Guess what my 1980 Hunter has severe propwalk to the port in reverse. I have read some articles.... Tried some solutions..... No sucess. Right now I have a 2 bladed prop powered by the Yanmar 2QM15. My question is would a 3 bladed prop help or make the problem worse? The reason I am asking about the 3 blade is I am not real happy with the acceleration power available in forward or reverse. I am not in a postion to purchase a folding or feathering prop right now either. Or, is there a simple practice I can use to back out of my slip?
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Backing up
Murray. The easiest way to overcome prop walk in reverse is to back out of your slip by giving the prop a burst of power to gain headway. There is much less "walk" at higher rpm's. Once you gain enough headway, back down to neutral and let your momentum carry you out. You will also have steerage with the good momentum. Get yourself into position this way and then put it into forward and be on your way. Give it a try befor the season is all over for you up there. I have a two blade prop on my Legend 37 and I can back out straight as as arrow with momentum. Be sure to check out if if a three blade prop will really help you overcome your situation. Good Luck.
Murray. The easiest way to overcome prop walk in reverse is to back out of your slip by giving the prop a burst of power to gain headway. There is much less "walk" at higher rpm's. Once you gain enough headway, back down to neutral and let your momentum carry you out. You will also have steerage with the good momentum. Get yourself into position this way and then put it into forward and be on your way. Give it a try befor the season is all over for you up there. I have a two blade prop on my Legend 37 and I can back out straight as as arrow with momentum. Be sure to check out if if a three blade prop will really help you overcome your situation. Good Luck.
We have the same problem on our 290. I can appreciate that a 37' boat behaves differently. Our walk is sever in the 290, and a sharp burst of power just causes it to jump rather than walk. I agree that getting going helps, but if the intial walk or jump gets you where you don;t want to be, that is not easily overcome. The larger boats have more mass to overcome with the prop walk, so it is truly eaiser. I sail some boats in excess of 40' and the prop walk is nominal and much easier to overcome. My advice is as much human muscle as you can obtain to keep you in the slip until you get going enough to steer. The previous post is right that small bursts help, but in a light boat, that help is nominal. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije)
Advantage or Disadvantage?
For many people prop walk seems to be problem but for me I use it to may advantage. It helps me to turn the boat in tight spaces - do you know how to turn the boat in its own length? Prop walk has been a big help to me on numerous occassions such as entering a new marina for the first time and finding so place to tie up and having to exit. Prop walk is also helpful for docking or leaving the dock - if you do it right. Even aircraft have "prop walk" only they call it P-factor and to counter this it takes a lot of right pedal on takeoff.
For many people prop walk seems to be problem but for me I use it to may advantage. It helps me to turn the boat in tight spaces - do you know how to turn the boat in its own length? Prop walk has been a big help to me on numerous occassions such as entering a new marina for the first time and finding so place to tie up and having to exit. Prop walk is also helpful for docking or leaving the dock - if you do it right. Even aircraft have "prop walk" only they call it P-factor and to counter this it takes a lot of right pedal on takeoff.
Hold a starboard line
My 36MKII torques to port, but to negate the "prop walk" I hold the starboard stern line in my hand as I put the boat in reverse and then continue to hold the line until the boat begins to move backwards. This seems to stop any movement to port and allows me to back out straight. I have the fixed pitch three blade prop.
My 36MKII torques to port, but to negate the "prop walk" I hold the starboard stern line in my hand as I put the boat in reverse and then continue to hold the line until the boat begins to move backwards. This seems to stop any movement to port and allows me to back out straight. I have the fixed pitch three blade prop.
Prop walk and propellers
I had a two blade prop on my Catalina 30 that walked to port quite a bit in reverse. This year I replaced the prop with a two blade feathering prop -- having been told by the salesperson that it would considerably reduce prop walk. It didn't. Others I have talked to say their experience was similar. If you want to spend $2300 or so (!!!!!) you might try an Autoprop, which probably really would reduce prop walk. For the rest of us, there is nothing to do but learn to use prop walk to one's advantage. As for getting out of your slip: My pier is on the starboard side. I actually walk the boat out of the slip as far as I can, getting it moving in the intended direction, before I hop on board and put it in reverse. With the boat already moving, the prop walk is less, and easily manageable.
