will a dinged prop hurt my boat?
 

Just purchased my first boat( 1999 Maristar 230vrs) today but unfortunately the original prop from has seen better days. Id like to take it out for the day tomorrow but am worried if it vibrates it will do more harm than its worth. Didn't get to test drive the boat but everything else is in great shape and it only has 320hrs. The new prop should arrive next week as the seller had already ordered it will be shipping it to me.

here's a couple of pics. all four blades have bent tips but each progressively less bent than the one in the side view picture which was probably the initial impact. The previous owner had a run-in with a "sandbar." prop shaft and strut are all inline though, as is the rudder. thanks for any input

definitely DO NOT take it out. You are risking some real damage that will cost you more in the long run.

You could likely have that prop repaired though and use it for a spare.

140-160 to repair or 3-5 hundred to replace check the drive shaft, strut and alignment while you are at it.

^^^ I second this! I just dinged my prop 2 weeks ago and took care to drive slow back to the ramp and immediately pulled it out. You will only create more issues and ruin your boat and summer. Being sidelined for a week in summer is hell, but put aside your desire to take it out and call a buddy for some waves!

Had a feeling that'd be the case, thanks for the sound advice... next scenario....can I use a 3 blade prob from a dd centurion elite bow rider on the 99 Maristar 230 v as long as the diameter is the same or less than 14"?

Also can anyone recommend a shop around Modesto, Ca that does repairs? I'd like to have this one repaired so I have a spare as well

ive always use Nettle Props. they are one of the best in the business and very well known on the forums for both repairs and new acme prop sales. lucky for me there only 75 miles from here.

Not exactly close, but I've had great service (by mail) from kevin's prop shop in Antioch.

Delta prop in Lodi, did a great job fixing my prop for 100 bucks it looks like new and they are an authorized ACME prop repair shop

Like everyone else said, DO NOT go out with that prop.

I used to go to a local shop for repairs but had read that my particular shop does balance the blade after repairs, if you tear the blade and they need to weld, that was enough for me to not deal with them anymore. I can't tell from the pictures, ACME prop? I have had great experiences dealing with them, always quick return, and i think even with shipping, the price was extremely competitive. Great customer service and super friendly. If there is a good shop that they trust, they will let you know.
# is 1-888-661-ACME

The guys at Nettle rock! I sent two props to them that were in REALLY bad shape and they did an amazing job on them. They also gave me a good deal on a new Acme. I don't know if it matters, but I don't think the prop in the picture was damaged by a sandbar. In my (unfortunate) experience, sandbars don't bend prop blades that sharply - they tend to warp them more gradually. Of course, I could be wrong. Not all sandbars are the same. Good luck! And congrats on the new boat!

thanks for all the help guys. i put sandbar in quotes because i didn't believe that either and his explanation was a little too vague to believe. i ended up going with central valley prop repair. He's 4 miles from my house and had it repaired and back to me in about three hours on a sunday! I didn't snap an after pic though. As soon as he was finished i bolted her on and hit the lake. As far as i can tell there isn't any vibration and it feels smooth to me.

Glad you got it repaired.

Just an FYI for those that may get a slight ding on a blade and can't get to the doc in time: Take out small bends with a standard crescent wrench, not a pliers or hammer. Just work at it slowly, bending the blade back little by little. Bend too much at a time and you risk cracking and/or deformation. You could have done that with this prop, if you needed it for the day, but those were some significant bends.