A propeller for a marine propulsion device configured for use on a boat has a hub extending along a longitudinal axis and a plurality of blades, each blade having a blade root attached to the hub and extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis toward a respective blade tip. Each blade has a polymer-based core. Each blade is coated from the blade root to the blade tip with a metal coating. A method of making the propeller includes molding the propeller and coating each blade from the blade root to the blade tip with a metal coating.

A propeller for a marine propulsion device configured for use on a boat has a hub extending along a longitudinal axis and a plurality of blades, each blade having a blade root attached to the hub and extending radially outwardly from the longitudinal axis toward a respective blade tip. Each blade has a polymer-based core. Each blade is coated from the blade root to the blade tip with a metal coating. A method of making the propeller includes molding the propeller and coating each blade from the blade root to the blade tip with a metal coating.

An outboard motor includes a duct, a propeller, a central shaft, and a plurality of fins. The duct includes a circular hole. The propeller is located in the circular hole. The propeller includes a boss and a plurality of blades radially extending from the boss. The central shaft rotatably supports the propeller. The plurality of fins radially extend from the central shaft and connect the central shaft and the duct. The plurality of fins define an airfoil profile.

An outboard motor includes a duct, a propeller, a central shaft, and a plurality of fins. The duct includes a circular hole. The propeller is located in the circular hole. The propeller includes a boss and a plurality of blades radially extending from the boss. The central shaft rotatably supports the propeller. The plurality of fins radially extend from the central shaft and connect the central shaft and the duct. The plurality of fins define an airfoil profile.

An impeller includes a hub, and a plurality of blades supported by the hub, the blades being arranged in at least two blade rows. The impeller has a deployed configuration in which the blades extend away from the hub, and a stored configuration in which at least one of the blades is radially compressed, for example by folding the blade towards the hub. The impeller may also have an operational configuration in which at least some of the blades are deformed from the deployed configuration upon rotation of the impeller when in the deployed configuration. The outer edge of one or more blades may have a winglet, and the base of the blades may have an associated indentation to facilitate folding of the blades.

A propeller blade includes a body configured to extend radially from the hub of a propeller. The body can include a front surface, a back surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The top of the body can form a tippet that generally transitions the front and back surfaces from extending in a generally radial direction to a generally axial direction. The tippet can reduce radial flow and force losses, redirect the radial flow in an axial direction, reduce the exit flow area of the propeller, and increase the inlet flow area of the propeller. The front surface of the blade can have a planar configuration that prevents or reduces the creation of low or negative pressure across the front surface of the blade and associated cavitation.

A propeller blade includes a body configured to extend radially from the hub of a propeller. The body can include a front surface, a back surface, a leading edge, and a trailing edge. The top of the body can form a tippet that generally transitions the front and back surfaces from extending in a generally radial direction to a generally axial direction. The tippet can reduce radial flow and force losses, redirect the radial flow in an axial direction, reduce the exit flow area of the propeller, and increase the inlet flow area of the propeller. The front surface of the blade can have a planar configuration that prevents or reduces the creation of low or negative pressure across the front surface of the blade and associated cavitation.

A propeller (20) for a marine vessel (10), the propeller (20) comprising a plurality of propeller blades (24, 26). The propeller blades comprise a leading edge (30), a trailing edge (32) and an outer edge (34) located between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A transition from the leading edge to the outer edge occurs at a first transition point (36) and a transition from the outer edge to the trailing edge occurs at a second transition point (38). A straight line from the first transition point to the second transition point coincides with the outer edge (34) or is located at least partially outside the propeller blade. A smallest distance (D.sub.2) from the second transition point to the axis of rotation (A) is smaller than a smallest distance (D.sub.\) from the first transition point to the axis of rotation.

A propeller (20) for a marine vessel (10), the propeller (20) comprising a plurality of propeller blades (24, 26). The propeller blades comprise a leading edge (30), a trailing edge (32) and an outer edge (34) located between the leading edge and the trailing edge. A transition from the leading edge to the outer edge occurs at a first transition point (36) and a transition from the outer edge to the trailing edge occurs at a second transition point (38). A straight line from the first transition point to the second transition point coincides with the outer edge (34) or is located at least partially outside the propeller blade. A smallest distance (D.sub.2) from the second transition point to the axis of rotation (A) is smaller than a smallest distance (D.sub.\) from the first transition point to the axis of rotation.

A marine propeller having reduced noise characteristics, which has a hub having a central axis, one or more blades having blade length with a proximal end attached to the hub and a distal end extending radially outward from the hub, wherein the propeller has a diameter in between 360-400 mm, and wherein a combination of the diameter, pitch angle, skew angle, and number of blades of the propeller provides required thrust while generating low noise.