Can anyone recommend a good folding or feathering prop for an Oday 322? (Factory is fixed Michigan Sailor 14x14 2 blade.) Thanks.
Folding Prop for Oday 322 Specs
- Thread starter AlastairLC
- Start date
Fill out the form at https://flexofold.com/propeller-inquiry/ and Flexofold will give you a size. We've had a very good experience with out FoF 3 blade, although others have had less positive reviews for their 2 blades.
I had reached out to AB Marine for some info on prop options for feathering/folding props and here is the email I received from them
Greg
===============================
Good to chat with you & thank you for contacting AB Marine concerning a propeller for your O'Day 322 with the 2GM20, rated at the crankshaft at 18hp, 3600rpm, with a 2.62:1 ratio, RH rotation, 1.00”dia. shaft.
AB Marine is the North American & Caribbean importer and distributor for GORI folding propellers, Variprop, Variprofile & Autoprop feathering propellers.
You asked about folding & feathering. As you do not have an aperture or any constraint on fitting of a propeller the two best choices are the Gori folding & Variprofile feathering.
Before placing an order, we would need to verify the clearance to the hull & aft to the rudder.
As all dimensions are from start of taper, i.e. the front face of the propeller hub can you supply that dimension.
The Gori 3-blade needs 347mm/13.7” & the 2-blade 318mm/12.52”. The Variprofile will need 256mm/10.1”.
Dia. is the single most critical factor in determining the amount of power that a propeller absorbs & transmits into the water. It is thus the most important single factor in determining the amount of thrust delivered. The larger the dia. the greater the efficiency. A small increase in dia. dramatically increases thrust & torque load on the engine & shaft.
A smaller diameter propeller will potentially suffer from cavitation because it has a higher bladed pressure compared to one that uses larger blades. It is more important to keep the blade pressure as low as possible and you can sacrifice higher blade tips speeds as longs as you have low blades pressure.
If clearance is an issue & as tip clearance is also important we may have to work with you in optimising the diameter & pitch for your installation.
If you need to step down in dia. size let us start with the actual clearances so that we can optimise the propeller.
The folding/feathering propeller "sits" further aft on the shaft than does a fixed prop.
Quite often with shaft down angle & hull rise you can gain more distance the further aft you measure on the shaft vs. straight above the shaft taper.
Can you supply the distance from the shaft centerline, measured at right angles to the shaft centerline at the end of the shaft thread (aft end of thread), up to the hull?
There are two types of propeller that will give you vastly improved motoring performance, increased sailing speeds, excellent maneuvering in reverse, dramatically lower drag and less turbulence than your fixed blade propeller and minimise noise and vibration - the GORI folding propeller, and the Variprofile feathering propeller. Both give excellent forward & reverse thrust with no prop walk from the propeller blades & all made from Hi-Tensile Nibral-Bronze to ISO stds.
I characterize the difference as the GORI with its two(2) forward pitches & fully reversing true shaped, cambered & twist blades giving exactly the same 100% performance in reverse as in forward due to the unique blade folding action with no prop walk, with the lowest drag of any propeller, being the BMW/Lexus of both the sailing & powering worlds for a performance cruiser &/or club racer sailor
the Variprofile feathering propeller with the the Gawn/Kaplan blade profile is 7-11% more efficient than the typical flat blade feathering propeller giving optimized & efficient fwd & reverse thrust with Independently adjustable external pitch control (patented), which can be changed in just seconds even underwater, giving a wide range of pitch adjustment, for both forward and reverse pitches
Before selecting a propeller type you should look at the advantages, features, benefits & differences in performance relative to your sailing style/boat use so that you can make an informed decision. I know there is a lot of information below but I want to make sure you choose the correct propeller to suit your sailing style/boat use.
Below is the sizing and pricing for the propeller options that will best suit your boat from the information you gave.
GORI –
16.5" x 11 x 2-blade RH - List $1488.00 Winter boat show special $1125.00 for order placed by April 30th.
15" x 12 x 2-blade RH - List $1392.00 Winter boat show special $1085.00 for order placed by April 30th.
15" x 12 x 3-blade RH - List $3371 Winter boat show special $2535.00 for order placed by April 30th.
Assembly tools, loctite and shaft nut are included in above pricing. Zinc anodes and a prop puller are supplied with 3-blade standard shaft propeller. Prices are F.O.B factory. Freight cost is $98.00 to USA.
Delivery to you at this time of year is approx. 3-4 working days. The 2 & 3-blade Gori comes fully assembled & water tested – There is no shaft modifications required for installation or disassembly of blades on the 3-blade.
