Prop gaurd clearances

[Burban]

Hey all, I recently bought a 6hp kicker l, and I want to put a prop gaurd on it. My mechanic is having problems finding one suitable. I found one on Western Marine, my prop is 8" and the one recommended is 9" inside diameter.

1/2" clearance seems tight to me, but Ive never had a gaurd.

What's the standard range for that margain? Does that seem too tight to you guys?

 

[ReelSlim]

Here are a few pictures of my old boat from last Spring. It's a Yamaha 9.9HT with a Mac Prop guard. I wouldn't say there is much more than 3/4" there on each side....

 

[Burban]

Cool, thanks for the reply @ReelSlim

Thats the same brand Im looking at.

Any more experiances or opinions are welcome, thanks guys.

 

[ReelSlim]

I found the Mac to be good quality. After 10 years not so much as a chip in the paint. I was a little worried with some reaction with the Stainless Steel bolts but I put a healthy amount of 5200 under the washers to isolate them from the kicker. I bought one from Harbour Chandler for the new boat that is color matched to the kicker. I'm hoping it stands up as well as the Mac did.

 

[Corey_lax]

Mine has probably less than 1/2" clearance in some areas and never had an issue. I bent it myself out of some anodized aluminum flat bar 2" wide. Next time I make my own, I'd probably find a cheap old pot from Value Village that is the correct diameter and cut it apart. Then it will have a perfect curve to it. I'm cheap haha. But clearance has never been an issue for me.

 

[Burban]

Awesome guys, thanks for the reassurance. Ill order up mine tonight.

Good luck out there fellas!

 

[Trophy]

Aprox. 1/2 inch clearance on mine. Watch for weed patches, they can build up quicker than without a guard.
Before I had my power tilt/trim the kicker prop was a tich low tilted up, a side wave caught the guard and broke the lower fin it was attached to. Was able to fix.

 

[Burban]

Yikes, tell me more about that scenario. Do you mean you broke the stabilizer brace on the prop guard or broke the skeg on your kicker?

Aprox. 1/2 inch clearance on mine. Watch for weed patches, they can build up quicker than without a guard.
Before I had my power tilt/trim the kicker prop was a tich low tilted up, a side wave caught the guard and broke the lower fin it was attached to. Was able to fix.

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[Trophy]

Yikes, tell me more about that scenario. Do you mean you broke the stabilizer brace on the prop guard or broke the skeg on your kicker?


View attachment 45344

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Broke between the two bolts that attach to the kicker above the prop (No bottom brace on mine). Enough metal left on kicker skeg lip to fabricate a small metal bridge and reattach guard. Matched paint, good to go.

 

[TheHurtLocker]

Eli, I like my prop halo.

 

[Saveth]

I made my own prop guard. I followed a guide I found on Google that involved bending a strip of aluminium over a large pot. It took me 3 strips of aluminium to get it right but it works pretty damn good.

 

[Corey_lax]

I made my own prop guard. I followed a guide I found on Google that involved bending a strip of aluminium over a large pot. It took me 3 strips of aluminium to get it right but it works pretty damn good.

That's how I made mine. Bent it around the inside of my turkey pot. Wasn't the best method because the turkey pot was flexing. Next time, I'll just chop up the pot and use it as prop guard.

 

[SpringVelocity]

Who build stainless prop guard anyways.

 

[fishin solo]

All that trouble and time to make one..... a lot easier and quicker to buy ruggid coast stainless one from SV.

 

[Corey_lax]

All that trouble and time to make one..... a lot easier and quicker to buy ruggid coast stainless one from SV.

Well mine was made from scraps and took about 20 minutes to make. No trouble or time haha. But on my next boat I'd buy or make a nicer one. Not on this old girl.

I work with aluminum so I use what I got to make practical stuff out of scraps.