When sailing

[RossC]

When sailing , what is best to have your transmission set , Forward, neutral or reverse?

 

[Peter Bean]

I use reverse it keeps the blade AND the motor from turning.

 

[RossC]

Thanks, I also have always sailed with my trans in reverse but a friend was disagreeing with me so I thought I would ask.

 

[LakeOntario270]

Unless your transmission says keep locked or something like that put the transmission into NEUTRAL and let the prop spin. It has been proven the drag is substantially less with a spinning prop verses a locked prop.

 

[Scotty C-M]

You should check with your transmission manufacturer. Yanmar is very specific, keep in neutral. Hearth says neutral is best, reverse is OK. I don't know about others.

 

[Scott B]

Lots of previous discussions.

http://forums.hunter.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=148690&#post990459

 

[jviss]

Unless your transmission says keep locked or something like that put the transmission into NEUTRAL and let the prop spin. It has been proven the drag is substantially less with a spinning prop verses a locked prop.

That's contrary to a Navy study. Depends on a lot of factors. Speed sailing is less important than wearing out a $2,000+ gear!

 

[jviss]

found here: http://www.nathape.com/res/Logoundanderes/hurth_hb_manualowner.pdf
(I've tried to faithfully transcribe this, including punctuation and bolding).

Rotation of the propeller without load while the boat is sailing, being towed, or anchored in a river, as well as operation of the engine without the engine stopped (for charging the battery), will have no detrimental effects on the gearbox.

Important
When the boat is sailing (engine stopped), the gear lever must be in zero position. Never put the gear in the position corresponding to the direction or travel of the boat.

Locking the propeller shaft by an additional brake is not required; use the gear lever position opposite your direction of travel for this purpose.

 

[LakeOntario270]

"That's contrary to a Navy study. Depends on a lot of factors. Speed sailing is less important than wearing out a $2,000+ gear!"

We are NOT IN THE NAVY! We are small sailboat sailors. Here is a test by Yachting magazine on props.

http://www.flexofold.com/upload_dir/docs/Test_YachtingMonthly_low.pdf

Look at the drag curves for different types of props, including fixed 3 blade and free to rotate.

My Catalina manual says it is perfectly OK to let the prop spin in neutral. As I said earlier, check your manual or transmission label.

 

[jviss]

"That's contrary to a Navy study. Depends on a lot of factors. Speed sailing is less important than wearing out a $2,000+ gear!"

We are NOT IN THE NAVY! We are small sailboat sailors. Here is a test by Yachting magazine on props.

No need to be nasty about it. The study I am referring two was conducted to answer that question for the Naval Academy sailing team, on Navy 44's, if I recall correctly.

The conclusion was that 2-blade props produced more drag when allowed to freewheel than when locked.

Yachting Magazine v. MIT and Naval Academy? Gotcha.

 

[Big Windy]

You should check with your transmission manufacturer. Yanmar is very specific, keep in neutral. Hearth says neutral is best, reverse is OK. I don't know about others.

Agree...any gear but forward...I use neutral.

 

[dj2210]

I use reverse cause the noise it makes while spinning (low bearing noise) bothers me while sailing.