Autoprop ?

[dkall]

Three blade

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by dkall

I do feel they overproped me. I have an 1/14" shaft and the prop they said was best was 21". I believe that is above the ABYC recommended standard.

What kind of boat are we talking about? A 21" prop is quite large and it seems that a boat big enough to need one would have more than a 1.25" diameter prop shaft.

[smm]

Endless Summer has Autoprops and after about 30,000 miles, I'm quite satisfied. While I can't speak to the relative performance they've worked fine for me. I do think that a feathering prop such as Maxprop is going to be a big more efficient, but not needing to adjust pitch is worth a bit. Also, I've heard too many lost prop stories regarding Maxprop (Profligate here in SF twice) to be sanguine about them. Performance in seaway is fine.

Just had the bearings repacked and the prop guy said that corrosion of the ss ball bearings can be a problem if you don't use the boat for long periods of time.

-Scott

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by smm

Also, I've heard too many lost prop stories regarding Maxprop (Profligate here in SF twice) to be sanguine about them.

They have been known to throw the ocassional blade as well. I have personally seen this on several different boats.

[Alan Wheeler]

dkall, we need a hell of a lot more info. Boat specs, engine specs, gearbox ratio.
What prop diamensions were originaly on the boat? The diameter should not have increased and doing so needs to be doen with extreme caution due to proper clareance. Or shock waves can result. Not saying this is happening in your case, but it can play out exactly as the fault you are describing.

[Talbot]

Wheels,

is there an acknowledged minimum required clearance between edge of prop and hull?

[Yachts66]

I believe the clearance is supposed to be 20% of the dia of the prop or there a bouts. Someone please correct me on this if I screwed it up.

Thanks,

TJ

[Alan Wheeler]

I have copied this from a post made by Delmarrey. It shows all the minimum measurments. Hope this is helpful.

[MissTeak]

I'm very interested in this discussion in that I'm reseaching a replacement prop. The Autoprop has been highly recommended by a couple of friends w/good experience. I'd very much like to hear the end of the story from dkall or others who have this prop.

[Alan Wheeler]

Interesting you say that, I too was wondering where the update was at. Dave!!! you got any further on it yet??

[dkall]

Update is that it is still I hope being figured out by Autoprop. I forwarded my email from a sistership that has a 20' Autoprop that they were happy with it but didn't have the # off the prop that was handy. The sistership owner said that he had sent the number earlier to Autoprop needing a new zinc. As I said I forwarded this information to Autoprop and have not heard from them yet. I thought I had sent this before Christmas but couldn't find it in my sent file so just last week I sent it again.

I'm a little concerned but as yet not ready to rant and rave. In their borchure they state " if not satisfied we will work with you to obtain your satisfaction". Haven't gotten there yet.

Further it states " Designed for your boat and each prop is specifically engineered for the boat it goes one". I'm starting to wonder if that is correct. They only seemed to care about two things when I was purchasing the prop, wheather it would swing and the size engine I had. I sent them the form indicating that I had a 1 1/4" shaft with a 1:1.91 reduction gear and in one of my last emails they tried to tell me they shaft was too small. If that's the case it's funny they would build a prop for it. The two sisterships that have one have the same shaft and engine and the one I've been able to be in contact with has the 20" prop.

So the saga isn't yet resolved but it is still continuing. I will let this board know when it reaches the final conclusion. I do think I'll be satisfied but I'm surprised they're not more responsive. I'm trying to do most by email so I'll have a written record of everything should I need it.

[Alan Wheeler]

Wow!, sorry to hear of the very slow response from them Dave. I also thank-you that you have not ranted abgout them. Although I think they desrve it, I think you are creating more clout by not ranting. I will also try emailing them and suggest the get onto the situation seeing as it would be in their best interest to do so.

[dkall]

Well I'm still in Autoprop limbo. I wasn't getting any response from Geoff so I had an email address for one of the engineers across the pond and then Geoff emailed me back. He indicated he was on the boat show circut and wasn't getting his email.

His response was that he couldn't find the owner anywhere in his files indicating that he looked in the US. I had sent the owners name and address, he is in Canada and informed him that he wouldn't show in a search for him in the US that he was Canadian.

In the same email he had also said that he didn't have the length of the shaft from the coupling to the shaft log. I had sent him that information Nov 20th of 2006 and it was 46". I sent him that information again.

It is sad to see that this is dragging out so long. The Autoprop is the most expensive prop out there and getting satisfaction from them in terms of a working prop is seemingly quite difficult. Lexus seems to treat their customers as important and wanting them to be satisified. Autoprop seems to me to want me to find the details on a prop that works on a boat with the exact same drive train as mine. It seems to me that it should, and I know I'm using the word should here, be their responsibility to chase this information down. There brochure states that "they will work with the purchaser until they're satisfied". Hopefully they're still working and not trying to stonewall.

Additionally, while I don't mind sending them the length of the propellor shaft, I would think that if this is significant, then in their prop suggestion guide then they would inlude the needed information on one of their worksheets.

[Alan Wheeler]

Dave, I have sent an Email directly to Adrian Miles of Brunton propellers in England. They are the manufacturer of the prop. I hope Mr Miles will reply directly reply here, or reply via a return Email, or ask for your contact details to contact you directly.
Lets hope.

[dkall]

Thanks Alan,
Hope so too.

-Dave