Feathering, Folding or Fixed?
The three most commonly used propellers on sailboats, fixed, folding and feathering each have a number of distinct advantages and disadvantages, the major differences to consider are shown in the table below.
What is the difference between a Fixed and a Folding propeller?
It must be remembered that this information is of a general nature and varies between brands and designs
| ADVANTAGES | ||
| Feathering | Folding | Fixed |
| Superior manoeuvrability at all times due to good thrust in forward & best thrust in reverse | Lowest drag of all propellers | No service requirements (Other than shaft zinc/anode and cleaning) |
| Best reverse thrust of all propellers | Sleekest lines = Lowest chance of snagging foreign objects in the water | Lowest initial purchase price |
| Low Drag (Slightly more than a folding prop dependant on shaft angle, but significantly less than a fixed prop) |
Generally smoother/quieter under power than flat blade feathering propellers | |
| Adjustable pitch allows optimisation of setting to suit application (System varies, Autostream can be set independent forward & reverse, even while in water) |
If perfectly pitched, provides best forward propulsion | |
| Reduced prop walk (Reduction is highest on models with independent forward/reverse adjustment) |
Lower initial purchase price than feathering prop | Reverse ability is usually better than folding props (Dependant on number / size of blades, gearbox ratio & displacement) |
| Long service life (Dependant on design) |
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| Generally more robust in construction than a folding prop | Simpler design than feathering props | Long service life (If protected from electrolysis) |
| Simplest design, no moving parts | ||
| No technique required for docking manoeuvres | No technique require for docking manoeuvres | |
| DISADVANTAGES. | ||
| Feathering | Folding | Fixed |
| Highest initial purchase price | Typically have ‘adequate’ to ‘poor’ reverse thrust and require some ‘technique’ during docking manoeuvres. | Highest drag while sailing of all types |
| Slightly more drag than a folding propeller while sailing (Largely dependant on shaft angle, but significantly less than a fixed propeller) |
Due to design tend to wear the fastest. (Varies with brands considerably) |
Requires a shaft lock to stop rotation of shaft |
| Some service requirements (Complexity & frequency varies with brands) |
Fixed pitch | Rotating shaft generates noise and can damage gearbox. |
| Gears exposed to marine environment | Reverse thrust lower than feathering propeller | |
| Fixed pitch cannot be changed once fitted, without removal and specialist attention. | ||
| Tendency to “prop walk” in reverse | ||