1979 Cherubini prop q (yet another prop q)

[darkwingduck]

Hi folks, I've got a '79 30' with original yanmar one lung diesel.

No complaints on the diesel, still runs great, prop seems sized well, but the prop walk in reverse is so bad that it is just about unuseable.

Stock two blade is on it it. I don't motor much at all, so don't care about speed or fuel consumption, I just want to be able to get in and out of my slip safely.

Any recommendations on a 3 or 4 blade prop to correct my walk issue? I can literally put the rudder hard over and she still won't back straight even with no wind or current (lake boat).

Thanks!

-Eric

 

[Steve C.]

I have a 3 blade variable pitch prop on my '78 30' and have prop walk to starboard, I have to get some boat speed up and pop it into out of gear to have any steerage in reverse. I have learned to use this in my favor getting in and out of my slip. It is a real pain not being able to back up straight.

 

[darkwingduck]

right, that's what I'm looking to correct. I can't even consider backing into my slip (which I'd like to do), and getting out without whomping my slipmate with the bow is a real challenge right now. If my slip was solo I wouldn't worry as much, but our marina is setup with two boats side by side making it a problem.

 

[Nereussailor]

I've got the same problem with my 83 H30, and I've learned to live with it. I had a slip on the other side of my dock which I had to back out of, almost do about a 270 degree turn to get out into the channel. I asked the marina owner if I could get a slip on the other side of the dock (which lets my prop walk pull me the way I need to go to get out easier) and he said not a problem. Mine still pulls hard to port, but it works good for me. I'd change the prop, But I don't want to lose any speed while sailing.

Dave

 

[Benny]

Use a spring line to control sideways movement. A hand held line tied or allowed to slip around a pole on the starboard side will hold the boat stationery until you gain some way in reverse and the rudder starts bitting. When the transmission is in neutral there is no prop walk so turn the transmission to neutral sa the boat moves backwards and correct with the rudder. Don't let the boat stall so briefly shift back into reverse and then back to neutral alternating as you keep the boat under control. You do not have to do it fast, you can do it with the engine at fast idle and just work the shift lever back and forth. There was a guy who would push his boat out by hand walking along the finger pier and at the last minute he would jump aboard while the boat drifted out of the slip. I asked him once if he had a problem with his transmission and he replied, "no, horrible prop walk". I don't think a 3 blade prop will help much.

 

[Ian McGain]

For my '79 Hunter 30 with YSM12 Yamar diesel I went this direction-

, we would recommend a CS3LH12x7x1 for your installation. This is a Campbell Sailer, three blade, Left Hand rotation, 12" diameter, 7" pitch for a 1" shaft. This size is recommended to give you a good cruising rpm and still have reserve for head wind and seas. This propeller would cost you US$329.00 plus a shipping and handling fee of $35.00. It would take us 6-7 days to make this propeller and approximately 4-5 days for delivery.
It seems there are few choices for our 12hp Yamars and a folding reversible prop is not one of them. I did find it gives me more power in heavy chop and reduced to prop-walk a little. One thing that happened a season later was a problem at the shaft coupling. I had two bolt type screws that secured the prop shaft to the drive unit. These wore a grove in the shaft to the point that I needed to replace my shaft. Keep this in mind if you change your prop from the old two blade.

Good Luck
Ian

 

[darkwingduck]

Thanks Ian, that's exactly what I was looking for. Who did you get that prop from?

I have to put my scuba gear on to do it. Our lake is huge (800 miles of shoreline), but not a single haul out facility. When they do have to go on the hard it's $2k to have a specialized trailer come out, get the mast stepped, and haul it to the nearest boat yard 180 miles away . -Eric

 

[John T1594]

I had a 1980 H30 but with a bigger engine (2QM15) and a factory two blade prop. The prop walk in reverse was bad. I changed to a three blade Campbell sailer and was impressed with the improved performance and boat speed. Some reverse prop walk was still there but not as bad and I felt like I had more control of the boat.

 

[Ian McGain]

Eric, I will send you the link on Monday. You can google Campbell sailor and come up with the prop. To do this underwater will be a trick. You have a cotter pin to pull. and a large nut. and a small nut to remove. You will need a prop puller, as the old prop will not come off without banging on it with a hammer.
Ian

 

[Nereussailor]

Our lake is huge (800 miles of shoreline), but not a single haul out facility. When they do have to go on the hard it's $2k to have a specialized trailer come out, get the mast stepped, and haul it to the nearest boat yard 180 miles away . -Eric

Where are you located? I'd like to open a marina there.

Dave

 

[Ian McGain]

here is Norm's email:
: norm@westbynorth.com [mailto:norm@westbynorth.com]
and the web site link: http://www.westbynorth.com/CampbellSailer.aspx
Good luck
Ian