DIY Prop Guard

[Lee1]

Anyone made a prop guard? I don't want to pay out £150 plus so I'm going to mod one, I first thought of using Aliminium sheet but I've been thinking about it and I've noticed all DIY ones are drilled or cut out to allow water flow so I'm thinking to use the very thick wire fence like that is used for security fencing?

[Xk59D]

If you have a local sea cadets near they may have old ones lying about for a donation? I believe it is mandatory they have them fitted so might be worth an ask and also help out your local cadets with some wonga.

[Lee1]

This type of wire fencing

[Lee1]

Originally Posted by Xk59D

If you have a local sea cadets near they may have old ones lying about for a donation? I believe it is mandatory they have them fitted so might be worth an ask and also help out your local cadets with some wonga.

An idea but I bet they sell all old kit on the bay to raise funds, new ones are over priced!

[Xk59D]

I don't think 150 quid is overpriced myself for a new one if that is what they are? Weird for a Scotsman to say something isn't over priced, yet alone a marine product.

Get it bought!

Or I'm sure some angle iron, bolts, fencing and a welder could make something in a couple of hours.

[Lee1]

I think it is for just a piece of metal, I think they are priced that way because they are for boating lol, you can buy a set of vehicle headlight metal guards for around £50 yet prop guards are 3 times the price! A piece of tread plate would only cost £25 bend it around a tree drill some holes and job done, watch this space lol

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Lee1

I think it is for just a piece of metal, I think they are priced that way because they are for boating lol, you can buy a set of vehicle headlight metal guards for around £50 yet prop guards are 3 times the price! A piece of tread plate would only cost £25 bend it around a tree drill some holes and job done, watch this space lol

Why do you want/need one?

[Lee1]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Why do you want/need one?

I use the sib on a large steep pebble beach that also has a lot of rocks covered at high tide, I tow kids behind the boat as well hence people are in the water around the sib and also I've dinged the prop a few times when standing it up between taking it on and off the sib as it's hard work being 50kg plus (don't know the weight for sure but it's 25hp long shaft and bloody heavy lol)

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Lee1

I use the sib on a large steep pebble beach that also has a lot of rocks covered at high tide, I tow kids behind the boat as well hence people are in the water around the sib and also I've dinged the prop a few times when standing it up between taking it on and off the sib as it's hard work being 50kg plus (don't know the weight for sure but it's 25hp long shaft and bloody heavy lol)

Fair enough. It'll kill the engine though.

[Lee1]

Originally Posted by Pikey Dave

Fair enough. It'll kill the engine though.

Do you mean power wise, or failure?

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Lee1

Do you mean power wise, or failure?

Power wise

[Xk59D]

Originally Posted by Lee1

I think it is for just a piece of metal, I think they are priced that way because they are for boating lol, you can buy a set of vehicle headlight metal guards for around £50 yet prop guards are 3 times the price! A piece of tread plate would only cost £25 bend it around a tree drill some holes and job done, watch this space lol

At a guess, what do you think the sales ratio of car headlight protectors is versus outboard prop guards? I'll have a stab but I bet it is thousands to one. Small quantities and price goes up....plus it is indeed marine stuff.

Yes it will rob power, quite a chunk of it but that is price for doing it.

[Lee1]

I guess your right about justifying the cost. . .

I can afford to lose power as I'm well over powered to start with it might do me a favour lol

[jeffstevens763@g]

we had one at work for use in rivers a branch went through it destroyed the prop and guard, i just put my engine on shallow drive.

[ShinyShoe]

A few questions come to mind:

Car headlamp protector fails - what happens - your headlamp breaks
Prop Guard fails what happens - someone dies?

You talk of damaging the prop lifting the engine on and off, so now your prop guard needs to take those kind of loads without distorting shape. What force involved in an engine dropping off a wave onto a rock?

If you do distort the shape of the guard ... will the prop hit the guard.

If the prop has the power to take a limb off it will also cut through your guard.

Does small stones through the guard actually work like a shot gun?

Would be better to improve boat handling and set some hard rules to always follow. Engine ALWAYS off if child anywhere near.

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Lee1

I use the sib on a large steep pebble beach that also has a lot of rocks covered at high tide, I tow kids behind the boat as well hence people are in the water around the sib and also I've dinged the prop a few times when standing it up between taking it on and off the sib as it's hard work being 50kg plus (don't know the weight for sure but it's 25hp long shaft and bloody heavy lol)

Learn to use the boat safely - a prop guard won’t stop all the other ways you can hurt someone with the boat. And a diy guard may damage the guard, the prop, the engine and maybe even the gearbox when you hit the bottom.

[Maximus]

If he wants a Prop Guard let him have one....Plenty of Inshore Lifeboats use em
...Boat Jumble or wanted adds on other Boaty Forums....

[Pikey Dave]

Originally Posted by Maximus

If he wants a Prop Guard let him have one....Plenty of Inshore Lifeboats use em
...Boat Jumble or wanted adds on other Boaty Forums....

I'd make em compulsory on all small boats[emoji57]

[Poly]

Originally Posted by Maximus

If he wants a Prop Guard let him have one....

as far as I know they haven’t given me the power to stop him.

Plenty of Inshore Lifeboats use em
...

The majority do not. The RNLI don’t use them on any of their inshore boats, or their y boats or boarding craft. I think they do use them on some (all?) of their lifeguard boats. They are used in large crowds of inexperienced swimmers. I’m not aware of any independent boats using them although a minority might. The vast majority of rya sailing schools and clubs don’t use them.

They can lead to complacency meaning that other causes of injury are more likely, yet competent helms can reduce the risk substantially without the downsides.

[Maximus]

Before you go making sweeping statements...(as usual with very little practical experience) you may like to watch a few episodes of "Saving lives at Sea" on Good ol Aunti Beeb...you'll see more than one in use with the RNLI at various places/stations around the Country...unless ofcourse they have JUST removed the ones shown and ALL other stations never have or plan to use them in the future...

As too ...your "Power"..
No..although I'm glad to see you do realise ..it's pretty negligible ....to vanishing
..,Maybe if you thought a little more before you post?