Keeping Transmission in Gear while not under power?

[Chuck.Philips]

A friend told me that he kept the transmission in gear when he turned his motor off because he was told his 34 would sail better with motor in gear rather than in neutral.  Any thoughts?

[Fred Koehlmann]

That's news to me, but maybe I've been doing it wrong all these years.
Every boat that we've had or that I've sailed on, always put the engine in neutral when sailing without the engine on. In may ways, when I turn the engine on again I don't want it to be accidentally in gear.

[Ron Hill]

Chuck : If you sail with the transmission in neutral you'll have less drag from a turning prop, but added wear on the cutless bearing.  

Hurth stipulates NOT to leave the transmission in FWD while sailing.
 
You can leave the transmission in reverse while sailing like most of us do.  The racers however, leave theirs in neutral for that little bit more speed!!

A few thoughts

[Ron Volk]

Chuck,

I had a 2 blade folding prop on my 30 and have a 3 blade folding on my 34.  I have always shifted into reverse to lock the shaft after turning the engine off.

[Kevin Henderson]

WOW!! I thought the correct thing to do was to put the transmission into neutral.  I've been doing that all along.  If however, the better alternative is to put the transmission into reverse as in what Ron says.  That's' what I'll be doing from now on.  I'm not that big into racing.   

[Jim Hardesty]

I like neutral.  After a long day of sailing, I may forget to go to neutral to start the engine.  I know some transmissions are to be set in reverse while sailing or extra wear may happen.  I have a feathering prop, transmission in reverse for a while to set the prop, then into neutral.
Jim

[Andrew Harvey]

The new ( finally) Beta manual states that the transmission must be put in reverse for sailing to avoid excessive wear.

[patrice]

Hi,

Best to check YOUR manual.
Some manufacturer will mention to put in reverse, and some to leave in neutral.
Better to go with the recommendation of manufacturer.

In my manual it mention to leave in neutral.

[Mike and Joanne Stimmler]

Mine says reverse.

[Ron Hill]

Guys : On our web site (WiKi) I posted the big Red tag that Hurth sent with their transmission!!

It says the same thing as in you M25XP Owners Manual!  Take time to read it!!

[Stu Jackson]

A friend told me that he kept the transmission in gear...

There are two gears.  Which one?

Here's what Ron keeps reminding skippers about:

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=The_Right_Transmission_Gear_for_Sailing

[mregan]

Crap,
I've been in sailing in forward all summer thinking I'm doing the right thing by not being in neutral.

[Stu Jackson]

If you ever sell your boat, please take a moment to copy my previous link and leave it on the boat for the next skipper!

[Chuck.Philips]

Thanks for the input everyone.  On my sail to Catalina next week, I will certainly put the transmission in reverse.

Chuck

[Kevin Henderson]

Sometimes I feel like such a NOOB around here...
But I always seem to come away a bit more knowledgeable  

That being said I  guess one could surmise the following:

While under sail and the engine not running:

NEVER leave the transmission in FORWARD gear.

leaving the transmission in NEUTRAL is not exactly wrong but could be a cause of un-needed wear on the cutlass bearing.

Leaving the transmission in REVERSE is the most preferred option.

My education continues