What is your propeller ?

[negrini]

I had a VOLVO 3 blade folding and loved that. I see today, many different brands in market (Autoprop, Flex-o-fold, Variprop, Gori, etc folding, feathering) and get a little confused on wich one I'll pick for incoming boat. Rather reading technical articles, would prefer to hear oppinions from real world ? Thanks in advance ....

[Rockter]

Two blade, fixed.
Works well and can be aligned with the long keel on a long run.
Reliable, and relatively cheap.
It's a heavy ship, at close to 11 ton, so it does not really need the folding stuff.

[funsailthekeys]

Can't tell under all the gunk.

[xort]

3 blade maxprop. came with the boat

[IslandRaider]

I currently run a 3 blade fixed that came with the boat but I am not overly happy with the performance, Max Prop has just come out with a 4 blade varible pitch which I am looking at. they are priciey but you can get better thrust at a lower RPM and you can also set the pitch for the boat and engine combo for maximum performance and it self feathers onder under sail

[christyleigh]

I put an AutoProp on my previous Catalina 320 after 2 years with a 3 blade fixed, and a short experiment with a Matec 2 blade folder, and liked the AutoProp for 4 years. My Nauticat came with an owner installed AutoProp and I still like it into my 3rd year. It seems to do all it says - which is to try get the best out of all the facets of sailing and Especially Motorsailing because of its autopitching which for me now is the most important.
The only downside I've seen in person and in other forums - besides the obscene price $,$$$ - is that many seem to come slightly over pitched. Not the Trail of Black Smoke and not reaching full RPMs - badly overpitched, But some soot showing up on the hull. It seems that because they actually change pitch it's a very fine line between getting the extra torque/speed at low rpm (which most users report) and going too far over-pitched and over working the diesel at certain RPMs.

[Sequitur]

After a year of sailing with the three blade that came with the boat, I had a four blade 22" VariProp installed four weeks ago. Since then I've had only 18 days of cruising with it, but so far it has met or exceeded all my expectations. I love its smooth operation, the noticeable additional speed in light airs, the quietness without the shaft turning over, the increased power astern and the reduced prop walk.

I chose it because the shaft did not need to be modified, the zinc is large and easily replaceable and the pitch stops can be easily adjusted in the water. The superb German engineering is an added bonus.

[Idiens]

Three blade Maxprop. Lots of fun getting the pitch right.

[mallo]

Had a fixed three bladed prop, now have a feathering three bladed Max Prop, have had it for the last 8 Years, very pleased with it, part of a bigger up-grade now sailing more and more, it was expensive when we bought it but now probably at the current fuel prices we will be saving a small fortune.
We find the handling the same in ahead but quite different in astern. However sailing in light airs have transformed the boat.
She I a fairly heavy boat (20 Tonnes) but the prop works well, wouldn’t have it any other way.

[blt2ski]

I too have a max prop, but 2 blade, that I got with the boat. Previous owner said they got .5-1 knot more boat speed sailing over the fixed prop.

Generally speaking, not difference tween forward and reverse as far as handling. The note about getting pitch correct, could be an issue, as I am not able to get to full hull speed from my knot meter, but it may be reading slow.

Marty