Inboard ski boat propellers drive boats that are used to tow skiers. A high horsepower motor is enclosed within the hull or in the midsection of the boat and connected to the propeller through a drive shaft that pushes the boat forward. The boat pulls the skiers who are fastened to the boat using pullers or tow ropes. The pullers are attached to a tow bar in front of the motor at the bottom of the hull.
Inboard motors and propulsion through inboard propellers are the preferred system for ski boats. This is because the wake or wave formed by the boat is small and the ski ride is easy. Since the propulsion takes place beneath the boat under the hull, the wake is small unlike and outboard motor where the wake is powerful and uncomfortable for a ski ride. .At first a two cylinder engine was popular but today many cylinders are used to power the motor and the propeller.
The inboard ski boat propeller is able to provide greater thrust that and outboard motor. It was a later innovation that made water skiing a safer sport. The thrust offered by the propeller helps to give the boat greater maneuvering capabilities. These propellers are also available in a range of pitches and diameters. Three and four blade propellers are available. These propellers are made of aluminum, stainless steel and bronze or an alloy of bronze nickel and aluminum. The propellers are powered by both diesel and gasoline inboard motors.