[Gerry Zagorski]

Stainless props have less flex and for that reason you usually get better perfomance, especially on higher horspower engines that spin bigger props.

The only advantage the aluminum props have over stainless is that they are softer and will bend or tear up if you hit something and you sacrafice the props instead of your lower unit gears.

Having said that both stainless and aluminum props have hubs in them that are supposed to break away if you hit something allowing the prop to spin on the hub. You may have heard someone say I hot something and spun a hub. That's what they are talking about and props can be re hubbed too.

All things considered and with the pretty much sandy bottom we have in our area I would go with stainless. Unless you really whack it you will not end up having to spend the money to recondition it every year.

As far as when to buy a new prop.... You are only forced to buy a new one when you bang one up so bad it can't be fixed.