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Old 07-08-2021, 06:13 AM
bcbristoll bcbristoll is offline
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Propeller sizing issues

I have an old 31' Columbia with an atomic4 . It has an 11" dia. 2 blade prop the pitich I haven't quite figured out (but I'm working on). The boat idles at ~800-1000 rpm. I have been told that the transmission is 1:1 so I'm guessing the prop at idle speed is turning 800-1000 times/minute. The problem with this is that at idle speed the boat travels at ~5 knots and let me tell you how much fun that is pulling into my slip!! What I do is sort of ride the clutch so to speak moving from forward to reverse. I didn't put the boat in last year and this year when I put it in, it was stuck in forward gear.....Pulling the transmission cover and spraying wd40(sidebar: I want to meet the engineer who put this engine in this boat as I had to put a towel over the engine and climb over it) Working the lever back and forth freed the gear. I don't think my strategy of forward and reverse is the best solution to happy sailing. Anyway any ideas on sizing a proper propeller so that I actually have an idle speed.
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