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jerlim
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1484 Posts

Initially Posted - 12/29/2007 :  04:38:58  Show Profile
Anyone have experience and opinion on a 'power thruster'?

http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?fno=400&group=294

Seems like an interesting idea. It's not that we go through so much gas...I think we spent all of $15 last season...but I like the idea of increased power. We're running an 8HP 4 stroke, and it seems to do well enough, but when pushing against the tide and into the wind, I wish we had a litttle more umph (yea, that's a technical term)

Thanks all!

Jerry

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2007 :  10:41:27  Show Profile
There was a thread on this a year or so ago... There's also another brand that's a full cylinder around the prop. I suspect these help reduce prop-walk at very slow speeds--at cruising speed I doubt they do that much. However, I'm not a fan of drilling holes in the castings. The question was raised: If it's such a good idea, whey don't the mfgrs offer it? I suspect that's because it's a potential hazzard to the prop. Also, if you pick up a lobster pot warp (or whatever lies in your sailing waters), unwinding it might be tougher.

BTW, running against the tide, no matter how much "umph" you have, you're not gonna get past about 6 knots through the water (minus the current for speed over the bottom), and at that speed, you're wasting fuel. With the prop deep enough in the water, an 8hp 4-stroke should have more umph than you can make full use of. That's what I had, and I never ran above about half throttle for a 5 - 5.5 knots through the water.

Edited by - Dave Bristle on 12/29/2007 10:52:12
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Bubba
Admiral

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USA
542 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2007 :  10:51:38  Show Profile
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> If it's such a good idea, why don't the mfgrs offer it? <hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> The same question occurred to me. And, if you can get a 22% improvement with a half-circle, why not 44% with a full-circle?
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Also, if you pick up a lobster pot warp (or whatever lies in your sailing waters), unwinding it might be tougher.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></font id="quote"></blockquote id="quote"> I wonder if a full-circle shroud might actually protect the prop from crab/lobster rodes.

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Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 12/29/2007 :  10:57:18  Show Profile
With the full-circle, it might be more likely hitting something would distort it enough to contact the prop, which could ruin your day. Then again, the "free floating" ends of half-circle could also be risky.

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