Folding Prop / Bearing System

[Thesilversurfer]

I’m in the process of purchasing many first cruising boat (beneteau 36CC) that is currently on the hard. It has a fixed prop and I was considering a folding prop while the boat is out of the water. I’d love to hear thoughts/input on this...not a racer but a cruiser....

I also have read about the bearings and stuffing box (?) as an area of possible water intrusion and there is a newer available upgrade to eliminate this for good? Any input on this as well would be greatly appreciated. Again the boat is out of the water so I was just thinking about these upgrades now....thanks!

[billknny]

TO my way of thinking, a folding prop has no place on a cruising boat. Too many compromises and issues. Feathering props are oceans better--for cruisers. Folders are for high end racers. And those who think they are high end...

For stuffing box, the best solution is "drip-less moldable packing" from Western Pacific. Seals 100% watertight, doesn't damage the shaft, lasts forever, or at least longer than I have ever used it on one boat, and it's a LOT cheaper than the alternatives. As always, read and follow label directions...

[Minggat]

Then there are the cruisers who have switched from feathering to folding and are glad they did.


I had been salivating over a feathering prop for way too long. But with the maintenance and cost and availability of parts in foreign ports, and after I learned that my boat wouldn't accept a feathering prop, I reconsidered a folding.


When I finally finish the project I am on here, I will be getting back to throwing money at Minggat. One of the first things on my list is a folding prop.

[nhschneider]

We installed a Gori folding prop in 2010, just before we left on our 49,000-mile circumnavigation. It turned out to be a great decision. With virtually zero drag from the prop, we were able to continue moving in very light conditions, of which we had a lot of. Also, when folded (and under sail), the prop didn’t turn at all, which meant that there was no noise coming from a spinning prop shaft in our aft cabin. Our Gori prop now has over 5,000 trouble-free hours on it and for us, it was a worthwhile investment.

We also installed a LasDrop dripless shaft seal and though we had to replace it when we got to Malaysia, we didn’t hesitate to install another LasDrop.

Good luck, fair winds and calm seas.

[roverhi]

Feathering props are more efficient than folders especially in reverse. They are more complicated than a folder so require periodic maintenance and seem to be more prone to wear. The pitch of a feathering prop can be changed to fine tune it to the boat while a folder is fixed so better get it right from the start. Folders fair into the slipstream so have precious little that can snag weed or other detritus under sail. Feathering prop's blades fair into the slip stream but remain standing proud so can pick up some amazing finds.

If I had an attached rudder cruiser would go for a 2 bladed prop that I could hide behind the deadwood. If I had to have a 3 blade prop, a feathering prop would be the ticket. For a fin keeler with the prop hanging out in the open, would go for a folder as I prize sailing performance more than engine performance. Under no circumstances would go for a three blade fixed on a fin keel boat.

Have a last LasDrop dripless shaft seal and it's worked great. Access to the stuffing box on my boat was an exercise in becoming a human pretzel. Consequently it wasn't taken care of by the PO and leaked constantly. I didn't want to have to do the maintenance to replace the packing.

[Jim Cate]

Feathering props are more efficient than folders especially in reverse.

rover, I'm afraid this is not correct. Folding props have properly (!) designed blades that incorporate twist which is required for decent efficiency. Feathering props such as MaxProp have flat blades with zero twist, and they are inherently INefficient.

Some feathering props do generate greater static thrust in reverse than most folders, but if you check the tests, Flex-O-Fold comes damn close in reverse and far exceeds in forward.

And for he who said folders were not good for cruisers, well, we've done over 100,000 miles with folding props and about 20,000 with a feathering prop. The folding props were better in all ways except trying to back off of a mud bank after a piloting error on my part (only a few times, but memorable in some cases).

Jim

[Fbfisher]

Just installed a new Flexofold on my Beneteau 423. As stated above, they perform very well, are very low maintenance and much less likely to snag debris along your route than a feathering prop. Not looking to start another prop war, to each his own.