Flexofold blade balancing

[Miju73]

Good day all,

During uphaul thus year, I decided to remove and clean the blades of my sailboat.

The propeller is three blade folding flexofold.

I shot a photo before disassembling to help rebuild the next spring and thought that's all neeed but heard later from the yard owner that there might be differences between blade weights and thus they should be installed in exactly same order as they were.

Is this really the case? He claimed Volvo is notorious for this and has the blades numbered 1-3. However, I've previously owned a volvo saildrive and never cared about the order and never had any problem with rattle or vibration.

Anyone have any idea what is the case with flexofold? Below photos before disassembling and the blades with identical numbers in them.

... Seems I cannot attach photos

 

[RichardS]

I have a two blade flexofold and it arrived in separate pieces in a box. There is no rule about which blade goes where and no relevant markings on the blades so it all sounds like nonsense to me.

Richard

 

[Quandary]

I recall that the Volvo Penta three blade did have numbers on the blades but our current Flexofold does not and I am not aware of anything in the fitting instructions regarding which blade goes where, so randomly fitted for three seasons now without any obvious imbalance.
If not convinced, speak to Darglow they are very helpful.

 

[earlybird]

For a 2 or 3 blader, balance will not be affected by order of assembly anyway. Only for 4 or more blades could balance be affected by mis-matched blades.
This assumes the hub is in balance.

 

[richardbrennan]

I can confirm that on the Volvo three blade folder, both the blades and slots are numbered and the manual instructs that the blades should be fitted in the corresponding slots in the hub. I have always done this, I see no reason not to, but how critical it is I do not know. If Flexifold don't mention this, I would not have thought it important.

 

[Malo37]

Not true. Flexofold blades are identical.