Variprofile –
VP-64-15” x 13 x 3-blade RH - List $2281.00 Winter boat show special $1725.00 for order placed by April 30th.
VP-64-15” x 12 x 3-blade RH - List $3491.00 Winter boat show special $2635.00 for order placed by April 30th.
A shaft nut and zinc are included. Prices are F.O.B factory. Freight cost is $108.00 to the USA.
Delivery to you at this time of year is approx. 5-7 working days.
The VariProfile comes fully assembled & water tested - No disassembly or shaft modifications required for installation.
The GORI is a folding propeller with two(2) pitches in fwd & full 100% reverse thrust, no prop walk. The GORIdoes not auto-rotate/spin under sail as does a feathering propeller at higher speeds, or have one blade drop down and increase drag or not open when coming into the slip.
The drag for the GORI 3-blade propellers is the lowest of any fixed, feathering or folding propellers (even less than any 2-blade) giving increased sailing speeds & less turbulence over the rudder, enabling you to point higher. The unique folding design prevents seaweed etc from fouling on the propeller giving increased speed potential. You will see an increase in sailing speeds over your fixed 3-blade propeller. The drag reduction will amount to 0.95 + of a knot for a 36 footer.
The blades of the GORI propeller are designed with both camber, curve & twist to them, which gives increased efficiency (thrust) throughout the rpm range, which will always give you better motoring performance (speed/thrust), especially in heavy seas, or when motor sailing with the "Overdrive" Function.
The GORI 3-blade "Overdrive" function, by increasing the blade pitch angle, gives increased thrust and speed - at the same rpm or when motoring sailing, or the same boat speed at much lower rpms. The result is less engine noise, less vibration, increased fuel economy & therefore a greater cruising range.
The GORI 3-blade propeller is the only propeller that will give you exactly the same performance in reverse as in forward due to the unique blade folding action of presenting the identical leading edge in reverse as in forward - resulting in no 'prop walk'. See http://ab-marine.com/folding/gori/ & http://gori-propeller.com/
The Variprofile feathering propelleris a unique feathering propeller and the first to incorporate thehi-tec GAWN/KAPLAN profile.The only feathering propeller with a shaped blade which is 7-11% more efficient than the std flat bladed feathering propeller. This profile has been used primarily for high performance power boat applications, but also for rudder design and in the aircraft industry.
Normally associated with high-speed power boat and aircraft propeller blades the Gawn/Kaplan blade profile & slim hub delivers very low drag, excellent Hydro-dynamics while running extremely more quietly and efficiently under power than other propellers with the result that the VariProfile delivers speed normally associated with fixed propellers or the best folding propellers in both fwd. & reverse with its continuous independently variable adjustable external pitch control (patented). Forward and Reverse pitches can be changed independently in just seconds, even underwater.
The VariProfile with its robust helical gear, is unique for the fact that the hub is a separate piece from the blade/gear assembly. With a wide range of pitch adjustment available the blade/gear assemblies can be easily matched to any hub. In the event of a repower or rotation change a new blade/gear assembly can be mated to the existing hub. It is easily installed with no blade disassembly needed. See http://ab-marine.com/feathering/variprofile/ & http://www.variprofile.com/en/index.html
All the above propellers are fully approved by all engine manufactures & Yanmar Marine International latest two new Technical Bulletins for sailboats with Yanmar engines and saildrives, numbers YMTQTB11-017 and YMTQTB11-018, which supersede all earlier Technical Bulletins to all Yanmar distributors worldwide.
Please feel free to call me at any time to discuss the options & the benefits of which propeller would best suit your installation & whether you require any additional information. Go to www.AB-Marine.com to see the different features & benefits.
We look forward to working with you & supplying you with the world's best sailboat propeller.
Yours sincerely,
Geoff Prior
AB Marine, Inc
747 Aquidneck Ave
Middletown, RI 02842
Tel:401.847.7960
Fax: 401.849.0631
Greg
===============================
Good to chat with you & thank you for contacting AB Marine concerning a propeller for your O'Day 322 with the 2GM20, rated at the crankshaft at 18hp, 3600rpm, with a 2.62:1 ratio, RH rotation, 1.00”dia. shaft.
AB Marine is the North American & Caribbean importer and distributor for GORI folding propellers, Variprop, Variprofile & Autoprop feathering propellers.
You asked about folding & feathering. As you do not have an aperture or any constraint on fitting of a propeller the two best choices are the Gori folding & Variprofile feathering.
Before placing an order, we would need to verify the clearance to the hull & aft to the rudder.
