Gori v flex-o-fold

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Ruthie

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Dear all,

My current 2 blade 15x11.5 fixed prop is suffering nicely from dezincification. And it provides spectacular prop-walk in astern, and lots of drag when sailing. Time for a change!

So I've been comparing feathering & folding props - especially Maxprop, Autoprop, Flex-O-Fold & Gori.

I've decided - initially for cost reasons, but increasingly because I think I prefer their characteristics - to go for a two-blade folder.

Can anyone tell me if there's anything realy to choose between the Gori prop & flex-o-fold? Currently I'm thinking Gori, because I like the way the blades rotate to present the designed leading edge in both forward and reverse. But is there a downside???

Thanks - Ruthie
 
mmmmm. Thanks for the suggestion, but I' pretty much fixed on the folding fellows. Darglow has quoted me £653 inc VAT for a f-o-f. I'm waiting for a price on a Gori. But both a lot cheaper than the Kiwi...
 
Aah, but you are not comparing Stoats with Otters.
You are talking 2 blade folding things what dont work in reverse, and pitiful performance anyway, whereas the 3 blade feathering eliminates propwalk, will have the stern wave up over the transom in reverse, and will whizz along at hull speed in anything, rather than in a flat calm.

Kiwiprop.jpg


Its worth the extra, promise.
 
How about a three blade folder? Our three blader, fitted new this season, has an absurd amount of thrust and no problems stopping the boat.
 
Can't afford it! Looking at this old Lake sterngear catalogue, I see that the Gori 2 blade 15 x 12 is £480 + VAT whereas a 15" 3 blader is £1250 + VAT - yikes.

I'd rather have the 2-blade and suffer slightly poorer motoring performance (and slightly better under sail, maybe) and save the £600 for a new genoa...
 
Another vote for the Kiwi: excellent performance under power, huge improvement under sail, extremely easy set-up and absolutely wonderful pre- and post- sale support.
No connection: just a happy customer.
 
There was an excellent comparison done by students at (I think MIT) where they compared folding props against a fixed prop of roughly the same sizes.

I have it some where as a .pdf - PM me with your e-mail and I'll fire a copy off.

It is very informative.

Regards

Donald
 
I fitted a pair of Gori props three years ago to replace two fixed blade props,16.5x13s. Sailing speed went up by about 3/4 knott. Very noticable. Power in astern is fine as the blades are thick and heavy and therefiore centrefugal force does help considerably over light ones with lighter blades. You do need to use as bit more power to help'throw' them out. Very pleased overall.
 
Have had difficulties with Gori's corroding, having fitted a Kiwiprop I can say that the performance is good under power and we havn't had a trace of corrossion
 
Hmmm - I just found some of the earlier posts on the subject. NAB ought not to suffer so badly from electrolytic corrosion (in comparison with manganese bronze, for example). Not so sure about the work-hardening issue though. Seems clear that good annual maintenance is advised - strip & clean hub; repack with grease, etc?
 
Another vote for the Kiwiprop, albeit it's early days yet. I'm definitely sailing faster* than I was with my 2 blade fixed, reverse is noticeably more powerful, forward pitch is finer, so better low speed control and it should be better against head winds & waves (but haven't tried that yet).

*This is based on a very recent cruise in company. The relative performance gain since last year (old prop) was clear. (Now that should start a few comments if this is spotted by certain parties...) /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
...You are talking 2 blade folding things what dont work in reverse, and pitiful performance anyway...

[/ QUOTE ]
I have Flex-o-folds on my boat and I have to say your observation is inaccurate. I can make 11 knots (6 tons, 56 hp) and stop in less than the boat's length from that speed

The early folding props which were little more than a couple of hinged flat plates certainly weren't up to much but the modern ones have properly profiled blades, well weighted so they throw open easily in reverse and geared together so they open in synch.
 
<<I have Flex-o-folds on my boat and I have to say your observation is inaccurate.>>

I therefore retract my inaccuracy and apologise for any inference. The Kiwiprop still has more chuffed people on this thread though.....
 
Hmmm. I'm sure that the Kiwi prop is lovely. But I was trying to make a choice between the various two-bladed folding props on the market.

So far, I like the look of both the Gori and the Flex-O-Fold. Being made of NAB I won't have the dezincification problems of my old manganese bronze prop. There seems, however, to be a slight issue with worki-hardening of the teeth. And some folk seem to have had wear problems. I am assuming that can be managed through good regular maintenance. And FullCircle has commented on corrosion, although the cause seems not to be known?

Otherwise, there are several Gori & Flex-O-Fold owners who seem happy. Sounds like there's not a whole lot to choose between them, then?
 
Pardon me, FullCircle! 'twas SavageSeaDog that said it.

Thanks for the link - interesting. I can't help feeling that there must have been an electrical problem... NAB is quite close to S/S in the galvanic series. So can't see why he would have needed an anode at all. And if his boat was steel (I didn't check!) then it would have protected the propeller.

Still - it's the first direct comparison between Gori and Fle-O-Fold that I've seen...
 
[ QUOTE ]
<<I have Flex-o-folds on my boat and I have to say your observation is inaccurate.>>

I therefore retract my inaccuracy and apologise for any inference. The Kiwiprop still has more chuffed people on this thread though.....

[/ QUOTE ]

Here's another vote for the 3 blade flexofold. Its so simple, nothing to go wrong and works faultlessly
I have had them on two different boats, huge thrust forward and astern.
gets my vote every time, I see no reason for a more complex expensive prop
 
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