Safety information on propeller guards, prop guards, and propeller protectors.

Boating Safety Protecting humans from a rotating propeller on pleasure boats is difficult. Whatever apparatus is used will affect the performance of the boat, especially speed, to a certain degree. Most responsible boaters will accept this small reduction in speed for the benefit of the safety factor. A reduction in top speed of approximately 5% was recorded in test-runs using a 16' runabout with a 75HP outboard motor. The potential hazard can be broken down into several categories: 1. An outboard motor running at 3200 RPM equipped with a 3-blade propeller, the propeller will strike an object 160 times per second. 2. A boat moving forward at high speed, will first impact with a body by the lower unit of the motor possibly causing fractures to limbs. Serious injuries could be caused by the rotating propeller blades outer edges. 3. A boat moving astern at slow speed can cause serious injuries to the human by the rotating propellers full rear surface.

4. A human striking a moving propeller in a 90 degree angle in relation to the centerline of a boat or being struck by the skeg on the outboard motor from below.

5. The rear 180 degree propeller angle clearly presents the most dangerous area of the boat propeller to humans.

This is not only a major concern to pleasure boaters, but also ski boats, dive boats, rescue boats, boats with children on board and rental boats plus many other boating activities.

In summary, the unprotected propeller of an outboard or inboard /outboard motor is a major hazard to humans.

Many serious injuries and fatalities attest to this fact every boating season.

The Series 9000 Propeller Safety Guards have been designed in an effort to reduce injuries and to provide a reasonable degree of protection.

Putting A Stop To Threat Of A Prop

If someone is mechanically inclined, as many boaters are, they could install it themselves. It's really quite easy. The guard does decrease top speed by three or four per cent. But it really doesn't matter much if your going 43 or 45 miles per hour. "he safety is worth it.

It's an ideal precaution for marinas that rent boats use the propeller guard because their customers are often inexperienced.

Russian hockey player Dimitri Tertyshny, a promising 21-year-old member of the Philadelphia Flyers, was killed by a propeller when he fell off a rental boat in Okanagan Lake.

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