"Capt. JG" wrote:

Back to more questions somewhat related to the Perkins 4-108. This sailboat
is a pig to back up. It really wants to prop walk to starboard. According to
the owner, it's got a fixed, 3-blade prop. I believe the boat also has a
folding prop aboard in a locker. Would that help? Would tuning help? What do
you think?

We have a Perkins 4-154 which had a fixed three blade prop. It also
backed poorly and had a prop walk. We replaced the prop with a Max
Prop (not because of that, but because the noise made by the shaft
spinning when we were under sail sounded like we were next to an
expressway). The Max Prop feathers (doesn't really fold), and the
blades are flat instead of cupped so that it will feather flat. This
meant that the boat backed better - the cupped blades only increase
the bite of the water when going forward. So

Not being an engineer or anything, and not even playing one on TV ...

My guess would be that yes the folding prop would help. Why is it
stored in a locker?



grandma Rosalie

S/V RosalieAnn, Leonardtown, MD
CSY 44 WO #156
http://home.mindspring.com/~gmbeasley/id1.html