Lubing a Kiwi Prop

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Levin

Levin

.
Apr 7, 2007
165
Hunter 340 San Diego
Hello all,

Has anyone here ever greased a Kiwi Prop? I have my boat out of the water to get it repainted and wanted to make sure I greased the prop at the same time as it my be several years till I haul out again. Specifically the problem I'm having is with the three SS pozidrive screws on the blades themselves. Anyone know how to get these out? The manual is very vague about how this is done.

Thanks for any help in advance,
-Levin
 
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Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Levin:

If you have any doubts, call Norm at WestbyNorth www.westbynorth.com he is very helpful and can advise you on they type of grease and the best method of greasing the unit.

PS: Have you reviewed the Kiwi site for additional information?

http://www.kiwiprops.co.nz/manual.html

How do you like this prop? I have been considering purchasing one. Any pro/con remarks?
 
Jim Seamans

Jim Seamans

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Mar 21, 2004
2,175
Hunter 356 Cobb Island, MD
Levin,

These are just very small screws with a normal Phillips head. Your prop should have come with the grease nipple, hope you still have it. I just start pumping with a hand pump grease gun until the grease starts coming out around the bottom of the blade. Don't forget to grease the two ports on the hub which is just about covered up by the blades.
Love the prop, prior discussions somewhere in the archives...

BTW, the photo is what happens to blade when you hit a tree limb in the Dismal Swamp...
 

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Steve Dion

.
Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Jim:

Did it do any other damage to the prop other than that mild abrasion? It looks like a pocket knife or a grinding wheel would kleen that up like new.
 
Jim Seamans

Jim Seamans

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Mar 21, 2004
2,175
Hunter 356 Cobb Island, MD
Hi Steve, No two of the props were beaten up and causing vibration. That's how we knew we had a problem. The water was way to cold to dive on it. When we got to St Augustine, I replace it with my original three blade. I replaced all three blades, which was a newer composite harder material.
 
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Steve Dion

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Dec 2, 1999
15,184
Hunter Vision-36 Rio Vista, CA.
Jim:

Overall do you get comparable motoring speed from the Kiwi?

How is the backing compared to the fixed three blade?

What motor do you have in your 356?

I spoke with Norm at West by North and he said that the issue with motors stalling in reverse was only on the smaller engines and that issue has been resolved on the new units.
 
Jim Seamans

Jim Seamans

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Mar 21, 2004
2,175
Hunter 356 Cobb Island, MD
Steve,

Yanmar 3GM30F

Motoring speed is comparable to the fixed three blade. Get about 6.5 at 2600rpm with the Kiwi. Pickup a .5 to 1 kt more speed under sail

Backing up is great almost no prop walk, very powerful in reverse. I would say that it presents almost the same pitch as forward.
 

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Levin

Levin

.
Apr 7, 2007
165
Hunter 340 San Diego
Jim,

Thanks for the help. I was having a hard time finding those screws because I painted the blades. I have to say the manual is pretty useless in pointing them out. I was trying to pop out the long flat metal pins in the middle of the blade thinking these were what they were talking about.

Anyway you helped a lot thanks again.

Oh and Steve,

So far I'm very happy with the Kiwi. It doesn't have the motoring power that I was hoping it would have (didn't really pick up much over my fixed two blade, and might have lost just a little) but it's great under sail and there is next to no vibration. Also as Jim pointed out, going in reverse is now amazing. So overall a good purchase... would do it again.

Take care,
-Levin
 
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