Saildrive prop alignment

ThunderFog · #1 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

When racing my old boat I would align the folding prop in such a way that neither of the blades would unfold once the engine was out of gear. I now race on a boat with a Saildrive (yanmar engine). Is there a way to determine the orintation of the prop shaft from inside the boat?

Giulietta · #2 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

I don't think I understand your question..

Saildrives don't have prop shafts.

Once you stop and the boat moves forward on sail power, they will fold back

However, a little trick is once you stop the engine, engage it in reverse full.

Just don't forget to bring the throtle back to neutral before starting the engine.

I hope I helped, but am very confused with your question. What prop you have geared folding?

ThunderFog · #3 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

Hmm... I might have been a little unclear. I am also not very familar with the saildrive. First the original question:
1) My old boat had a martec prop. Assume the engine is off. If the prop shaft was left in the position where, if the blades of the prop were opened, the blades would be virtical. The top blade would of course close due to gravity, but the bottom blade would remain hangging down. If the wind was very light this would create resistance. So we would always make sure our shaft was turned in such a manor as to have the blades horazontal. In this possition, once they were swepted back they would stay. If would like to make sure I can do the samething with the saildrive.

2) there may be two reasons why this is not important. Is the prop on a sail drive geared so that one blade can not open unless the other one opens? This would prevent the need for aligning the prop.

3) A Farr 40 moves so fast in almost any wind it could sweepback the prop in all but deadest wind.

Giulietta · #4 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

Thunder

I never used Martec, but I believe they are not geared. Allways used GORI (to me the best for performance on and off power) and they are geared so that one blade closes the other one, and even outside the water they will tend to close on their own. Still I engage in reverse.

Find out what prop you have. I posted I can't remember where, (look around)some photos of my saildrive. Note that the photo where the blades are open had to be done forcing them open.

You have a Farr 40? what year? If you do, don't worry, it closes for sure.

ThunderFog · #5 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

I just sail on the Farr 40. It is new to the owner too so we are still working on making her go fast. It is an older boat so a lot of tweeking is goning on. But the owner/driver seems to have the touch. He can make her go, we are just looking at all aspects for speed.

Giulietta · #6 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

I think that for now, with that boat (that can't be that old) you have to worry more with the stuff you have above the water/deck and what is on the mast, than with the stuff bellow the water.

think of that later...much later.

Even if on blade stays open, what you loose by bad main adjusting is by far greater than the drag of one blade.

Fstbttms · #7 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giulietta

I never used Martec, but I believe they are not geared.

Martec makes two models of folding prop. The Eliptec is their standard, non-geared prop and The Geartec, which (as the name implies) is a geared folder. Geared folding props (regardless of brand) are the only kind of folders I've ever seen on a saildrive.

Fstbttms · #8 (**permalink**) 11-30-2006

Quote:

Originally Posted by Giulietta

Even if on blade stays open, what you loose by bad main adjusting is by far greater than the drag of one blade.

Yes, but you can trim the main. An open prop blade is causing drag for the duration of the race.

Giulietta · #9 (**permalink**) 12-01-2006

FastBottoms, you would make a fortune over here, as it is really hard to get a diver to clean the hulls. So we have to get them out of the water, or apoint a "good samaritan" among the crew that we force to dive.

Once he said it was a Farr 40, I said "don't worry" because I am pretty sure they would never install a non geared on it!! And having that in mind, I also said that, on that boat, triming and mastering it is way more important than the prop, meaning "think of something else". I was assuming they have a geared.

How much would you charge for cleaning a 42?? Just to have an idea...