Pontoon Boat & Deck Boat Forum

Greetings forum Ladies and Gents,
Picking up my Toon next week. Barletta with a Merc 200 4 Stroke. I live in Northern Colorado. I have a couple mountain lakes and a lower elevation lake all within 45 minutes. Can’t wait to get back on the water.
One question-do you folks use a prop lock? I always did in the past but I have noticed a lot of people don’t.
What say you?

Welcome!

To be honest I didn't even know there were prop locks until you posted. So obviously I don't use one. My boat is in a slip on a lift at a local marina, along with about 250 other boats. I've never heard of any props ever being stolen. The worst crime we have is once every few years, someone will sneak onto the docks (usually from the water) and steal fishing gear or booze from a couple of boats. Probably kids out for a midnight joy ride. I don't lose any sleep over stuff like that. That's why I carry insurance!!

Also have never heard of them. I guess I'd be worried about other things before the prop. I could see the need if your trailer was in an open parking lot like an apartment complex. Hmmm.....

It's a big thing in Florida, big SS props are $$$$$

Welcome here

Prop locks are new to me too. I run a stock Yamaha aluminum prop and there are several thousand docks along our 330-mile shoreline, so I suspect the odds of targeting my old boat on my dock are slim.

I did hear a report last year of a guy stealing entire lower units from bigger outboards about 10 miles up lake from us.

We use a prop lock mostly because the boat winters on the trailer unsupervised at the cabin.