Subject: What are the pros and cons of a folding prop?
From: Rosalie B.

We have a feathering prop (vs a folding prop) and we do get an
increase of about 1/2 knot under sail, and it also backs better under
power. I haven't tried to quantify the backing under power - it is
just what we feel.

Disadvantages are - you lose a bit of power forward because the blades
are flat and the prop takes a bit more maintenance than a fixed prop.

[We were sailing but had the engine on in neutral so the prop was not
feathered - we were running the refrigeration- and when we had
finished that, we turned off the engine and feathered the prop, and
our speed increased 1/2 knot - same wind and current. Now I know this
is not a completely scientific test, but it is significant to us.
There are also people in our group who did tests with a fixed prop
over a measured course, and then did the same tests with a folding
prop over the same course and found a similar result.]




grandma Rosalie


Question. Your engine was running but you were in neutral gear. Why wasn't the
prop feathered? i.e., does the prop "unfeather" when the engine starts or when
you put it in gear? What causes the prop to feather?
This is an area I'm not familiar with, though I frequently use VP/CP props.

Shen