Kiwi feathering prop owners...

[fredrussell]

...Do you find the prop feathers in neutral? If left in neutral mine doesn’t, the prop rotates until I knock it into reverse (engine off, obvs) The blades were checked recently and are greased up and free to rotate on their shafts, it’s a bit of a mystery really. Just wondering how other Kiwi prop owners find them?

 

[Norman_E]

I think most feathering props depend upon the shaft stopping its rotation. Try stopping the engine when still in gear, wait a few seconds for the prop to feather before putting the lever into the neutral position. If that does not feather the prop and the shaft starts turning again then the blades are not free enough. On my Maxprop you really need the boat to be making 4 knots to get it to feather, and you might need a ce4tain speed through the water to get the Kiwiprop to do so.

 

[ditchcrawler]

I was advised that to make feathering easier on the Kiwi to have it in reverse before the neutral when you stop.

 

[wully1]

I put the gearbox into reverse once I’ve stopped the engine - this is force of habit as I’ve never checked if it feathers otherwise...

 

[yotter]

I also put the gear lever in reverse, otherwise the prop spins. How do we know when it is feathered?

 

[wully1]

I also put the gear lever in reverse, otherwise the prop spins. How do we know when it is feathered?

Chuck the wife over the side to take a look?

 

[thalassa]

My Kiwi prop did the same, had to reverse the gear lever. Other problem was that when leaving my berth in reverse with the engine not fully warm, the 2GM20F would cut out. The Dutch dealer who sold me the Kiwi had asserted me it would be fine in a mud berth, but it wasn't . He took it back, lost 20% in the refund.

 

[fredrussell]

Cheers all, looks like popping it in reverse is not uncommon with these props. The manual states that with gearbox in neutral “normal operation will be for the prop to slowly slow down and then stop”. It might be that I haven’t been waiting long enough for this to occur.
The manual also says, however, that it’s no problem to put it in gear to prevent auto rotation, and that if this is done blades will be feathered.

 

[typhoonNige]

My Kiwiprop required reverse to be engaged permanently to prevent rotation until I fitted new blades last year. There is a tiny tab on the new blades which stops this happening.

 

[LorenzoC]

Hi to all, I'm thinking to buy a used kiwiprop. Is there differences from present revision?
Do you think it should fit well on my Elan 36 with a Yanmar 3gm30?

 

[Tranona]

That depends on what boat it came off as the diameter a\and pitch needs to be set for your boat/engine. If it is a saildrive then the hub will be OK as the splines are the same. If shaft drive then the hub has to have the same diameter and taper machined in.

There are better propellers available, but of course cost more money and rarely available used. Ask why the Kiwi is being sold used.

 

[LorenzoC]

That depends on what boat it came off as the diameter a\and pitch needs to be set for your boat/engine. If it is a saildrive then the hub will be OK as the splines are the same. If shaft drive then the hub has to have the same diameter and taper machined in.

There are better propellers available, but of course cost more money and rarely available used. Ask why the Kiwi is being sold used.

It's a shaft drive. I don't remember the diameter and the pitch of my 2 blade propeller.
I can find every type of used propeller: max prop, autoprop, flex o fold, kiwi, etc

 

[fredrussell]

It's a shaft drive. I don't remember the diameter and the pitch of my 2 blade propeller…

You need to know this info before purchasing a second hand (or new) propeller. Is your boat currently afloat? It would be worth contacting Kiwiprop. If you email them your boat and engine details they should be able to tell you which of their props would suit.

 

[Tranona]

It's a shaft drive. I don't remember the diameter and the pitch of my 2 blade propeller.
I can find every type of used propeller: max prop, autoprop, flex o fold, kiwi, etc

Yes, you can find propellers for sale, but they will be in a variety of sizes and machined to fit different shaft sizes, so finding one that is right for your boat may prove difficult. Running your boats details through Vicprop gives a suggested 2 blade 15*9 or 15*8 3 blade if you have the 2.2:1 reduction and 17*10 or 16*8 if you have the 2.6:1. Your shaft could be either 25 or 30mm if metric (which it probably is) or 1" or 1 1/4" if Imperial. These sizes are based on standard fixed blade propellers.

So when looking for a propeller you need to know exactly what size you need - and folding/feathering props are often different sizes from fixed because of the variations in blade size and design. No problem if buying new because the supplier will make it to suit your boat, but buying used is a gamble because of the large number of possible variations.

As suggested you can contact the original maker or distributor of any prop you are interested in to get their recommended size for your boat.

 

[johnphilip]

Chuck the wife over the side to take a look?

This humour went out with the end of Jim Davidson and the demise of similar comics. I do see a large residue of male chauvanism in yottie circles, how many here always take the helm to bring the yacht into a berth rather than let the spouse do it? Surely a better division of resources to let the stronger partner do the climbing off and rope pulling.

 

[fredrussell]

Yeah!! Get woke you lot!

 

[Biggles Wader]

Here endeth the lesson.

 

[wully1]

This humour went out with the end of Jim Davidson and the demise of similar comics. I do see a large residue of male chauvanism in yottie circles, how many here always take the helm to bring the yacht into a berth rather than let the spouse do it? Surely a better division of resources to let the stronger partner do the climbing off and rope pulling.

You know nothing johnphilip

 

[vic008]

Yes, you can find propellers for sale, but they will be in a variety of sizes and machined to fit different shaft sizes, so finding one that is right for your boat may prove difficult. Running your boats details through Vicprop gives a suggested 2 blade 15*9 or 15*8 3 blade if you have the 2.2:1 reduction and 17*10 or 16*8 if you have the 2.6:1. Your shaft could be either 25 or 30mm if metric (which it probably is) or 1" or 1 1/4" if Imperial. These sizes are based on standard fixed blade propellers.

So when looking for a propeller you need to know exactly what size you need - and folding/feathering props are often different sizes from fixed because of the variations in blade size and design. No problem if buying new because the supplier will make it to suit your boat, but buying used is a gamble because of the large number of possible variations.

As suggested you can contact the original maker or distributor of any prop you are interested in to get their recommended size for your boat.

Also 2 different tapers. Buying secondhand props is a real gamble unless you have the answers to these questions

 

[Tranona]

Also 2 different tapers. Buying secondhand props is a real gamble unless you have the answers to these questions

Exactly. Although metric shafts are usually 10:1 and imperial 12:1 you can get "mixed". Similarly keyways and keys are fairly standard but worth measuring. My boat has a 30mm shaft but a 25mm propeller because the hub of the prop will only go up to 25mm/1". Shaft has a step just in front of the taper machined to fit the prop precisely. The bigger than normal shaft was because of length and the type of flexible coupling I wanted to use. All properly documented for the benefit of future owners.