Fold or feather?

May 17, 2004
5,032
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
So it sounds like yearly maintenance for feathering props.
How often do you guys w/F'oF's need to do it?
All I do is polish the blades with a little sandpaper each winter. No different than I treated my fixed prop. FOF says you can put some grease on the pins to help smooth the folding but it’s not really a requirement and mine’s smooth enough as-is.
 

Mikem

.
Dec 20, 2009
820
Hunter 466 Bremerton
All I do is polish the blades with a little sandpaper each winter. No different than I treated my fixed prop. FOF says you can put some grease on the pins to help smooth the folding but it’s not really a requirement and mine’s smooth enough as-is.
I have the diver check replace as necessary the prop anode every four months. Other than that no maintenance required and I have had my 3 blade fof 8 or 9 years. I took a video of it underwater with a go pro. It opened and closed within 1/2 rpm. Very, very happy with it. Makes a big difference in light air. Occasionally I must shift to reverse (motor off) to get it to fold but then it folds instantly. I never understand the emphasis on the reverse power of the max prop. I guess if one had to make a crash stop in an emergency it would be useful but I find my fof up to the task. The fof is also less expensive than the max prop but I think it comes down to a Ford Chevy preference
 
Nov 8, 2010
11,386
Beneteau First 36.7 & 260 Minneapolis MN & Bayfield WI
So it sounds like yearly maintenance for feathering props.
How often do you guys w/F'oF's need to do it?
except for clearing off any stuff on the blades and gearing, zero maintenance. I’ve never had to touch any of them.
 
  • Like
Likes: Scott T-Bird

Rick D

.
Jun 14, 2008
7,132
Hunter Legend 40.5 Shoreline Marina Long Beach CA
So it sounds like yearly maintenance for feathering props.
How often do you guys w/F'oF's need to do it?
I'm on the left coast. I haul every three to four years. I do a rebuild kit every other haul. Two blade S/S Slipstream geared folder. A regular diver handles any fouling.
 
Dec 7, 2018
186
C&C 27 Mk V Vancouver
Without getting wet, the only access to prop shaft is between trans and dripless seal. What are the chances that diameter is same as aft of cutless bearing?
 
Feb 20, 2011
7,990
Island Packet 35 Tucson, AZ/San Carlos, MX
Without getting wet, the only access to prop shaft is between trans and dripless seal. What are the chances that diameter is same as aft of cutless bearing?
Chances are good.
"Cutlass".
 
Feb 26, 2011
1,428
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
Max Prop IMHO is not maintenance intensive. The only difficulty is initially finding the proper pitch setting. You will have to partially disassemble and reassemble the prop (without removing it from the shaft) to change the pitch setting.
Max Prop no longer sells the "Classic" model (except for the odd leftovers that PYI may have in stock) and disassembling the new model props (typically the "Easy" model) is not required to adjust the pitch.
 
Last edited:
Feb 26, 2011
1,428
Achilles SD-130 Alameda, CA
So it sounds like yearly maintenance for feathering props.
How often do you guys w/F'oF's need to do it?
Most feathering props do NOT need annual maintenance, beyond regular cleaning. Max Prop (for instance) recommends lubrication every other year. Most of them go much longer than that without it, to be honest. Folding props require even less maintenance than feathering props. From a service provider's standpoint, I'd say that the great majority of both types of props receive zero maintenance beyond cleaning except when the boat is hauled for new paint.
 
Last edited: