I dinged the prop today near the landing (see attachment)
… Was running at idle speed and caught an oyster bed - in what I think was a glancing blow. No problem or weird vibrations getting back onto the trailer. All three blades had some damage, but the picture attached was by far the worst. No apparent bending of any blades. Would you guys even worry about filing it out, or just get to it when the time comes?
Thanks!
Slow grind with a grinding wheel and match the curve/surface…or take it to a prop shop.
Take to Skip’s Prop shop. He’s got the touch…
Run it wide open and see if there is any difference. I’ve ran scared props for years without any issue or change in performance.
I agree with 40.
I’ve done the same & looks like more cosmetics than anything.
Get it repaired. Ask for recommendations on here.
Thanks guys, I really appreciate the input. I’ll run it when I get the chance and see how it does. Good to know about Skip’s. Will take it there at some point and get it cleaned up, once we get past all this mess. Thanks!
Don’t use a file on it. Its very easy to throw the prop out of balance, you can slowly be destroying your lower unit or seals and notrealize it.
Take it to Skips. My son’s stainless prop for his 150 Yamaha got dinged up bad, after Skip’s repairs it looked like it was brand new.
Finally got back out today… Long boat ride with the family. Things went pretty well initially, but too rough to get to WOT with the kids on board. However, I noticed on the way back, RPMs were higher than they should have been (and seemingly higher than they had been earlier in the trip). At higher RPMs (~4000+), it felt like the prop was cavitating, although it still had pretty good hole shot.
I’m guessing the prop is spun. All things considered, that’s much better than tearing gears up.
Safety disclaimer, with engine off. 
Put it in gear and push your foot down on the prop, if hub is bad it will slip rather than turn engine over. Your higher rpm could be result of more or less “cup” in the prop from bend.
Hub looked fine to my untrained eye when I pulled the prop this morning. Went ahead and dropped it at Skip’s. It’s the Yamaha “SDS” hub, so it seems other more expensive things were likely to have broken before the hub. Anyway, I’m hoping the RPM changes and cavitation were simply due to the prop dings and paranoia on my part. Thanks everyone for the advice.
Super impressed with Skip’s. Fast work and the prop looks new!
Nice! so was the hub slipping?
NN
Skips is top notch, We are lucky to have Mike in Charleston. I’d go as far as saying the most versatile and knowledgeable Prop Man on the East Coast if not anywhere. Ever watch him work and see him in a full respirator? Of all things he is allergic to Stainless. Many years ago when I was in a glitter boat phase, he worked many props for me. Some tweaks before they were even ran. I’ve found two identical props out the box can preform differently. He’d aske me questions and I’d tell him what was going on (bow lift/not enough etc) and he’d work his magic. He’s also top notch on replacing broke of skegs. Took one out in Cuckolds creek and two more in the Combahee.
The best he ever did for me was working a four blade, I had some terrible steering torque on a Fast strike that needed Hyd steering swapped to a four blade and lost a lot of top end. With his help gained a lot back .
I wish I could have watched him work. If his work wasn’t so impressive, I would’ve sworn he just gave me a new prop. I ran it today for the first time. Could not have been any better. Turns out the cavitation I noticed last week was either the damaged prop or my driving (ok, we all know what it really was…).
As for the hub, it’s a Yamaha SDS hub. Mike (Skip’s) said it was likely fine, as if it wasn’t, I would be complaining about a lot more than the prop. He was right, hub is fine. I put a dial indicator on the shaft before I put the prop back on, just to be certain. It was straight as an arrow. That Yamaha is one tough machine.
Seriously, if you ding a prop, take it to Skip’s.
Finally, thanks to everyone for the recommendation. The help is much appreciated.