[C320-list] Reversing can be easier

[Kirk McCullough]

Agree also that the helm feels lighter, and I think we can point higher with 
the feathering prop. It makes up a bit for our wing keel.

Kirk
#124
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <catalina at thehares.com>
To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2008 11:04 AM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Reversing can be easier


> Not to get into folding/feathering vs fixed prop debate, but here's what
> we noticed.   Wing keel/135 genoa/full main/gori-3 blade folding.
>
> With winds above 10 kts, we mostly notice a change in the boat's
> acceleration.  Our rig isn't very well tuned to heavy air at the moment.
>
> Below 10kts, the difference can be pretty dramatic.  This past weekend, we
> easily sailed between ~4.5-5kts in 8-10kts of wind on a close reach with
> less than 1 foot seas.  Frequently our headway speed was at around half
> the TRUE wind speed.
>
> I define "easily" by running up the laundry and only having to mess with
> it every 10 minutes or so.
>
> With our 3 blade fixed, we would be lucky to reach 4kts in any those wind
> conditions and only if we kept on top of the sail trim.
>
> If there were big swells or bumpy conditions, we'd never bother to sail in
> winds below 8kts because we'd only make a couple knots headway and the
> sails would bang around.
>
> Another interesting side effect is that the helm feels lighter (wonder if
> it's the turbulence around the rudder that the fixed prop created?)
>
> -Jeff
>
>> Exactly how much increase (over 3-blade fixed) in "speed under sail" do
>> you
>> get with folding/feathering prop in, say, 10 to 12 knot wind on 60 degree
>> reach or beam reach?
>>
>> Len
>> AQUA5   #1070
>>
>> On Wed, Jun 25, 2008 at 7:44 AM, <Orlando.Duran at averydennison.com> wrote:
>>
>>> I never had any issues with the 3-bladed prop relative to performance or
>>> 'prop-walk'--it always worked extremely well.
>>>
>>> I just hated the fact that I had to give up 1kn+ under sail to get that
>>> performance...it is a sailboat after all...
>>>
>>> Admittedly, in So Cal we never have to worry about currents, cross-winds
>>> in
>>> the marina (all slips are oriented upwind and downwind), winterizing :),
>>> etc
>>>
>>> I just didn't see the benefit of the prop vs losing speed under sail.
>>>
>>> On my 440 I installed a 3-bladed Flex-o-Fold prop and love it...although
>>> not self-pitching in reverse, it works great and of course, under sail,
>>> no
>>> performance problems
>>> ----------------------------------
>>> Regards,
>>> OD
>>>
>>> Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From:  [crashley at gte.net]
>>> Sent: 06/25/2008 07:36 AM
>>> To: <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Reversing can be easier
>>>
>>> Orlando,
>>>
>>> That's odd. I found that stopping (and reversing) was a chore with the
>>> factory 3 blade fixed prop and was much better with the Autostream
>>> feathering prop I installed a couple years ago. It has independently
>>> adjustable fwd and rev pitch, although I've never had to change the
>>> settings
>>> that it came with.
>>>
>>> CRA
>>> Rosebud #882
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: <Orlando.Duran at AveryDennison.com>
>>> To: "C320-List" <C320-List at Catalina320.com>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, June 18, 2008 8:44 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Reversing can be easier
>>>
>>>
>>> Of course you knew I had to chime in on this... :)
>>>
>>> When I bought cl 3 #112 it came with the 3-bladed  prop--lots of prop
>>> walk--ALL props, no matter what, have prop walk, fluid dynamics and
>>> all--
>>>  but I learned that that's not bad thing at all, I used it lots of times
>>> to
>>> get out of slips without a lot of room, etc. Once you understand the
>>> amount
>>> of 'walk' your prop has, you learn to use it and not complain about. In
>>> reverse, when going forward, it was like having power brakes, it would
>>> stop
>>> the boat RIGHT NOW...
>>>
>>> 3 years later, I purchased (from this list by the way) a Martec 2-blade
>>> folding prop, less prop walk--again not always a good thing--and it took
>>> a
>>> bit of getting used to not having as much stopping power in reverse.
>>>
>>> My point in this is that you simply need to get used to your particular
>>> prop and take advantage of it's advantages and disadvantages...
>>>
>>> Oh yeah, dumping that 3-bladed prop was the best thing ever for boat
>>> speed
>>> under sail, getting rid of that 3-bladed anchor..er, prop, made that
>>> boat
>>> competitive....
>>> ----------------------------------
>>> Regards,
>>> OD
>>>
>>> Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>> From: "Chris Burti" [clburti at gmail.com]
>>> Sent: 06/18/2008 08:12 PM
>>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Reversing can be easier
>>>
>>> I respectfully disagree that 320's exhibit significant prop walk with a
>>> factory prop. I attribute most of the backing problems that I've
>>> observed
>>> to
>>> poor technique. I've been backing our 320 into slips everywhere we go in
>>> all
>>> wind conditions for five years with little or no problems. We have a
>>> factory
>>> three bladed prop that works fine as long as I don't let the barnacles
>>> get
>>> growing on it. Our approach fairway is less than 60' wide and that is
>>> adequate to get control in reverse. the only time I see any evidence of
>>> significant swinging of the stern from the prop is if the water is thin
>>> the
>>> keel is dragging and I 'm fighting a cross wind.
>>>
>>> Seriously, if you want to experience prop walk at its worst, get out on
>>> a
>>> full keel sailboat with the prop in the rudder aperture or try backing a
>>> single screw inboard ski boat. After that experience I suspect that
>>> you'll
>>> never complain bout a fin keel boat again.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 6:29 PM, Bruce Stanley
>>> <brucestanley36 at gmail.com>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>  Robert Seastream writes about poor Reversing.
>>>> My circumstances mean that I must reverse into a tight marine pen
>>>> (slip).
>>>> The Kiwi Feathering Prop really does deliver positive and immediate
>>>> thrust,
>>>> with little or no Prop walk.
>>>> I am sure there are other props that do this too, but not a factory
>>>> fitted
>>>> fixed 3 blader.
>>>> Cheers
>>>> Bruce Stanley
>>>> Sydney
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> On Wed, Jun 18, 2008 at 10:39 PM, Robert Seastream <
>>>> robert.seastream at comcast.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> > Backing at all (let alone straight) is something I simply can't get
>>>> my
>>>> boat
>>>> > to do, so I don't rely on it as part of the docking process.
>>>> > I've told my wife that when docking, if we miss we'll simply circle
>>>> and
>>>> try
>>>> > again, since we have little/no effective reverse/braking power.
>>>> >
>>>> > Bob
>>>> >
>>>> >
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Chris Burti
>>> Farmville, NC
>>>
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>>
>
>