As all dimensions are from start of taper, i.e. the front face of the propeller hub can you supply that dimension.
The Gori 3-blade needs 347mm/13.7” & the 2-blade 318mm/12.52”. The Variprofile will need 256mm/10.1”.
Dia. is the single most critical factor in determining the amount of power that a propeller absorbs & transmits into the water. It is thus the most important single factor in determining the amount of thrust delivered. The larger the dia. the greater the efficiency. A small increase in dia. dramatically increases thrust & torque load on the engine & shaft.
A smaller diameter propeller will potentially suffer from cavitation because it has a higher bladed pressure compared to one that uses larger blades. It is more important to keep the blade pressure as low as possible and you can sacrifice higher blade tips speeds as longs as you have low blades pressure.
If clearance is an issue & as tip clearance is also important we may have to work with you in optimising the diameter & pitch for your installation.
If you need to step down in dia. size let us start with the actual clearances so that we can optimise the propeller.
The folding/feathering propeller "sits" further aft on the shaft than does a fixed prop.
Quite often with shaft down angle & hull rise you can gain more distance the further aft you measure on the shaft vs. straight above the shaft taper.
Can you supply the distance from the shaft centerline, measured at right angles to the shaft centerline at the end of the shaft thread (aft end of thread), up to the hull?
There are two types of propeller that will give you vastly improved motoring performance, increased sailing speeds, excellent maneuvering in reverse, dramatically lower drag and less turbulence than your fixed blade propeller and minimise noise and vibration - the GORI folding propeller, and the Variprofile feathering propeller. Both give excellent forward & reverse thrust with no prop walk from the propeller blades & all made from Hi-Tensile Nibral-Bronze to ISO stds.
I characterize the difference as the GORI with its two(2) forward pitches & fully reversing true shaped, cambered & twist blades giving exactly the same 100% performance in reverse as in forward due to the unique blade folding action with no prop walk, with the lowest drag of any propeller, being the BMW/Lexus of both the sailing & powering worlds for a performance cruiser &/or club racer sailor
the Variprofile feathering propeller with the the Gawn/Kaplan blade profile is 7-11% more efficient than the typical flat blade feathering propeller giving optimized & efficient fwd & reverse thrust with Independently adjustable external pitch control (patented), which can be changed in just seconds even underwater, giving a wide range of pitch adjustment, for both forward and reverse pitches
Before selecting a propeller type you should look at the advantages, features, benefits & differences in performance relative to your sailing style/boat use so that you can make an informed decision. I know there is a lot of information below but I want to make sure you choose the correct propeller to suit your sailing style/boat use.
Below is the sizing and pricing for the propeller options that will best suit your boat from the information you gave.
GORI –
16.5" x 11 x 2-blade RH - List $1488.00 Winter boat show special $1125.00 for order placed by April 30th.
15" x 12 x 2-blade RH - List $1392.00 Winter boat show special $1085.00 for order placed by April 30th.
15" x 12 x 3-blade RH - List $3371 Winter boat show special $2535.00 for order placed by April 30th.
Assembly tools, loctite and shaft nut are included in above pricing. Zinc anodes and a prop puller are supplied with 3-blade standard shaft propeller. Prices are F.O.B factory. Freight cost is $98.00 to USA.
Delivery to you at this time of year is approx. 3-4 working days. The 2 & 3-blade Gori comes fully assembled & water tested – There is no shaft modifications required for installation or disassembly of blades on the 3-blade.
Variprofile –
VP-64-15” x 13 x 3-blade RH - List $2281.00 Winter boat show special $1725.00 for order placed by April 30th.
VP-64-15” x 12 x 3-blade RH - List $3491.00 Winter boat show special $2635.00 for order placed by April 30th.
A shaft nut and zinc are included. Prices are F.O.B factory. Freight cost is $108.00 to the USA.
Delivery to you at this time of year is approx. 5-7 working days.
The VariProfile comes fully assembled & water tested - No disassembly or shaft modifications required for installation.
The GORI is a folding propeller with two(2) pitches in fwd & full 100% reverse thrust, no prop walk. The GORIdoes not auto-rotate/spin under sail as does a feathering propeller at higher speeds, or have one blade drop down and increase drag or not open when coming into the slip.
The drag for the GORI 3-blade propellers is the lowest of any fixed, feathering or folding propellers (even less than any 2-blade) giving increased sailing speeds & less turbulence over the rudder, enabling you to point higher. The unique folding design prevents seaweed etc from fouling on the propeller giving increased speed potential. You will see an increase in sailing speeds over your fixed 3-blade propeller. The drag reduction will amount to 0.95 + of a knot for a 36 footer.
