Prop swap

[PabloPicasso]

Im in the process og buying a, new to me, boat.

Its a sailing boat with an md 2010 and 2bladed fixed prop

I would prefer a folding prop.

Getting lifted soon for survey, antifoul and anodes if needed. Is it reasnoble to ask the boatyard to supply and fit a folding prop as well if the survey is good?

What do people usually do? Any potential pitfalls with this approach?

 

[johnalison]

Excellent idea but I assume that you will be bearing the cost, though, come to think of it, you would have to be pretty sure that the purchase is going through.

 

[Tranona]

If it is a saildrive suggest a Flexofold and get your supplier work out the correct size. Change the anode at the same time.

 

[ridgy]

Obviously you need to wait until the boat has changed hands and the two main folding prop suppliers Darglows and Bruntons currently have 2 week lead times based on my recent conversations with them. You normally supply the boat details plus gear ratio to them.and then have a conversation about sizes and prop types and budget, folding Vs feathering etc.

I would definitely have those conversations myself with the yard being limited to taking old prop off and putting new one on. Buying a nice prop is like buying new sails...an expensive but informative pleasure. Good time to also think about a rope cutter if not present. My Darglows hydroaxe arrived just this afternoon.

I had an overpropped Bruntons varifold so I'm having new blades made but if I was buying from scratch I would go flexofold from Darglows as already suggested by Tranona.

 

[RivalRedwing]

Im in the process og buying a, new to me, boat.

Its a sailing boat with an md 2010 and 2bladed fixed prop

I would prefer a folding prop.

Getting lifted soon for survey, antifoul and anodes if needed. Is it reasnoble to ask the boatyard to supply and fit a folding prop as well if the survey is good?

What do people usually do? Any potential pitfalls with this approach?

the pitfall is that you are unlikely to have the written survey in your hands when the boat is out of the water and over that period you also do not own the boat. When I purchased a Featherstream from Darglow they asked me to send the old prop in to match the taper & key... more time. I would view this as a two step process... first secure ownership of the yacht then purchase and fit the propeller of your choice over the closed season

 

[doug748]

Im in the process og buying a, new to me, boat.

Its a sailing boat with an md 2010 and 2bladed fixed prop

I would prefer a folding prop.

Getting lifted soon for survey, antifoul and anodes if needed. Is it reasnoble to ask the boatyard to supply and fit a folding prop as well if the survey is good?

What do people usually do? Any potential pitfalls with this approach?

Obviously you can't have the work done before she changes hands, which may be several weeks. Any delay with the prop and you are then looking at a May launch or even later.

The biggest worry I would have is benchmarking the performance of the boat and I would much prefer to run it for a season and then upgrade. If there is any problem with a new prop it would be difficult to pin down - Is the noise, vibration stern weep normal for the boat or a problem with the new prop, is it the prop the engine or the new installation - you get the idea.

.

 

[PabloPicasso]

Yes, all makes sense.

Get to know how rhe boat is with existing setup before changing anything.

Easier to complete transactions this way.

Easier on the pocket too

Until next year of course. Assuming it all goes tgrough ok.