Message-ID: <000b01c1a7ce$8e66fc20$2030b43f@f3g6s4>
Reply-To: "Dan Schaefer" <dfs155@earthlink.net>
Reply-To: lancair.list@olsusa.com
From: "Dan Schaefer" <dfs155@earthlink.net>
To: "Lancair list" <lancair.list@olsusa.com>
Subject: RE: constant-speed props
Date: Sun, 27 Jan 2002 23:36:51 -0800
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>>On the other hand how many boats have variable-pitch props?<<

Props on boats are pitched for cruise speed, similar to fixed pitch aircraft
props. I run a 240 HP V-8 I/O in my Cobalt (Hey! I know it's hard to believe
for this group, but there are some things besides flying - particularly when
the wife likes boating about as much as flying in the Lancair) and a
variable pitch prop on it would be a big help when accelerating from a stop.

One has a choice of pitches and like an airplane, it's a compromise. Within
limits, you can opt for a lower pitch for better acceleration but you give
up top cruise speed. For you who've had to select the parameters of a fixed
pitch prop for you Lancair - sound familiar?

Somewhat like a fixed pitch aircraft prop, the drill for getting a move on
is to cob the throttle and wait until the prop quits digging a hole in the
water (cavitating because it's partially stalled) as the boat begins to move
forward and onto the step (cruise condition). Taking a smaller bite by
turning the pitch down, as we do in an airplane by pushing the blue knob
fully forward on take-off, would be pretty neat. It's probably not done (at
least on a standard pleasure boat, that I know of) because you don't have
the same consequences from poor acceleration in a boat that you do in an
airplane - like running out of runway!

All said and done, I'd like a variable pitch prop on my boat - Man! Would
that ever get a skier's attention!

Dan Schaefer

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