Twin prop protection.

Given - a single prop has a lot of protection provided by the keel. Does anyone know about retro-fitting some skegs or something to help protect twin props and rudders?

Bilgewater said:

Given - a single prop has a lot of protection provided by the keel. Does anyone know about retro-fitting some skegs or something to help protect twin props and rudders?

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I have seen it done. Angie, a old PMM member that blogs/emails monthly has twin keels/skags, so they can set the boat on the hard. They are presenlty in Mexico. We used their boat a a trawler Fest as a meting place one year. Its a long range custom boat.

Actually on some trawlers the twin props are reasonably well protected, maybe as good as a single.

The twin's props are higher than the single's and often the bottom edge of the prop is above the low point of the keel. And the rudders are at or below the bottom edge which gives some limited protection.

David

Bilgewater said:

Given - a single prop has a lot of protection provided by the keel. Does anyone know about retro-fitting some skegs or something to help protect twin props and rudders?

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One could fabricate a metal skeg (or FRP or even plywood) for a retrofit. If it's just to keep flotsam from damaging running gear it could be lighter than if loaf bearing for beaching or support if the tide runs out.

On our twin diesel Florida Bay Coasters the skegs were beefy enough to support the hull when dry docked. Ali's, the more recent Great Harbour trawlers in FRP.

We had a previous discussion of it with Tad Roberts here within the SINGLE VS. TWIN mega-thread. I have long been a fan of the concept and would love to be able to modify my boat with twin protective skegs. But the modification cost would probably exceed the benefit of avoiding an occasionally tweeked prop.

Some boats, specifically the Great Harbors, were designed and are built with twin engines and skeg protection in front of each prop. There may be other examples out there, too.

djmarchand said:

Actually on some trawlers the twin props are reasonably well protected, maybe as good as a single.

The twin's props are higher than the single's and often the bottom edge of the prop is above the low point of the keel. And the rudders are at or below the bottom edge which gives some limited protection.

David

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Our GB42, like many boats, has decent protection for the rudders and props as long as what is hit is flat and horizontal!

Here's a shot from one of my prop repair haul outs. Arrrrgh!!

Much less prop protection than Ray's boat above.