Going back to Martec
My boat was built in 1982 and fitted with a Yanmar 2GM (13/15hp) engine and had a Martec 14X14 folding Eliptical, 2 blade prop on it when I bought it in 2007. Had some troubles with the prop folding and unfolding properly, but used it successfully for over a year. In late August 2008, I was running the engine at full thrust in the slip, heard a loud "clunk", followed by a severe vibration. After quickly shuting down and checking things below the water, I discovered that one blade had broken off of the folding prop! I was able to move the boat at idle speed to the nearby boat lift with one, unbalanced blade's worth of thrust. The previous owner had left me a 14 X 8, 3 blade fixed prop as a spare (I assume it was the prop which was fitted on origional delivery), which I had reinstalled.
2 Thumbs Up is noticably slower both under power and under sail with the 3 blade fixed as opposed to the 2 blade folding prop (the fixed blade is smoother running however). Martec agreed to refurbish the folding prop for $450 (their standard price; they refused any responsibility for the failure). I can't wait to get the folding prop back on (costs me 6 seconds per NM in club racing, but is worth it).