I had a two blade prop on my Catalina 30 that walked to port quite a bit in reverse. This year I replaced the prop with a two blade feathering prop -- having been told by the salesperson that it would considerably reduce prop walk. It didn't. Others I have talked to say their experience was similar. If you want to spend $2300 or so (!!!!!) you might try an Autoprop, which probably really would reduce prop walk. For the rest of us, there is nothing to do but learn to use prop walk to one's advantage. As for getting out of your slip: My pier is on the starboard side. I actually walk the boat out of the slip as far as I can, getting it moving in the intended direction, before I hop on board and put it in reverse. With the boat already moving, the prop walk is less, and easily manageable.
Three bladed prop makes prop walk worse.
Murray: A three bladed prop will make things worse. I suggest that you call Kilian Prop in San Leandro California. The have a process that they do with a two bladed prop that elmininates prop walk and gives you more thrust too. I do not have their number, but they are in area code 510. Give them aa call.
Murray: A three bladed prop will make things worse. I suggest that you call Kilian Prop in San Leandro California. The have a process that they do with a two bladed prop that elmininates prop walk and gives you more thrust too. I do not have their number, but they are in area code 510. Give them aa call.
Propwalk helps coming and going
I have a 320 Hunter and I have found that by stepping on to boat from port side give yourself a push toward starboard. Then turn your wheel to starboard slightly then increase your RPM until your boat begins to move backwards then drop your RPM's. This works for me. When docking with a port side slip, the prop walk is great.
I have a 320 Hunter and I have found that by stepping on to boat from port side give yourself a push toward starboard. Then turn your wheel to starboard slightly then increase your RPM until your boat begins to move backwards then drop your RPM's. This works for me. When docking with a port side slip, the prop walk is great.
May make it worse
Hello Murry, My feeling is that the three blade, if set up correctly, could in fact increase your prop walk. This due to the added blade and the propellers increase of efficiency. The three blade when put in motion will push and pass a great deal more water and unfortunately it is not moving the water forward but sideways. This will enhance any movement astern the vessel now has. Hope this helps. Kevin.
Hello Murry, My feeling is that the three blade, if set up correctly, could in fact increase your prop walk. This due to the added blade and the propellers increase of efficiency. The three blade when put in motion will push and pass a great deal more water and unfortunately it is not moving the water forward but sideways. This will enhance any movement astern the vessel now has. Hope this helps. Kevin.
3-blade
I have the same boat, with the same engine, and the same problem. I replaced the original 13X13 2 blade prop with a 3 Blade RH 13X9 Campbell Sailor prop. Boat speed and performance under power are greatly improved. Yes it still walks to port in reverse.
I have the same boat, with the same engine, and the same problem. I replaced the original 13X13 2 blade prop with a 3 Blade RH 13X9 Campbell Sailor prop. Boat speed and performance under power are greatly improved. Yes it still walks to port in reverse.
Give yourself a push
My '79 H30 has a Yanmar YSM12 and has prop walk to starboard. Give yourself a little push, or have someone else do it, and jump on board. One you get movement through the water the effect of the propwalk is greatly reduced. I give it a little reverse then back to neutral for better steerage. Whenever I try to back out without the push the boat almost crabs itself sideways in the slip.
My '79 H30 has a Yanmar YSM12 and has prop walk to starboard. Give yourself a little push, or have someone else do it, and jump on board. One you get movement through the water the effect of the propwalk is greatly reduced. I give it a little reverse then back to neutral for better steerage. Whenever I try to back out without the push the boat almost crabs itself sideways in the slip.
Thanks
Thanks everybody for your input, I see the best solution is trying to use the walk to my advantage. It just takes a little extra brain power to think out the situation before reacting. Thanks again Murray
Thanks everybody for your input, I see the best solution is trying to use the walk to my advantage. It just takes a little extra brain power to think out the situation before reacting. Thanks again Murray
bow in vs. stern in
You can't eliminate prop walk unless you're ready to install dual counter-rotating props... Not likely, eh? If you're having trouble going the direction you want to go when backing out, then you're slip is probably oriented such that you'd be better off backing IN to your slip when you come home from sailing. You can then go forward when you go out again. Our slip is on the left side of the channel. We simply drift past it a little ways, throw the boat in reverse (we have a h27) and the stern walks its way neatly into the slip. I also like to back into the slip because it's easier to get on/off the boat from the stern.
