Prop walk or new prop

[Old Sailor 2]

Hey again. First I appreciate all the valuable experience you folks have filled me in on of late. Next, a question about prop walk. I just got a 42 Passage with original 2 blade prop. I am contemplating a new prop, either a 3 blade fixed sized for Yanmar 57 HP or a 3 or 4 blade feathering prop. I do't race so I don't consider the featering for sailing speed although that is nice but the response astern is aparently considerably better with 3 blade feathering. VariProp is what I am looking at as significant cost. Honestly, we can maneuver into and out of the slip with the existing prop but prop walk, while not major, exists and confuses the real skipper, my wife. So, practice and become used to the prop walk especially while backing, new 3 blade sixed or the cat's meow of the Variprop??

 

[David in Sandusky]

Skeptical

Some skippers report reduction of prop walk with a new prop. Most don't.

You and your wife can learn to use prop walk. While a new prop may reduce it, it won't eliminate it.

If the prop sales person says their prop will eliminate or reduce prop walk, and you decide to go ahead, I would ask for a money back trial.

 

[Jake N Eggs]

When my buddy first got his 336 I was with him when he moved the boat to our marina. I was a power guy then and was shocked at how hard it was to stop the boat. He had the 2 blade "lasagna" noodle as I came to call it. When I moved to sail in 2006 I asked about the benefits of the Variprop. Reduced prop walk was one (which as a power boater didn't fully understand) and better reverse performance. I opted for the Variprop remembering my buddies issue.

My 33 will stop within a boat length from about 5 knots. My buddy has since installed a Variprop. I know now what prop walk is and my 33 has it but it is easily managed. The Variprop is expensive but it produces as advertised.

I have another buddy with a 33 that went to a 3 blade fixed prop and he hates the sound of it while sailing. It does perform well though while under power.

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Sailgunner]

I replaced my fixed two-blade with a Flex-o-fold three blade on my 410 and I would do it again in a heart beat. I went from a lot of prop walk to vitually none. I also gained more power with the 3-blade which is the most important factor as far as I am concerend. The folding prop is nice for sailing and helps to avoid crab pots.

 

[Nodak7]

Jake, I too had a fixed 3 blade prop on my H33 and I loved how it stopped the boat and had minimal prop walk. I also experienced the "noise" from it while sailing. Always knew when the boat hit 5 kts because it made noise going thru that speed. The boat I have now has a three bladed Variprop and I would highly recommend it to you OldSailor! I really like it. Very little prop walk, great reverse performance and stopping power and good forward performance. Not to say anything about better sailing performance and no noise.

 

[Old Sailor 2]

I see a lot about Vari-Prop but I wonder if anyone has experience with MaxProp.

 

[Sailgunner]

There was a great article on the different props and their performance. I don't remember where it was but you should be able to find it with a search. I chose the flex-o-fold becasue it was rated high in many categories.

 

[sogin]

I see a lot about Vari-Prop but I wonder if anyone has experience with MaxProp.

We have a max prop on a benefit 411 and it backs very well and is much better than the auto prop that it replaced.

 

[Paul Cossman]

P42 prop walk

I also have a Passage 42 and last year changed from the original 2-blade propeller to a 3-blade Campbell Sailor Propeller (CSP). The CSP has less prop walk (as well as diminished power and initial stopping power in reverse due to the cupping) and I found I really missed the prop walk. The prop walk allowed me to get in and out of really tight spots in marinas, etc. It is not only a convenience, but a safety factor.

My CSP is 18 X 11 and is undersized for the P42 Yanmar 4JH2-TE (only getting to maximum speed of 7.3 knots at 3400 RPM). I removed it to have the manufacturer repitch it to 12", and have replaced my two-bladed propeller in the meantime. While I had the CSP on the boat we sailed and motored from N. America to New Zealand, and motored about 350 hours total. I am really happy to have the two-bladed back for maneuveribility reasons. It vibrates more, even after just recently having it overhauled, pitch adjusted, and rebalanced. But love that maneuverabillity.

 

[Don Guillette]

Old Sailor 2: Do a search on this site titled "prop walk is your friend". Save your new prop money and use it on something else because prop walk truely is your friend when you learn how to use it.