Sail with Tranny in Reverse or Neutral ?

[motion30]

I picked up a tranny in key west last year I tired to ger her err.. it off the boat but she would go neither forward or reverse, then she drank all my dam beer My suggestion dont let the tranny on the boat in key west

[Sailor g]

Originally Posted by rtbates

Your source?? Got a link????

We were in a seminar with a Yanmar dealer (Boasun's Locker-CA company) and they also said Yanmar recommends putting it in neutral while sailing. They also said it allows you to start the engine before putting it in gear- although we can start in reverse too. I'm sure you can find a source online or by calling them... But despite this  we do reverse for the noise. We are getting a folding prop soon so we won't have to worry!

[four winds]

Originally Posted by robertsapp

We have a Yanmar 3GM30F, and I'm not understanding the lubrication concern. I know the automatic transmission in my car can be damaged by improper towing due to lack of lubrication, by my boat isn't a car. My Yanny's tranmission is just a gear train that's submerged in an oil bath. Whether turning or not, forward, neutral, or reverse, engine on or off, the gears are covered by a half a liter of motor oil. So how can they possibly be damaged by 'lack of lubrication?'

I'm with you here, Robert. I have the same setup. There is no pump in the transmission to circulate lube. The gears are submerged to the mid point in engine oil (kanzaki 3v) and if anything is rotating, it is getting lubricated.

I use neutral and if the prop freewheels the gears are getting lubed, and it's even under less load than when powered. Couldn't possibly be a problem.

However, the common mistake made is that one situation fits all cases. Some of the details of the differences have been mentioned here already.

[Lowcountry]

I have a 2006 Yanmar 3YM30 in my boat, and I am telling you from experience that you SHOULD NOT PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN REVERSE WHILE SAILING WITH THE ENGINE OFF. I have done this on two occasions, about two years apart. Each time, my transmission bound up, and I broke my shifter linkage inside the binnacle trying to get the transmission back into neutral. I don't care what anyone on this board says... if you have a small Yanmar, DON'T sail with your transmission in reverse.

[doug86]

Why do people insist on referring to a Yanmar transmission? Yanmar doesn't make transmissions. The transmissions supplied with their engines are usually made by Hurth, or ZF/Borg Warner.

If you want to know what to do, find out the make and model of the transmission you have and refer to that manufacturers recommendations.

[four winds]

I thought the Kanzaki's are pretty common as well.

Probably the only reason I know mine is a Kanzaki is because I had to rebuild the shifter in the trans due to incorrect shifter geometry and a broken shift plunger tension spring.

My old factory Yanmar shop manual has a Kanzaki section that is very thorough, including rebuilding and everything else.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by motion30

I picked up a tranny in key west last year I tired to ger her err.. it off the boat but she would go neither forward or reverse, then she drank all my dam beer My suggestion dont let the tranny on the boat in key west

sounds like that tranny was more a transgression than .....

[Mark Johnson]

Originally Posted by doug86

...and huge amounts of thrust

As I have mentioned before... A large assortment of fixed, folding, feathering, two and three bladed props, were the subject of extensive tank testing done by MIT for Practical Sailor. They had a write up of the results...

A "Flex O Fold" folding prop like mine, creates MORE thrust in forward, than an equivalent sized fixed prop made by Michigan Wheel, OR any other type or brand. It therefore had superior sailing slipperiness, AND superior motoring efficiency, EXCEPT in reverse! Max Prop "feathering" type won that one.

I consider this reverse thrust issue a small matter, compared to a considerably better daily run while sailing.

Mark