Volvo Saildrive prop

Only comment I can make is that my flexofold 3 bladder is great. Little drag when sailing and performs well at sea and when mooring up - both forward and reverse. Only downside is the investment required .
 
richardbrennan said:
I have had a Volvo three blade folding prop for the better part of ten years. It is showing no particular signs of wear and gives good thrust in both ahead and astern, and I reckon it gives a good half knot extra boat speed in lighter winds. However, I would endorse the comments about the anodes; I am in Portsmouth Harbour (Haslar Marina) and they need changing at least once mid season. I don't find this a particular problem as I have the boat lifted for a scrub in any case, usually on the Haslar Boat Lift, and, as has been said, it's a very quick and easy job. When I bought it, it was fairly competitively priced, about half the cost of a Brunton Autoprop, the one feature it does not have is the "overdrive" facility when motor sailing.
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My 3 bladed prop ate anodes at the same rate but despite having new ones fitted at the begining of the year and during the mid season scrub the teeth failed after seven and half years of reasonably hard usage necessitating the prop being replaced at a non trivial cost.

Rather depressingly it's replacement attracted adverse comments when the boat was surveyed last month.

However others here report no such issues.
 
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Stork_III said:
My 3 blade cost me £825. What are better for the same cost?
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Think you will find the current retail price of a 2 blade is higher than that and a 3 blade over £1200. For that money you can get a FlexoFold that does not suffer the high anode wear and potential corrosion problems described by Little Grebe. For a bit more you could get a 3 blade feathering Featherstream if you fancy.
 
Tranona said:
Suspect Volvo did not want their prop compared to others. It is not a particularly good bit if kit. Poorly made, gobbles anodes and some who have them complain of poor performance. The FlexoFold you are looking at is far superior, although perhaps not quite as good performance as a 3 blade.
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I had a Volvo folding 2 blade on a new Dufour 36 in 1999. It was replaced twice under warrantee as two failed within 12 months. It was a charter boat and approx. 500hrs per yr. After paying for lift out and prop shaft bearing to also be replaced Volvo encouraged me to accept a full refund and buy another make of propeller. It was hinted that they would be marketing a more robust model at some time in the future.

One prop failed through the a blade tooth shearing so both blades did not through out evenly causing serious vibrations and the second one failed through excessive spline wear.

My understaning is that these VP branded props were manufacture by Radice. IMHO the problems were caused by the segmental prop anode corroding and braking at the SS screw fixing after a very short period (poss as little as 3 months?) resulting in de-zincification in the case of the missing tooth (possibly assisted by a poor casting). The failure of the second one was the Prop inner spline material being too soft.

When considering any boat purchase I always recommend talking to a charter company as the heavier use reveals any weakness earlier than normal use.

After problems on 2 VP Saildrives with two Volvo props, Volvo engine seizing at 521hrs (13month old - outside warrantee - charter use) and the a clutch failing I insisted on only yanmar parts for my third boat and hence bought a Jeanneau. Can't win though as discovered prop shaft seal was Volvo!! I have replaced it once in 10yrs so OK in my book!

I am unaware of whether the latest VP 2 blade folding prop has improved as my problems were some 15yrs ago.
 
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My VP 3 blade folder has succumbed to corrosion despite careful atttention to the saildrive anode. My prop has only one shaft anode at the forward end of the hub. It does not have the segmental anodes at the aft end. I estimate that is 15 years in service, I have owned it for 10.
Not sure how much to spend as the engine/saildrive are 31 years old. Cheapest new engine option appears to be a Beta fitted to the existing VP saildrive. However that looks like having opposite prop rotation to the current setup.
Interested to hear from anyone who switched from 3 blade folder to a 2 blade fixed or Radice 2 blade folding as regards sailing and motoring performance.
 
Real backward step to fit a cheap Radice folder. Better to fit a standard fixed prop. FlexoFold 2 blade is most economical replacement and won,t corrode.

Not a particularly good idea to fit a new engine to an old drive. Replacements for the old drive are no longer available and a new drive is over £4k. Best replacement is a new Volvo complete with new drive. You will get a good part exchange and will maintain the value of your boat.
 
Tranona, thanks for your reply. Fixed is cheapest but I do some club racing so I am slow (!) to fit one.
The Radice is indeed cheaper but may suffice for as long as my engine lasts.
I am seriously thinking of converting to shaft drive when the saildrive packs up.
My boat type was built with both options and I dont see any great technical obstacle.
The parts are not expensive, widely available and I can do most of the work myself.
Saildrive is fine but costly both initially and over lifecycle.
 
Slowtack said:
Tranona, thanks for your reply. Fixed is cheapest but I do some club racing so I am slow (!) to fit one.
The Radice is indeed cheaper but may suffice for as long as my engine lasts.
I am seriously thinking of converting to shaft drive when the saildrive packs up.
My boat type was built with both options and I dont see any great technical obstacle.
The parts are not expensive, widely available and I can do most of the work myself.
Saildrive is fine but costly both initially and over lifecycle.
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Don't know your boat but would be surprised if retrofitting a shaft drive is cheaper using new parts once you have cut out old beds, built new, installed a stern tube probably a P bracket with the necessary internal structural support, new seal shaft and prop. Best to do the detail sums first before going down that route.

The FlexoFold 2 blade is less than £200 more than the Radice and money well spent. Fixed prop will alter your handicap so may not have much effect on your standing.
 
Yes, I have considered those aspects and need to do a detailed spreadsheet but main cost items appear significantly less than the differential between straight shaft engine and a replacement saildrive plus engine. The lifecycle cost aspect is also significant. Will look at the flexofold. Many thanks.
 
Slowtack said:
My VP 3 blade folder has succumbed to corrosion despite careful atttention to the saildrive anode. My prop has only one shaft anode at the forward end of the hub. It does not have the segmental anodes at the aft end. I estimate that is 15 years in service, I have owned it for 10.
Not sure how much to spend as the engine/saildrive are 31 years old. Cheapest new engine option appears to be a Beta fitted to the existing VP saildrive. However that looks like having opposite prop rotation to the current setup.
Interested to hear from anyone who switched from 3 blade folder to a 2 blade fixed or Radice 2 blade folding as regards sailing and motoring performance.
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I have some blades for a 3 blade VP Folding prop which might help in the short term - PM sent.
 
Slowtack said:
Yes, I have considered those aspects and need to do a detailed spreadsheet but main cost items appear significantly less than the differential between straight shaft engine and a replacement saildrive plus engine. The lifecycle cost aspect is also significant. Will look at the flexofold. Many thanks.
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Without wishing to prolong the discussion, suggest you get a quote for a Volvo package. You might be surprised
 
I think that it's worth checking if the s drive will run either way I believe that volvo s own wilt as this is is how the cope with twin screw
 
West Coast - Many thanks, gout your messsage and just replied. Much obliged
Tranona - VP quote is not far short of €10k, installation not included
 
Replaced my fixed two blade on my 19 HP 120 VP sail drive four years ago with a two blade Bruntons Varifold. About 1 knot faster under sail, 3/4 knot both ways under engine, a bit slower getting way going from forward to astern and back. I am very pleased except for price or anodes, can't see why they are so expensive.
 
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