Variable pitch props and adjustable pitch props are two different
things.
What does that have to do with anything? You ever see a stern drive
trailer boat? You can change props in five minutes. It's only trouble
when they have been on the motor for forty years, like the neighbors
at the lake. The guy to the east has a pull start 100 hp Merc. He's
big, a auto mechanic, and he pulls it easy. One of those inline six
"tower of power" motors. They ones to the West has a plywood homebuilt
with a 35 hp Johnston, that dates to when that was the biggest motor.
Merc came out with a forty and the hp race was on. The auto makers
were having a hp race at that time. The fifties when everything had to
be bigger and better. I remember when about one boat in fifty had a
battery. Three inboards, one of which was the cop, on the biggest lake
in Iowa. Most motors were 5 1/2, 6, or 7 1/2. I remember when all the
outboards were too small to pull a skier well. The biggest was a 25,
and Kirk weighed 200. All the fifties and sixties boats and motors are
still around. Motors don't wear out 14 weekends a year. You can fish
all day every day and run the motor less than 3 hours a week. I may
put two good sized trolling motors on my boat, with two tillers and a
tie bar like sailing scows, and never run the engine at all. 5 mph is
a good speed for a cocktail cruise. Charge a couple of golf cart
batteries at the dock. They make a 2 hp electric outboard, 48 volt,
for three grand. Electric outboards start a 135 bucks. Must be
something suitable. One hp is about 60 amps at 12 volts.
Adjustable is passe for planes. Quite a few ships and most planes have
props not only variable, but governed to a constant RPM
On an trailered outboard or sterndrive changing pitch with a wrench in
a couple of minutes is all you need. That's all it takes to change a
prop. Maybe ten if you have help. Someone came out with a two speed
gearbox for inboards. Have your holeshot and top end both.
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