3-blade feathering prop with prop walk?

[Russell Egge]

We would love to go to a 3 blade prop to increase motoring capabilities, and would like to have it feather to maintain/improve sailing characteristics. But (believe it or not)we need to have prop walk due to our unusual mooring (we tie up fore and aft to pilings on a narrow channel). We drop the stern lines, and one of the bow lines, put the engine into reverse and use the prop walk to move the stern of the boat out into the channel. Drop the bow line and back out. Any suggestions?

 

[Tim]

You get prop walk with 2 or 3 blade props.

The only issue is you'll get a heckuva lot more thrust in reverse than you will with a fixed 2 blade so the ratio of side thrust to reverse thrust is quite different i.e. if you aren't tied at the bow you'll accelerate much more quickly. I bought a CDI feathering 3 blade a couple seasons ago and really like it. Of course, I've set the CDI for a much higher pitch in reverse for the increased thrust. I imagine you could dial down the pitch and consequently get the higher relative prop walk. Hmmm.