You can't eliminate prop walk unless you're ready to install dual counter-rotating props... Not likely, eh? If you're having trouble going the direction you want to go when backing out, then you're slip is probably oriented such that you'd be better off backing IN to your slip when you come home from sailing. You can then go forward when you go out again. Our slip is on the left side of the channel. We simply drift past it a little ways, throw the boat in reverse (we have a h27) and the stern walks its way neatly into the slip. I also like to back into the slip because it's easier to get on/off the boat from the stern.
Doug
We wonder how excited you would feel about that manuever if your slip was a double and the average wind was 15 knots or higher across the slip most of the March to October season and a tidal flow parellel with the dock that can reach 1.5 knots or more. We agree that using prop walk to your advantage is appropriate. Unfortunately, there are conditions that exist for some of us that require more agressive use of the throttle, speed and muscle. You loose momentum in our marina and you are seconds from finding yourself tangled in other boats. It is fun when we visit other places and can drift by, swing around, kiss the dock. We feel like talented ballerinas. When at home its more like WWF. Dan Jonas (S/V/ Feije)
We wonder how excited you would feel about that manuever if your slip was a double and the average wind was 15 knots or higher across the slip most of the March to October season and a tidal flow parellel with the dock that can reach 1.5 knots or more. We agree that using prop walk to your advantage is appropriate. Unfortunately, there are conditions that exist for some of us that require more agressive use of the throttle, speed and muscle. You loose momentum in our marina and you are seconds from finding yourself tangled in other boats. It is fun when we visit other places and can drift by, swing around, kiss the dock. We feel like talented ballerinas. When at home its more like WWF. Dan Jonas (S/V/ Feije)
Rewrite Laws of Physics?
Unless you can rewrite the laws of physics your propwalk problem is here to stay. The only option available, short of going to dual counter-rotating props, is to use the existing laws to your advantage. With the standard prop and engine rotation the boat wants to turn to the right in both forward and reverse which is a real advantage when trying to dock under adverse conditions. There are various techniques one can use to dock the boat, starboard tie, with an adverse wind and current. One technique I saw several years ago when a 1930s vintage single-screw power boat gently kissed the dock they were going to tie to with the bow at a right-angle and went hard over with the helm while holding the bow on the dock. The skipper was able to bring the boat almost along side the dock when the crew got a line on the cleat. The skipper was a woman and the crew was her husband. Last August I was in Shearwater near Bella Bella (British Columbia) and 32 to 34 foot fishing boats were coming in at night with some curent and over 40 knots of croswind and many of them were single handing! Their windage was much worse than on a sailboat and they have single screws, very little keel, and comparitively small rudders. Each situation is going to be a little different so one needs to develop a bag of tricks and become skilled at using them. Talk the plan, including the fallback plan (no pun intended) over with others on the boat (if you aren't single handing). Good docking skills take an understanding what's hapening and practice.
Unless you can rewrite the laws of physics your propwalk problem is here to stay. The only option available, short of going to dual counter-rotating props, is to use the existing laws to your advantage. With the standard prop and engine rotation the boat wants to turn to the right in both forward and reverse which is a real advantage when trying to dock under adverse conditions. There are various techniques one can use to dock the boat, starboard tie, with an adverse wind and current. One technique I saw several years ago when a 1930s vintage single-screw power boat gently kissed the dock they were going to tie to with the bow at a right-angle and went hard over with the helm while holding the bow on the dock. The skipper was able to bring the boat almost along side the dock when the crew got a line on the cleat. The skipper was a woman and the crew was her husband. Last August I was in Shearwater near Bella Bella (British Columbia) and 32 to 34 foot fishing boats were coming in at night with some curent and over 40 knots of croswind and many of them were single handing! Their windage was much worse than on a sailboat and they have single screws, very little keel, and comparitively small rudders. Each situation is going to be a little different so one needs to develop a bag of tricks and become skilled at using them. Talk the plan, including the fallback plan (no pun intended) over with others on the boat (if you aren't single handing). Good docking skills take an understanding what's hapening and practice.
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