variable pitch props

Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic

   has anyone had an experience with a variable pitch prop? i was going to borrow this prop over the weekend and see what it would do, it was on a merc alpha and looks to be made in Austrailia, it did say Aerostar Power Pitch on it....it looks pricey.... Ive heard of them but never heard much about the ups and downs, i could see though you could adjust the spring presssure easily to change the pitch

Author	Message Topic Search Topic Options Post Reply Create New Topic Printable Version Translate Topic
eric lavine Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Grand Poobah Joined: August-13-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13413	Post Options Post Reply Quote eric lavine Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Topic: variable pitch props Posted: August-30-2008 at 10:48am
	has anyone had an experience with a variable pitch prop? i was going to borrow this prop over the weekend and see what it would do, it was on a merc alpha and looks to be made in Austrailia, it did say Aerostar Power Pitch on it....it looks pricey.... Ive heard of them but never heard much about the ups and downs, i could see though you could adjust the spring presssure easily to change the pitch
	"the things you own will start to own you"

MarineTech Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Groupie Joined: April-07-2008 Location: Kentucky Lakes Status: Offline Points: 61	Post Options Post Reply Quote MarineTech Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-02-2008 at 2:41am
	Eric, Back in the early eighties Land-and-Sea, out of NH? or one of those Northern states sold a variable pitch prop which was ordered and tried on one of our friends OMC engined ski boats. It had great acceleration and better top end after some adjusting but it had a problem with one blade locking in the low pitch when the others varied......can you say Vibration? Needless to say, all of us scrapped the idea of buying one. Maybe they've gotten better but I see on their site that they no longer carry them. Hope this helps.
	Projects Luchog wrote: "Anyway, you're full of s79t"

8122pbrainard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045	Post Options Post Reply Quote 8122pbrainard Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-02-2008 at 8:49am
	I'd like to theorize why they never caught on. Besides the high manufacturing costs, from a engineering standpoint a vari pitch prop requires a large hub area to handle the mechanics of blade adjustment. I don't feel this lends itself to a efficient prop. There also needs to be bolt heads in counterbores which also doesn't do much for even water flow over the prop.
	54 Atom 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete <

eric lavine Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Grand Poobah Joined: August-13-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13413	Post Options Post Reply Quote eric lavine Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-02-2008 at 9:55am
	good idea i guess, i think with a little more attention they could be onto something
	"the things you own will start to own you"

75 stang Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Senior Member Joined: August-11-2008 Location: northwest ohio Status: Offline Points: 475	Post Options Post Reply Quote 75 stang Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-02-2008 at 4:36pm
	I talked to a guy over the weekend that had one a few years back. He loved it, sold it with the boat it was on. $800 from what he remembered. I believe it was on an IO setup that already had a larger hub. Thats as much as I have heard about them.

eric lavine Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Grand Poobah Joined: August-13-2006 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 13413	Post Options Post Reply Quote eric lavine Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-02-2008 at 4:48pm
	the hub is the same diameter as the bottem of the drive, all the bolts are tapered and countersunk. looks pretty practical once you get it dialed in....believe it or not it is on a Four Winns tank and the back of the boat has 2 ski eyes and the words decaled on the transom 'barefoot'
	"the things you own will start to own you"

behindpropeller Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Platinum Member Joined: July-31-2006 Status: Offline Points: 1810	Post Options Post Reply Quote behindpropeller Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-09-2008 at 9:42pm
	I have one in my basement....actually I think I have two. Getting tired of moving it.. Pete- are they worth anything?? Tim


8122pbrainard Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Grand Poobah Joined: September-14-2006 Location: Three Lakes Wi. Status: Offline Points: 41045	Post Options Post Reply Quote 8122pbrainard Report Post Thanks(0) Quote Reply Posted: September-10-2008 at 9:58am
	Tim, Put them on ebay and see what happens! The last one I saw was at a ACBS chapter sell and swap meet. I know he didn't sell it so going on that, I'd say they aren't worth much. With todays high cost of scrap metal, you may get more at the scrap yard?? They are the vari pitch and not the sail boat folding type correct?
	54 Atom 77 Tique 64 X55 Dunphy Keep it original, Pete <

variable pitch props

About CCF

Donate

Partners

Contact