PYI Rates "A" for Support
Lee - For what it's worth, I'd rate PYI an "A" for customer support and talking one through problems or decisions and for me that's a real plus. When I put on my Max-Prop about 13 years ago I also installed a PSS shaft seal. If you plan to keep your boat for a while and you like to sail more than motor, and like to sail fast, then a feathering/folding prop is for you. Last year we went to Alaska and had to be back by date certain and therefore had to cover a lot of ground in a very short time. We did 2,222 nautical miles in 77 days with 2/3 motoring and 1/3 sailing. Our motoring speed (loaded down with a Hunter 35 and 1.5 year old bottom paint was about 6 knots, or maybe a bit less) but our speed over ground for the trip was 7 knots! This was per GPS and figures were kept by the first mate/admiral. It was her job to determine the schedule and my job to keep it!The higher speed over ground can be attributed to two things: going with the tide (current) whenever possible and sailing at above hull speed - which we did quite a bit of. One memorable day we "flew" down Chatham Strait for almost all day flying the spinnaker while pulling a huge wake and doing 8 and 9 knots over ground. This latter factor can only be achieved easily with a feathering prop. And another factor - it's quiet! No shaft noise. And no wear and tear on the driveline. Sail more, motor less, and save wear and tear on the engine.We're one pitch off from the original install but the boat is also much heavier than factory. The pitch change came one year, a few years back, during a regular scheduled haul out for bottom paint so no additional cost. On the other hand, the nice thing is that one can actually change the pitch - you can't do this with a fixed-blade prop without taking it to a prop shop! To me, the holistic experience of a boat with a low-drag prop is worth all the effort in getting there - second haul out or no. Obviously my experience has been positive.