Campbell sailor prop

[skipperr100]

HI, any one have experience with the Campbell sailor prop? good bad, indifferent?

[Sailmonkey]

Not a Campbell, but rather a Bauman sail prop. We love it, worlds of difference from the original 3 blade prop.

[colemj]

We put a Campbell on our previous boat. World of difference - couldn't believe the increase in power, decrease in drag and less prop walk. They will be pitched much less than your previous prop, so don't be surprised when they recommend a lower pitch.

Mark

[robert sailor]

All good fixed pitched props come from Canada

[roverhi]

Switched from a 13x12 three blade prop to a 13x13 Sailor that I got a deal on. Thought being that close in diameter and pitch, it would be a no change exchange. Not so, the sailor has much more bite than a conventional prop and takes much less pitch to achieve the same thrust. With the conventional prop, could get 3,500 rpm in calm, no wind conditions. The sailor, max rpm is only 2,800 rpm. Haven't decided whether to try and have the sailor modified or just go back to the conventional prop. When I get more experience under sail, will make the decision.

[colemj]

Norm at Cambell can repitch those no problem. I don't know if a regular prop shop can do the repitch since they are shaped and cupped pretty specifically.

Mark

[John Drake]

Well, I am going to have to chime in with a different opinion.

I had a Campbell Sailor prop on my boat, 38ft, 22000 lbs. It worked great when new, but, since I cruised for a long period of time, I found that once it got any fouling on it at all, it lost it's efficiency.

If you look at it, you will see that it's efficiency comes from the design of the blades. The leading edge is thicker, and has a abrupt dip to the fine, trailing edge of the blade. Even a little bit of fouling fills that in, the efficiency is lost.

It did lower prop walk, but, once I learned to use prop walk to ...walk...the stern into a slip, I missed having it.

If you live in a place where fouling is not a big issue, and you haul your boat annually, it might be a fine blade to get. If you live in tropical waters and cruise, to me, that money is best spent elsewhere.

There ARE other "Sailor" props that have more narrow blades and say that they have less drag and less prop walk. These are a standard design in which the blade is an even plane. I might try one of those, had I to do it over again....since my goal would be solely, less drag.

Hope this helps

Best

John

[michaelmrc]

put a campbell sailor 3 blade on my boat the builder ron campbell actually delivered it to the boat yard for me and helped me install it. its been fantastic prop huge performance increase and even better in reverse than the old 2 blade

[SkiprJohn]

Aloha and welcome aboard!

[zeehag]

i have yet to meet a prop that functioned well when befouled.
it is ones duty to keep prop clean so one can flee if necessary.
a befouled prop of any kind is just a useless ball of garbage.

i have heard good things about this prop from someone who knew campbell from way back when