Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 10-07-2014, 10:12 AM   #1
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
"Tuning" props for salt vs. fresh water.

Anybody ever heard of having two sets of props, one set "tuned" for fresh and another set "tuned" for salt?
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 11:13 AM   #2
Technical Guru
 
Ski in NC's Avatar
 
City: Wilmington, NC
Vessel Name: Louisa
Vessel Model: Custom Built 38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,194
Some planing hull boats behave differently in fresh vs salt, especially if barely planing. The difference in density can be pretty profound there.

At trawler speeds, no real differences.
Ski in NC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 11:21 AM   #3
Guru
 
City: gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,440
Cold vs warm water and air temps cause reduction in HP so that is a reason for less pitch in FL than Maine for planing boats. Boats set up for cold areas may not reach wot in FL.

Hot air, water and fuel can reduce performance several %.
Sea water is 2% denser than fresh so the boat displaces less volume, same weight, but I suspect that the temperature issues will be more significant that density issues.

All nice in theory but marine growth will be a biger change for a freshwater boater.
bayview is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 01:05 PM   #4
TF Site Team
 
FlyWright's Avatar
 
City: California Delta
Vessel Name: FlyWright
Vessel Model: 1977 Marshall Californian 34 LRC
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 13,728
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11 View Post
Anybody ever heard of having two sets of props, one set "tuned" for fresh and another set "tuned" for salt?
We operate in an environment with both fresh and saltwater. Never heard of it.
__________________
My boat is my ark. It's my mobile treehouse and my floating fishing cabin. It's my retreat and my respite. Everyday I thank God I have a boat! -Al FJB

@DeltaBridges - 25 Delta Bridges in 25 Days
FlyWright is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 03:32 PM   #5
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11 View Post
Anybody ever heard of having two sets of props, one set "tuned" for fresh and another set "tuned" for salt?
I have never heard of that. Where did you hear of it?
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 03:57 PM   #6
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
The owner of the boat I'm currently delivering said his spare props were tuned by the prop shop for salt water. I've never heard of it either. But apparently there may be some validity to it. At least for some types of boats do to the density of salt water vs. fresh.
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 04:16 PM   #7
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt.Bill11 View Post
The owner of the boat I'm currently delivering said his spare props were tuned by the prop shop for salt water. I've never heard of it either. But apparently there may be some validity to it. At least for some types of boats do to the density of salt water vs. fresh.
Do you suppose they charged him extra for that?
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 04:35 PM   #8
Guru
 
Capt.Bill11's Avatar
 
City: Sarasota/Ft. Lauderdale
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 5,438
Quote:
Originally Posted by rwidman View Post
Do you suppose they charged him extra for that?
Perhaps.

But as I mentioned, for some types of vessels, like higher speed planing vessels, there may be something to it. So I'm not ready yet to dismiss it as marketing.
Capt.Bill11 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 06:48 PM   #9
Guru
 
rwidman's Avatar
 
City: North Charleston, SC
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 4,870
I think it may be a bit like changing the air in your tires for summer or winter. At least as far as this prop shop goes.
rwidman is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 06:52 PM   #10
Master and Commander
 
markpierce's Avatar
 
City: Vallejo CA
Vessel Name: Carquinez Coot
Vessel Model: penultimate Seahorse Marine Coot hull #6
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 12,559
Believe any difference would be minimal. Me worry?
__________________
Kar-KEEN-ez Koot
markpierce is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-07-2014, 07:24 PM   #11
Guru
 
mbevins's Avatar
 
City: Windsor
Vessel Name: Keeper IV
Vessel Model: 44 Viking ACMY
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,350
I'd think there would be a greater effect due to water temperature than salinity

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Trawler
mbevins is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 05:29 AM   #12
FF
Guru
 
FF's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 22,553
I think it may be a bit like changing the air in your tires for summer or winter.

Never!

We have a 1996 and ONLY use 1996 air !!
FF is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 05:56 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
r-rossow's Avatar
 
City: Oslo
Vessel Name: Southern Promise MMSI 258170360
Vessel Model: Ocean Alexander 55 Mk1
Join Date: Jul 2008
Posts: 105
Operated a twin water jet vessel in fresh water for a few days a couple of years ago. Max speed dropped from 29 to 27 knots when in fresh water .

BTW: Do fresh water vessels have sea water strainers or fresh water strainers?
r-rossow is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 11:20 AM   #14
Guru
 
City: LI or Fla
Join Date: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,148
We see a significant drop in our waterline from seawater to freshwater, we loose some performance, but not something to warrant a real pitch change for, we already have some margin of error in seawater anyway.
Interesting side story, by sisters boat with twin gas 454's would overheat the transmissions when in fresh water and full load of fuel, in sea water never see it.
Marlinmike is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 12:01 PM   #15
Technical Guru
 
Ski in NC's Avatar
 
City: Wilmington, NC
Vessel Name: Louisa
Vessel Model: Custom Built 38
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 6,194
The most memorable example of this was an old Bertram 54 with 12-71 Detroits. It was old and water logged and owner had packed it full of junk. When I ran it it would kinda sorta plane at 2100 and make about 19kts, full tabs. That was in sea water. I did not dare run the motors harder than 2100 as I feared they'd blow.

Came in Cape Fear river from offshore, hit the fresh water and boat started settling. Down to about 15kts and plowing like crazy. Still at 2100. Had to shove it to the pins to get back up and then 19kts was then 2150.

Couple days later came back out to sea and it was back to 19kts at 2100.

Unique example as boat was right on edge of falling off plane on a good day.
Ski in NC is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 12:23 PM   #16
Guru
 
City: gulf coast
Join Date: Jun 2014
Posts: 3,440
Quote:
BTW: Do fresh water vessels have sea water strainers or fresh water strainers?
Sea water but they have much longer hoses.
bayview is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-08-2014, 04:15 PM   #17
Senior Member
 
City: Seattle
Vessel Name: Poach
Vessel Model: Sabreline Trawler
Join Date: Aug 2013
Posts: 234
Quote:
Originally Posted by bayview View Post
Sea water but they have much longer hoses.
Poach is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Trawler Port Captains
Port Captains are TF volunteers who can serve as local guides or assist with local arrangements and information. Search below to locate Port Captains near your destination. To learn more about this program read here: TF Port Captain Program





All times are GMT -5. The time now is 12:50 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2006 - 2012