Prop shaft Freewheels while sailing and transmission in Reverse

[drchpeteros]

I've read on numerous occasions that if the transmission is placed in reverse while sailing my AUTOPROP should feather and of course reduce drag.  BUT...it freewheels, it doesn't lock.  The tranny works just fine F and R and it is very difficult to rotate the shaft by hand when in R or in F.  In fact it can only be rotated by hand by grabbing the prop (boat on the hard) and using considerable force.

Is it a faulty AUTOPROP?  (It's awesome under power) 

Is there any such simple device I can attach to the shaft inside the boat to stop the freewheeling?

[Stu Jackson]

Assume you've seen this: http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq-transmission-position-sailing.html

[Tom Soko]

Chris,
The directions SHOULD say to shift into reverse with all props EXCEPT the Autoprop.  For fixed, folding, and feathering props, shift to reverse.  For the Autoprop, because of its unique design, you should shift into FORWARD to stop freewheeling.  The Autoprop makes sailing petty easy.  When I shut down the engine, I leave it in forward.  When I go to start the engine again, I don't bother shifting, as it's already in forward.  Kind of counter-intuitive, but that's what the people at Autoprop say, and it's worked for me for the past 5 years.

[Ron Hill]

Chris : The placards that are on our web site are for a fixed prop(as I said).  
I think that you have an Auto prop question as well as maybe an Auto prop problem??  Although it would seem that when the transmission is locked in reverse that the prop should nearly "feather".  The Auto prop has fixed curved blades and may not "feather"as such, but should be left in neutral for the least drag component!!  A question for Auto prop!!
Let us know what their answer is.  

[drchpeteros]

In response to Julandras post:

Isn't putting the tranny in F while sailing supposed to be bad for it?  Thats what the manual states, and it's what I've always avoided.  I kept in N with the fixed prop.

See:     http://www.c34.org/faq-pages/faq-transmission-position-sailing.html

Does your shaft stay still while in F and sailing?  I suppose if it does (feather and stop freewheeling) there's no damage being done to the gears as it would with a freewheeling fixed prop. 

Any input?

And Ron I will check with the Autoprop people, I just don't want to take their advice for optimal Autoprop performance at teh expense of my ransmission.

Chris

[Ron Hill]

Chris : If you have any doubt and the shaft turns when in reverse?, sail with the transmission in neutral. I don't know the dynamics of the Auto Prop, but freewheeling won't hurt the transmission.  You might put alittle more wear on the cutless, but better be safe than sorry.  See what Auto Prop guys say.  You might even ask Hurth!   

[Ray & Sandy Erps]

Hello Chris,

We recently switched to a boat with a Maxi-prop.  The propellor is supposed to feather so you can leave the transmission in neutral.  Well we went for a sail last week in a nice breeze.  We were really scooting along when I put it in nuetral and shut the engine off.  I could hear a noise in the drive train and went down below and found the propellor shaft still spinning.  I pushed my foot against the shaft just to see how much torque there was and I wasn't able to stop it.  I put the tranmission in forward, still spun.  I ended up putting it in reverse to stop the transmission and wondered what the heck was going on.  When I got back home, I went to the maxi prop website to find out how to feather the propellor.  The instructions for the maxiprop were to throttle back a bit while the engine is still in forward and then shut off the engine and then put it in nuetral.  I haven't tried this yet, but I think things were spinning so fast while sailing at 7 knots that the maxi-prop wasn't able to feather and I expect you're having the same kind of problem.  Hope this helps.

Ray and Sandy Erps
Fraser 41 "Nikko"

[Ron Hill]

Guys : The Auto prop has a tapered, twisted blade.  The Max prop has a flat paddle blade.  Quite different!!!

[rirvine]

I have a Max-prop on my C34. I have had good success with the following process:

A. Get the boat up to around 5 knots under motor.
B. Throttle back, shift to neutral, and turn the engine off.  Because the prop can turn freely while in neutral, the Max prop will not completely feather – at least mine will not.
C. Shift to reverse stops the prop from turning and the water flow forces the Max Prop to feather.
D. Shift to neutral and check that the prop shaft is not turning – prop has feathered successfully.
E. If the prop shaft turns in neutral, repeat from #A.  Never had to repeat the process.
F. If the prop shaft does not turn, shift back to reverse.  The Max Prop will stay feathered.

If I do not leave the gearbox in reverse, the Max prop has un-feathered itself.

Ray