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EWOL Feathering Props?

Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Sitting around, pondering boat 'stuff'.... while avoiding people... visiting boating sites on the 'net...
:)
I wonder if any of you have experience with this Italian prop? Years ago I would have dreamt mostly of props that would be sold/supported by a local boat yard, but in the last few years we have lost some yards (and expertise due to retirements) and nowadays it feels like we boaters are more 'on our own' for sophisticated parts like this.
The slight good news is that, lacking any local experts to guide us, we might well find some newer vendors that we might not have noticed / considered before.

Like a ton of similar prop builders, this company advertises on boating sites.
The ad specs sound pretty good, but then that's the purpose of ads.


List of customers included an Ericson 35 and a 38.
 
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Martin King

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
Don't know about the Ewol. I did have a Max 3 blade feathering prop on my 39. That piece of kit required a haul out
to install it. I remember having to cross drill the shaft for a shear pin. They may have changed that aspect of the design since. Even back then (mid 90's) it cost a pretty penny.
 
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Loren Beach

O34 - Portland, OR
Senior Moderator
Blogs Author
Don't know about the Ewol. I did have a Max 3 blade feathering prop on my 39. That piece of kit required a haul out
to install it. I remember having to cross drill the shaft for a shear pin. They may have changed that aspect of the design since. Even back then (mid 90's) it cost a pretty penny.
Indeed, all of these nifty devices are expensive. Last time I checked the three blade Max Prop was almost $2800. (15 inch).
Are you getting in some sailing? (Christians's new video sure makes SoCal sailing look good!)
 

Teranodon

Member III
My E34 is hauled out right now for a bottom job, and I am taking advantage of the opportunity to change the pitch on the 3-blade Maxprop. It's a tricky job that has taken me about 4 hours, and I'm almost done. Basically, I don't like the thing, but not for entirely rational reasons. It came with the boat, so "I didn't pay for it". But what is the point of shelling out something like $3000 for adjustability, when a fixed-pitch propellor costs $500? Given the boat and the engine, there is no real need to change the pitch (unless, like me, you set it wrong when you re-powered). That said, the latest Maxprops are adjustable in situ, like the EWOL. That's an improvement. And they say that feathering adds speed. So I guess I should be pleased to have it, and shouldn't badmouth it. All right, I take it all back.
 

Martin King

Sustaining Member
Blogs Author
The adjustability of the pitch is a side benefit. The real advantage is much reduced drag under sail and increased thrust in reverse with decreased
prop walk- a huge improvement for any Ericson. Expensive yes, and worth it.
 

Teranodon

Member III
When I installed a Beta 25 on my E34, I set the MaxProp pitch to 18 degrees. It was a mistake. I couldn't get the knots or RPMs that I wanted. So, two years later, I hauled out and decreased the pitch to 16 degrees. Big, big difference. At the higher RPMs (3000) I'm getting less vibration and more smoothness overall. Maybe I had "cavitation" before.
 

CTOlsen

Member III
Hi Loren,
I think I’ve mentioned before that I had a feathering Autostream prop, installed by the original owner (PO). I don’t know that I would have invested ~$2500.00 in a prop, but it sure is nice seeing an increasing in speed once feathered, and feeling absolute zero crabbing when motoring forward or back, at slow speeds. It makes pulling into a slip, in reverse, a non-issue.
 
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