seattleboatguy
Senior Member
Anyone know which transmissions can be left to freewheel without damaging the transmission?
Anyone know which transmissions can be left to freewheel without damaging the transmission?
The manual says: while operating at trolling speed, which it does not define.Borg Warner Velvet Drives.
The manual says: while operating at trolling speed, which it does not define.
Somewhere I've got a copy of a shop Velvet Drive reference manual that breaks down the shaft RPM by gear ratio at which Velvet Drive series 71 and 72 can safely freewheel. A transmission shop gave me a copy of that section of their manual. You have to count or measure the rpm of the free wheeling shaft because it's dragging, so it turns at a slower rpm than the powered shaft. But they said you're golden freewheeling at sailboat speed.
This question comes up so often, if I can find it, I'll post it and maybe it can be sticky noted to the forum.
With our twins I only run either screw singularly at considerably slow cruise speed (4.5 - 5.5 knots - 6 max) in calm waters.
Do you do a lot of traveling at 4.5 - 6 knots? I had the impression that trawlers generally cruised in the 8-10 range. 4.5 to 6 is down into my sailboat range. The slower speed must be very wallet-friendly when it comes time to visit the fuel dock.