Spinning Prop While Under Sail

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Gulf Arbutus

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Mar 28, 2022
1
Beneteau Oceanis 38.1 Port Townsend
Hello Fellow Beneteau Owners
I have a new 2022 Oceanis 38.1 and found that the prop turns very noisily under sail. The only way to prevent this is to put the 40hp Yanmar diesel in reverse. I am trying to avoid buying a $3,400 feathering prop. Does anyone have an opinion on whether putting the boat in reverse under sail will potentially damage the transmission of the engine or is it possible that I would not be able to shift the gear into neutral to start the engine if sailing with it in reverse? Thanks
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
9,904
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
One of "those" things.. until several years ago, reverse while sailing was the norm.. A few years ago (February of '08), Yanmar put out a service bulletin that said to use neutral while sailing and let the prop spin. For about a thousand years before that paper, I used reverse and had it really hard to get out of reverse only twice. I can start the engine in gear and then it will shift normallly, but many new boats have a safety switch that will not allow you to start in gear. If it is really noisy, it may be that your alignment is off and should be corrected. I can hear mine spinning when sailing in neutral, but it is not noisy.
 
Last edited:
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,099
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
Welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new boat!

The Beneteau site shows the 38.1 as having a 30 HP engine. Did the upgrade it or does yours have a 40 HP as an option? If it’s a 30 HP I presume it’s a Yanmar 3YM30 with a saildrive?

The 3YM30 Operation Manual does include the statement that “NOTICE: When sailing, set the remote control lever in NEUTRAL. Not doing so WILL introduce slippage or any damage and void your warranty.” Between their previous bulletin ( https://j109.org/docs/yanmar_techni...r_position_while_under_sail_-ymtqtb11-017.pdf ) and the line in the operation manual I would not be comfortable overriding their guidance and sailing in reverse, especially while still in the warranty period.

Since you have a saildrive a shaft brake is not an option.

Probably not what you’re hoping for but you could consider a folding prop for just over half the price of the feathering one.
 
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Hello Below

Hello Below

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May 7, 2012
1,361
Hunter e33 Maple Bay, BC
Gulf Arbutus said:
Hello Fellow Beneteau Owners
I have a new 2022 Oceanis 38.1 and found that the prop turns very noisily under sail. The only way to prevent this is to put the 40hp Yanmar diesel in reverse. I am trying to avoid buying a $3,400 feathering prop. Does anyone have an opinion on whether putting the boat in reverse under sail will potentially damage the transmission of the engine or is it possible that I would not be able to shift the gear into neutral to start the engine if sailing with it in reverse? Thanks
Click to expand
Confirm your boat is equipped with a saildrive 1st. 2nd determine the make of the saildrive. If it is a Yanmar then your question is answered above. If it is a ZF then from the ZF SD-10 (not Yanmar SD-xx) manual:
“CAUTION. When the boat sails with engine switched off the shift position of the gearbox can be: 1) in neutral position and in this case the propeller is free to rotate. 2) in the opposite position of the travel direction to lock the propeller. Note: do not put the shifting lever of the gearbox in forward position, otherwise the transmission could be damaged!”
 
Ralph Johnstone

Ralph Johnstone

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Jan 4, 2006
6,527
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
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Gulf Arbutus said:
I have a new 2022 Oceanis 38.1 and found that the prop turns very noisily under sail.
Click to expand
A brand spanking new Bene 38 and you're putting your engine in the hands of a internet forum ? Maybe a first boat ? ? ?

Where is your dealer ? ? ? ? If he left town in a hurry last night, where's your Yanmar manual ?

If you can hear the x-mission rotating from above deck and it's loud enough to be of concern, there's a problem with your drive train. Don't worry about the noise you CAN hear under sail, worry about the noise you CAN'T hear when the engine is running.
 
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J

JohnShannon

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Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
Well you could buy a $1500 feathering prop, Kiwiprop super simple and worked pretty well for my First 375 about the same amount of boat. Mainesail did some investigating and as I recall spinning is faster than locked.
 
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W

WindThieves

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Apr 7, 2022
2
Beneteau Oceanis 45 Channel Islands
Gulf Arbutus said:
Hello Fellow Beneteau Owners
I have a new 2022 Oceanis 38.1 and found that the prop turns very noisily under sail. The only way to prevent this is to put the 40hp Yanmar diesel in reverse. I am trying to avoid buying a $3,400 feathering prop. Does anyone have an opinion on whether putting the boat in reverse under sail will potentially damage the transmission of the engine or is it possible that I would not be able to shift the gear into neutral to start the engine if sailing with it in reverse? Thanks
Click to expand
We have a 45' Oceanis with a feathering prop. We always put the engine in reverse and then back to neutral before shutting down engine to avoid the prop from (noisily) spinning once we get to sailing.
 
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