Interesting prop Info
 

Instead of buring this in a thread I thought it was interesting enough for its own -

Turbo is made by Precision Propeller Industries, Inc. (PPI) which was started by Jim Booe several decades ago. PPI has been making Yamaha's props (and some for other manufacturers too) for years and years. Yamaha liked them so much they bought the company in 2008.

PPI also makes the Stiletto Brand propellers. Stiletto is the lower priced line and Turbo the premium brand. *Some* models of propeller are the same across all three brands. For example, the Yamaha Performance Series 3-Blade, Turbo 1 and Stiletto Advantage are all the same propeller, just different labels, different prices.

PPI offers many more models of propellers under the Turbo brand they do under the Stiletto brand.

As of 2006 or so, Stiletto and Turbo props had mostly gone the square bore hubs and use their own Guardian SQ-Lok hub kits. The Mercury/Quicksilver hubs are interchangeable as are BRP's TBX, Michigan's XHS and Solas's Rubex hub kits.

For now, the Yamaha branded props are still using the press-in rubber hubs, but I suspect that will stop soon.

I have always truly disliked the insert hubs and have opted for solid or pressed in hubs whenever possible. Has something changed? I always seem to have trouble with the sleeved hubs. But granted most of what I do is commercial use putting 400 to 1000 hrs. on an engine per year. I do hate the prices and am only running stainless.

The square hub inserts haven't changed to my knowledge. What troubles have you had captain?

Slipping. Most inserts I've had seem to let go real quick. But I guess thats the idea. Just don't like it when it happens without a reason like being run aground.

Didn't know they were suffering problems. I don't put the hours on like you do. So far, so good, knock-on-wood.

Geeze don't scare me.
I spun the pressed in rubber hub on my older Mirage ss prop,and was lucky to have found that it had the squared recess in it to be able to accept the insert.They pressed out the rubber hub and I went with the insert.So far after only about 15 miles under power,it's held up.I hope I don't have to worry about spinning the insert.

The Merc slugs and plugs are not to the tolerances of the Apollo and Power Tech that I have tried. Even feel it through the controls. The Merc casting is crude and not machined.

A lot of the days business goes on there. Smooth ice cream for your lower unit is always nice.

Mmm,
Ice cream.

I've really never had any issues with hubs, spun one in 30+ yrs

Most (90% plus) spun hubs occur under one of two scenarios:
1. Full-throttle accelleration from idle or full-stop. the sudden application of maximum torque causes the hub to slip, either at its vulcanization point; or at the point of maximum centrifigal effect, which is the corners of the squared insert. OR
2. At mid-torque throttle settings, the vessel buries it's bow into the backside of a wave, and the operator does not momentarily retard the throttle to reduce the application of torque while waiting for the bow to rise.

Most of us don't "mash the gas" on our wheeled vehicles from a stop, nor should we do it on our boats.
Steady accelleration will avoid the hassle and expense of a spun hub.

GFS- My experience has been with the Merc props so that makes sense. I just lean towards the regular pressed hubs when purchasing.

Fr. Frank- we run 4 outboard power boats that exclusively do water ski trips. So #1 can occur especially with new captains.

Also keep in mind that my engines see between 400 and 1000 hours per year on average and almost all of that time has the boat fully loaded. But in the last five years (when all motors we finally switched to 4 stroke) we have only spun 3 hubs. Thats across 16 engines on 12 boats.

Boy could I tell you guys some stories.