Bought a Hyralign Prop. for I-37, Looking for Comments from Owners with this Prop.

[HighFly_27]

Hello All,

I've spent several hours of research on the different propellers that were -- variable pitch, feathering, etc. and cost. I bought a - Hydralign, Model A, 14 inch., fits 1 inch SAE shaft. The Hydralign was bought as a spare prop. and in new condition. The prop. does not come with install instructions or operation manual.

I will try to get this information from the two different vendors that sell this propeller in Australia.

Perhaps, one of the owners of the Hydralign Prop. could help me with this missing information ?!?

Original Request:

What have the Owner's of the Hydralign Prop. Experienced with their Propeller, Regarding.... Good, Fair or Bad Performance/ Time in Service, How Long in Use .. Hours/ Years.

Thank You in Advance,

Avery

[Nineteen]

Hi Avery

I have a now 17" Senior that came with the boat ( Catalina 380). I have been very happy with the prop.

I recently pulled it and took it back to George at JBC Yacht Engineering (Manufacturer in Kirribilli NSW Australia) for a 'birthday' because it hadn't been back to them for 13 odd years!

George had taken over the buisness and as a legacy customer I wasnt sure what sort of support I would have? I needn't have worried, he was great! A really nice guy with a good customer focus in my experience.

George recommended an inspection and dropping the diameter down to the current 17" from 18" just to improve hull clearance and reduce inertia. He also suggested a new pitch setting for the pinion to compensate for the change in diameter. He also supplied the new style retaining nut. This was all completed quickly and at a very reasonable cost.

I went with Georges recommendations and now think the prop performs even better. It was always good but I did suffer from just a little cavitation. It has always transitioned from fwd to rev and smoothly and given correct revs but the drop to 17" was a good call. There is no cavitation now even when puching into waves. His calculations were spot on in my opinion.

It only had one issue in its nearly 15 years and broke a tooth after hitting something in its first year with the PO (From the propeller log book). It has only had annual lubes when the boat was lifted and only would have required a slight balance if we hadnt reduced the diameter. I only wish other equipment on the boat was as robust.... I use Propspeed and obviously replace the anode but no pitting at this stage.

I hope you have a great run with yours as well.

Cheers
Tom

[Nineteen]

Hi Avery
Sorry I forgot to add the photos after the service ( Before Propspeed).
Cheers
Tom

[HighFly_27]

Nineteen & All,

Wow, that's great, other than a prop. strike... you're doing A Ok with your Hydralign ? I thought the Hydralign was/ is a well built (tough) design and you gave me a testimonial of this fact. You stated, it goes from fwd. to rev. smoothly.

1. Does it have good thrust in reverse as well ?

2. I will email George at JBC Yacht and see if he will provide/ sell me a Operator Booklet & Instructions to Re-set the pitch for my Model A Hydralign. I sent out a inquiry to West by North, a 2nd vendor of the Hydralign but nothing yet.

3. I know I will need to change my pitch to 9 or 10 degree's. The prop. was bought & set up for a 22 HP engine on a Nor 'sea 27 sailboat at 10K hull weight. I have a Islander 37 MS with a 50 HP Perkins @ 14,900 hull weight.

I had my I-37 run by two different prop. vendors and was spec'd. @ 14 Dia., Pitch 09 or 10 degrees.

Closing, I expect to have my 14 in. Hydralign in my hand by Sat. or Monday. I have found a couple clips of it on YouTube. I want to service it with grease & install it on my I-37.

I have been in the track & balance business for 35 years on helicopters & airplanes. I want to check the current fixed -- 14 in. Dia., 3 blade prop. out for vibration levels @ 1,500, 2,200, 3,000 and 3,600 Engine RPM. I have a 1.5 to 1 ratio gearbox. My Prop. shaft speed should be -- 750 /(1500 Eng. RPM), 1,100 /(2,200) 1,500 /(3000) and 1800 /(3,600). I want to establish a data base on the current installed propeller. I may add weight to the present 3 blade prop. if it's too high in inches per second (IPS). The acceptable range for a aircraft prop. is around 1.0 IPS or less. I assume that a boat prop. is around the same value in IPS's, perhaps a little higher.

After I establish a fixed blade data base, I'll install the Hydralign Prop. I'm interested in seeing the Vibration Levels on the Hydralign. One must account for the newly greased hub and gave the prop. run time to distribute the grease internally inside the hub assembly. Also, the prop. shaft alignment, shaft bearings, output drive box, engine mounts have an influence on the overall vibration output.

