Purpose of Wing Engine

[kurt.reynolds]

Looking at some Nordhavn's on the internet, can't afford one, wondering about the wing engine. It is simply a "get home" engine? Or does it serve some sort of boat maneuverability purpose?

thanks

 

[Codger2]

Looking at some Nordhavn's on the internet, can't afford one, wondering about the wing engine. It is simply a "get home" engine? Or does it serve some sort of boat maneuverability purpose?
thanks

The 50' Nordy I was on used the wing engine to run the hydraulics for the bow thruster.

 

[FF]

AS the wing engine is almost never in use as a get home , the best setups will have it power hyd , and a hyd gen set to assure its use.

Just sitting for months on end is sure death.

 

[Phil Fill]

The Eagle gen set powers the hydraulic for the get home and bow thruster. So having a separate wig engine is not necessary. However I wish the gen set motor had more hp.

So there is no need to have a gen set and a wing engine.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Wing Engine

Bay Pelican is a Krogen 42 with a wing engine. Same setup as on many Norhavns.

In 14 years the wing engine has never been used to get home but is frequently used to maneuver both into a slip and out of a tight anchoring situation.
Main engine pulls to starboard in reverse, wing pulls to port.

Since the wing engine is a Yanmar it is designed for a large alternator. With a 150 amp alternator it also serves as a back up to my generator.

The key is to exercise the wing engine. It is turned on and used almost every time we enter a harbor. Once we need to slow down we switch to the wing engine and let it push Bay Pelican along at 4 kts or less.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

 

[kurt.reynolds]

Does yours have its own shaft, electrical and fuel supply so it could be a backup to the main should it fail?

Bay Pelican is a Krogen 42 with a wing engine. Same setup as on many Norhavns.

In 14 years the wing engine has never been used to get home but is frequently used to maneuver both into a slip and out of a tight anchoring situation.
Main engine pulls to starboard in reverse, wing pulls to port.

Since the wing engine is a Yanmar it is designed for a large alternator. With a 150 amp alternator it also serves as a back up to my generator.

The key is to exercise the wing engine. It is turned on and used almost every time we enter a harbor. Once we need to slow down we switch to the wing engine and let it push Bay Pelican along at 4 kts or less.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

 

[Bay Pelican]

Wing engine shaft

Bay Pelican's wing engine, a Yanmar 27 hp, has its own shaft and prop, a max prop. The max prop which automatically adjusts the pitch give a greater prop walk to port when in reverse than my main engines prop walk to starboard.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

 

[kurt.reynolds]

Very cool, does the wing engine have controls like a regular engine? Like throttle, fwd & reverse lever?

Also, what year is the Krogen? I am going to look at a 1982 42'KK, the broker says it has "hull" issues.

Regards,
Kurt

Bay Pelican's wing engine, a Yanmar 27 hp, has its own shaft and prop, a max prop. The max prop which automatically adjusts the pitch give a greater prop walk to port when in reverse than my main engines prop walk to starboard.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

 

[Bay Pelican]

Bay Pelican's wing engine has full controls at both the upper and lower helm stations.

She is a 1985 and so far has had only minor hull issues - 15 sq ft or so of delamination.

Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

 

[magicbus]

We too have a Yanmar wing (a 56hp) with a separate shaft and feathering prop. For us it's peace of mind, but it is more maintenance and there is the need to put hours on it. We have a normal set of controls in the PH.

Dave

 

[BruceK]

Bay Pelican's wing engine, a Yanmar 27 hp, has its own shaft and prop, a max prop. The max prop which automatically adjusts the pitch give a greater prop walk to port when in reverse than my main engines prop walk to starboard.
Marty Campanella
Bay Pelican KK42

Do you, as needed, operate as a twin for docking etc? Best of all worlds?
I knew of a gas powered boat using its auxiliary (? wing) engine to go alongside, and after moving off hitting start for the main, followed by a BIG BANG. Often wondered why they used the lesser engine, you may have explained that, manouvering.
Are there other times you use the wing? You might look for reasons to "exercise" it. Onan say to run a genset weekly.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Do you, as needed, operate as a twin for docking etc? Best of all worlds?

Are there other times you use the wing? You might look for reasons to "exercise" it. Onan say to run a genset weekly.[/QUOTE]


Bay Pelican does not dock very often, but when she does we always use the wing engine to maneuver. Because of the max prop the wing engine, in reverse, pulls to port much stronger than the main engine pulls to starboard.

When we enter a harbor to anchor we turn on the wing engine and use it as a large trolling motor. This keeps the wing engine exercised.

Yes a wing engine requires maintenance and must be exercised. For a single engine trawler it is however a nice feature with a number of benefits.

Marty