just taken one from my 60hp yamaha wich may fit,pm me should you want any info on it,

[51ROB20]

Thanks for all the advice, perhapse I should of explained in my original post that the reason for looking at a prop guard is that both my wife and I are interested in dolphin watching and the "powers to be" on the Moray Firth are getting a bit anoyed with people using their own boats to go dolphin watching. They say that boats other than the charter boats are causing a lot of injuries and stress to the dolphins. What gives them the right to put all boat owners in the same class as the few idiots that show no regard for the wildlife or other people is beyond me.
We thought that fitting a propguard might be a way of preventing injury to any marine life. Also as we are both disabled (my wife has lower back damage) we will not be going "flat out" unless the water is calm, but if fitting one is going to increase fuel consumption I will probably be better off without one.

[SPR]

best reading up on the wildlife watching guidelines.

www.wisescheme.org
www.marinecode.org

there will be a course in next few months in Scotland will post when I get detials.

regards

Scott

[51ROB20]

Many thanks SPR I have just downloaded and printed both links so I now have a bit of "light" reading in bed for the next couple of nights. I will probably laminate all the pages and keep them in the motorhome as we will be towing the RIB with it, that way we can always "read up" each time before we go out on the water so that we don't make any mistakes.
As a keen photographer and nature video maker I am looking forward to getting out there and enjoying the wildlife as it should be seen (without disturbing it)