Anyway, I'd plan on doing a vibration analysis for my I-37 and tweaking it down too a low value vibration output. Having a low level vibration level running propeller in a aircraft is a very good thing; it cuts down on -- prop. cracking/ failures, engine mount cracks and cowling cracks, etc. .

Thank You for Your Information on your Hydralign Propeller.

Avery

[Nineteen]

Hi Avery

Reverse is really good and the way the prop is setup actually gives you a finer pitch in reverse than forward. This as you would understand gives better acceleration due to the smaller blade angle. It also results in less prop walk for a given rpm. It still will give you some but it is controllable and usable. If Im game I can get up to 7kts astern with a firm grip on the wheel but I have only tried it once in flat water to see what she would do.

It also feathers well with me selecting reverse momentarily after stopping the engine. I then return the selecter to neutral ready for the next start.

I have a 3JH3 Yanmar and a 1.25" shaft and fitted a R&D flex coupling in place of the Kanzaki torque limiter. This also helped with transmitted noise up the P bracket from the engine via the shaft. The engine and prop are 4 hours short of 2000hrs at the moment and max engine revs are 3800 with 3600 max continuous. I usually cruise at 2500 and I think the transmission is around 2.6:1 in fwd which results in 6kts with a clean bottom.

I also am licenced to maintain both fixed wing and helicopters and to this to support my yachting habit!!

I think you will like talking to George - he is a talented tradesman.

http://www.hydralignprop.com/

Cheers
Tom

I

[HighFly_27]

Nineteen,

Tom, you have big smiles on this end regarding your knowledge of your Catalina 380. and the Prop. & Drive System. I get it now with your A & P Background on Airplanes & Helicopters.

I went to A & P school at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in 70 to 1973. I wanted to have my A & P and become a bush pilot in Alaska but never got there. I fell in love with a lady and made Pittsburgh my home. I was in the PA National Guard and went to Maint. Test Pilot (MTP) school in 1973 on Huey's and later OH-6's (Hughes 500's). Later, I went back on active duty and ended up in the Task Force 160th (Blackhawk Down Unit) as a MTP on Blackhawks (BH). I loved the BH and have a lot of time in it; along with Research & Development time with gee wiz stuff. I went from the TF 160th to C-12 (King Airs) and ended my 23 years in the Army flying C-12's and a maint. test pilot on them.

After retirement, I bought my own track & balance equipment and started my own business, specializing in track & balance. If it spins, I'll balance it. Some aircraft can be a challenge, attention to the smallest detail is important in the track & balance business.

Takes One to Know One,

Cheers,


Avery

[Nineteen]

Originally Posted by HighFly_27

Nineteen,

Tom, you have big smiles on this end regarding your knowledge of your Catalina 380. and the Prop. & Drive System. I get it now with your A & P Background on Airplanes & Helicopters.

I went to A & P school at Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics in 70 to 1973. I wanted to have my A & P and become a bush pilot in Alaska but never got there. I fell in love with a lady and made Pittsburgh my home. I was in the PA National Guard and went to Maint. Test Pilot (MTP) school in 1973 on Huey's and later OH-6's (Hughes 500's). Later, I went back on active duty and ended up in the Task Force 160th (Blackhawk Down Unit) as a MTP on Blackhawks (BH). I loved the BH and have a lot of time in it; along with Research & Development time with gee wiz stuff. I went from the TF 160th to C-12 (King Airs) and ended my 23 years in the Army flying C-12's and a maint. test pilot on them.

After retirement, I bought my own track & balance equipment and started my own business, specializing in track & balance. If it spins, I'll balance it. Some aircraft can be a challenge, attention to the smallest detail is important in the track & balance business.

Takes One to Know One,

Cheers,


Avery

Hi Avery
I am about 10 years behind you.

I was learning to fly after my first apprenticship as a fitter/machinist(no aviation jobs available after school at the time) and got offered a second apprenticship.

Mostly GA with some warbirds Mig 15, T28 and T6s and DC3 was the heavy metal. I then went to the Solomon Islands and worked on 500S Commanders and B206 and we has a Hughes 500C that was my favourite.

I also worked on Metros, MU2s and Augusta 109s back in OZ and an L39 for fun.

These days I am airline line maintenance working on Dash8 and Q400s mechaniacal and avionics. Keeps me entertained for sure.

Please keep me posted on how you go.

Cheers
Tom