Should there be any play in a prop?
 

So that's the question... My prop has a little slop in it around the shaft (like play in a circular motion around the shaft) is this normal or a problem.

I would say there shouldn't be any play as the prop should have the key and then as it slides in it swedges onto the tapered shaft. Are you sure its tight? I know you just bought the boat, i'd look for a part number and verify that is a proper prop for your boat.

No bueno

if the shaft moves with the prop that is normal. Now if the prop is spinning on the shaft that is wrong. However, that shouldn't happened because the prop and shaft have a slight tapered fitting and that alone will make it not have any slop. What your feeling is the slack in the drivetrain through the v-drive, transmission and engine. If you go out and rock your car back and forth, its basically the same thing.

It's not the shaft moving... It's the prop moving just a little on the shaft. I think I may tighten up the prop nut and see if it will push it back more on the taper and fix the problem. It is a 4 blade prob that I think was made b OJ? It's kinda hard to read the markings on it but I will take a closer look today. Do they tell you pitch and all that on the prop?

On the backside. Your shaft is tapered so when you put the boat in drive it pushes the prop up making it extremely tight on the shaft which is the raSon y you need a prop puller to get it off. There should be no play between the 2 something is not right.

Yea if you have driven the boat recently, tightening the nut won't do anything. I would pull the prop off and check if you even have the correct prop for the boat. It sounds like you may have the wrong tappered prop and its relying on the key to keep from spinning. Check you shaft and make sure the key hasn't wore into the shaft at all. If you loosen the nut and the prop just falls off, that is NOT normal.

Yea egos can tell its hitting the key when you turn the prop clockwise/counter clockwise. It doesn't seem to be tight on the taper at all. How can I find out what the stock prop is/was?

You should be able to get the number off the prop and call OJ or what ever brand it is and they will know by your make and year if its the correct fit.

Pull the nut off and see if it comes right off. Like Jordan said if it does thats a huge problem. Hopefully your keyway isn't damaged. I sure wouldn't run it anymore that way. There is a reason guys break pullers trying to get them off. They get pretty stuck on the taper. Sure shouldn't move and shouldn't just fall off.

Any prop manufacturer should be able to tell you what the stock prop is. A Moomba of that vintage probably had a OJ standard. I'd call them first.

Sounds like you might have a "hey I got this prop wanna try it on your boat?" kind of thing. I'm guessing you may have 1 size to small diameter hub for your size shaft and it can't slide all the way on.