Folding or feathering on Swan 40

Hello

Anyone Who has experience with folding propellars on the 40.

Does anyone have a folding propellar that makes it possible to go backwards without turning to one side, in my case stb propellar walk. much to much

Does anyone have a featering propellar on the 40. How does it work, and can it work with a Borgwarner hydraulic gear, without shaft brake.

Kaj "Ophelia"

Hello Ophelia.

On our Swan 41 we replaced the original Nautor folding prop by a feathering one: a max prop. There is stil a lot of prop walk but at least you will go backwards and not only sideways as with a folding prop. So you have to use the propwalk to manoever.

I understand that Matteo has replaced his own Max Prop by an other feathering prop and would also be interested by the reasons and improvements noticed.

In any case we are very happy with our Maxprop.

Kind regards and merry Christmas.

Dear S&S Friends,
the improvement I experienced from the three to the four blades prop is the great reduction of vibration (consequentely of noise). In addition this modern German designed Vari-Prop has the possibility to be setted (separately rev and fw) from underwater, you can get a very fine setting by just turning a screw, which is very practic and comfortable. On the even good Italian Max-Prop (which does exist in two or three blades only) you are forced to set the pith by a degree to the next or previous one, and not infinitely.
Recomended!
Matteo (38/067 ONLY YOU)

Hello Matteo,

We are currently in the process of putting a new engine into our Swan 38. I was interested to read about your new propellor. I am thinking of getting one. We did have a 3 blade vari-prop but it did not have enough drive to our liking. Are you pleased with your four blade? Does it improve your power and performance especially manoevering and in a choppy sea?

regards
John

Mateo, forgot to ask you which diameter did you order on prop saw on previous message 16" is that correct?
Regards
john

Dear John,
my new VariProp is 15"
Happy New year and Fair Winds
Matteo (38/067 Only You)

Hi, I can support what has been said by Matteo and others.

I have a four bladed Vari- Prop on my 411 .

Very good product.

John Bailey

Hi, I can support what has been said by Matteo and others.

Hi John,
maybe you already wrote it somewhere but I would be very interested in more information regarding the fitting of the Vary-Prop to a 411. Did you need changes made to the original shaft assembly?

Regards
Daniel 411/004 Luna Menguante

I replaced the shaft and copling at the time of fitting the new engine. The prop manufacturers did the calculations to confirm size and pitch of  the prop given the HP and gearbox ratio of the engine. I am sure you are aware that you have to take the engine off the mounts to withdraw the shaft as it can only come out via the inside of the yacht due to the distance of the skeg from the cutlass bearing being shorter than the length of the shaft.

The taper and key way at the end of the shaft had to be machined to the prop, but this was not a big job. Routine for any good machine shop.

I changed the cutlass bearing at the same tme. What is important is the distance the prop is from the cutlass bearing. Too far then the shaft oscilates from the weight of the prop creating vibration. 

I am told that the max distance should be 50 % of the diameter of the shaft. i.e. if shaft is 1.5 inches then max distance should be .75 but you see many installations with a bigger gap.

Hi John
Was browzing forum looking for engine prop info for my 38, Billyon. Got 17 inch maxprop and Bukh 24 , which produces smoke++at 2500 revs and above, despite decteasing pitch to22 deg
What engine/prop did you fit , and was it an improvement ?
Alasdair