The blades of the GORI propeller are designed with both camber, curve & twist to them, which gives increased efficiency (thrust) throughout the rpm range, which will always give you better motoring performance (speed/thrust), especially in heavy seas, or when motor sailing with the "Overdrive" Function.
The GORI 3-blade "Overdrive" function, by increasing the blade pitch angle, gives increased thrust and speed - at the same rpm or when motoring sailing, or the same boat speed at much lower rpms. The result is less engine noise, less vibration, increased fuel economy & therefore a greater cruising range.
The GORI 3-blade propeller is the only propeller that will give you exactly the same performance in reverse as in forward due to the unique blade folding action of presenting the identical leading edge in reverse as in forward - resulting in no 'prop walk'. See http://ab-marine.com/folding/gori/ & http://gori-propeller.com/
The Variprofile feathering propelleris a unique feathering propeller and the first to incorporate thehi-tec GAWN/KAPLAN profile.The only feathering propeller with a shaped blade which is 7-11% more efficient than the std flat bladed feathering propeller. This profile has been used primarily for high performance power boat applications, but also for rudder design and in the aircraft industry.
Normally associated with high-speed power boat and aircraft propeller blades the Gawn/Kaplan blade profile & slim hub delivers very low drag, excellent Hydro-dynamics while running extremely more quietly and efficiently under power than other propellers with the result that the VariProfile delivers speed normally associated with fixed propellers or the best folding propellers in both fwd. & reverse with its continuous independently variable adjustable external pitch control (patented). Forward and Reverse pitches can be changed independently in just seconds, even underwater.
The VariProfile with its robust helical gear, is unique for the fact that the hub is a separate piece from the blade/gear assembly. With a wide range of pitch adjustment available the blade/gear assemblies can be easily matched to any hub. In the event of a repower or rotation change a new blade/gear assembly can be mated to the existing hub. It is easily installed with no blade disassembly needed. See http://ab-marine.com/feathering/variprofile/ & http://www.variprofile.com/en/index.html
All the above propellers are fully approved by all engine manufactures & Yanmar Marine International latest two new Technical Bulletins for sailboats with Yanmar engines and saildrives, numbers YMTQTB11-017 and YMTQTB11-018, which supersede all earlier Technical Bulletins to all Yanmar distributors worldwide.
Please feel free to call me at any time to discuss the options & the benefits of which propeller would best suit your installation & whether you require any additional information. Go to www.AB-Marine.com to see the different features & benefits.
We look forward to working with you & supplying you with the world's best sailboat propeller.
Yours sincerely,
Geoff Prior
AB Marine, Inc
747 Aquidneck Ave
Middletown, RI 02842
Tel:401.847.7960
Fax: 401.849.0631
Wow! Thanks Greg. What a wealth of information! Did you go ahead an order/install one of their low-drag props?
No, I haven’t pulled the trigger. Was curious more than anything, and I saw a used 3-blade feathering prop at a nautical donations place. I was trying to figure out if the used one would fit my O’Day 322.
I launched yesterday for the season, so it won’t be this year.
But if you get something, let me know how it works. I can use the extra half knot of speed when racing my buddies with Hunter 33’s and folding props...
Cheers,
Greg
I launched yesterday for the season, so it won’t be this year.
But if you get something, let me know how it works. I can use the extra half knot of speed when racing my buddies with Hunter 33’s and folding props...
Cheers,
Greg
I’ll let you know how it works out.
The article in this month's Sail indicates that they’re particularly helpful in light winds (which we get quite a bit of here on Lake Pleasant, AZ).
Great pic! Catch that guy!
The article in this month's Sail indicates that they’re particularly helpful in light winds (which we get quite a bit of here on Lake Pleasant, AZ).
Great pic! Catch that guy!
That shot was from one of the Hunters....I am in the lead....but maybe I short-tacked the guy
.Greg
I just replaced my 2 blade Max Prop feathering prop on my 322 with a Campbell Sailor 3 blade fixed. Just a personal preference. The 2 blade feathering prop I removed worked just fine on my 322 for the 2 years I've had the boat, and many years before that.
If you'd like to buy my feathering prop, let me know. It's on Craig's List and Facebook Sailboat Swap Shop now.
If you'd like to buy my feathering prop, let me know. It's on Craig's List and Facebook Sailboat Swap Shop now.
Thanks, Mickstr. I've been thinking about a folding rather than feathering model, but I’d like to take a look at yours if you’ll send me the link to the Craig’s List listing.