Initial experience
First off, I agree with everything Bob said. My new C310 hit the water last week (without a mast, but that's another story). I had it equipped with an Autoprop from the get go. I'm not very experienced with inboard power, and I'm not convinced the tach was 100% accurate, plus this was a very lightly loaded boat, but with the 26hp Universal M-25XPB we were doing close to hull speed at an indicated 1400 rpm. When we throttled back as we entered the marina, we were still doing about 3 knots at idle speed. The prop wash was impressive. This prop does not have the lowest drag under sail due to the curved blades, and the relatively large hub in the smaller prop sizes. After much research of the available information, I felt it was the best compromise of motoring efficiency in forward and reverse, and low drag. I did not detect any abnormal vibration or other problems as launched. The strut did have to be notched to provide absolute clearance in reverse as the blades swing back. Is it worth the money? You can spend less if you want to maximize one characteristic at the expense of another, giving up a little versatility.
