Hello all.
I recently bought a new Beta Marine 35 saildrive engine.
i am now in need of a new propeller.
I have a 43ft 'Gitana 43 ' sailboat.
There seem as many propellers as there are opinions on propellers.
However I am seeking your opinions now!
questions, 2 or 3 blade
fixed or folding (almost certainly folding)
supplier?
Type/pitch?
Thoughts on how to come up with the answers to the above questions also very welcome!
Many thanks in advance to you all.
Fair winds.
James
edited by 0 on 26/05/2017

Hi Janice,
We were sorry not to cross paths in Iceland as we heard you were about. Greenland introduced us to lots of ice, but (probably luckily) none found its way to the prop and we are now in Canada.
I suspect a fixed prop is wise, especially the NW passage as that is all/mostly motoring.
A couple of comments though:
For everyday life a Max prop is astoundingly robust. I caught a fish pot between blade and hull at cruising speed which stopped the prop cold and also stopped the engine. The blade was buried hard into the float and needed effort to extricate, but the prop looked fine as far as I could see underwater. I then worried that it would have been knocked out of balance. It was fine. I was surprised and impressed.
New style (years old now) Max props are easily pitch adjustable underwater.
As to the Max prop being damaged by cavitation because it is over-pitched, I am not so sure. I over pitch a bit more than slightly and have for years and have suffered no cavitation problems.. Could you, perhaps, have been motor-sailing? Cavitation can occur (I believe) when boat speed produced by the sails exceeds the speed generated by the prop. The prop then has no “grip” on the water and bad things unfold.
BTW, what type/model etc. prop puller did you use to get your prop off? This can be a difficult task on shore, let alone underwater: good on you.
My best, Dick Stevenson, s/v Alchemy