Propeller assembly

A propeller assembly, comprising:

• a barrel having a forward and an aft end, said barrel further including a plurality of slots extending in a forward to aft direction with said slots each having a first and a second slot section, said first slot section being of a greater depth than said second slot section, and said first slot section being positioned at one end of said barrel;
• a plurality of blade assemblies with each blade assembly including a blade, a base section and a locking member, said locking member including an extension member attached to said base section and extending in a forward to aft direction, said locking member further comprising a leg member extending out away from said base section to a greater distance than said extension member such that said locking member is L-shaped;
• and
• means for securing said locking member to said barrel while said leg member is received within said first slot section and said extension member is received within said second slot section.

A propeller assembly, comprising:

• a barrel formed of an aluminum material and having a plurality of exhaust conduits therethrough;
• a blade assembly releasably secured to said barrel and formed of stainless steel;
• securement means for releasably securing said barrel to said blade assemblies;
• and
• said blade assembly including a plurality of blades extending from a common base and said propeller assembly being formed as a unitary casted member, said common base being ring shaped and said securing means including locking members extending radially inward from an interior surface of said ring-shaped base member, and said aluminum material having greater than 60% of pure aluminum.