The Propeller Handbook: The Complete Reference for Choosing, Installing, and Understanding Boat Propellers

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Item # MH-81767  ISBN: 0071381767




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On the surface, choosing the correct propeller for a particular boat seems simple. But one factor affects another, which then affects another factor, leading many boaters to believe that propeller selection depends more on black magic than logic.

All the questions are answered in this complete reference, the first of its kind. This clear, easy-to-use handbook for all small boats is written not for Ph.D.s seeking the latest wrinkle in high-tech propeller design, but as a practical aid for the average mechanic, engineer, boatbuilder, fleet operator, serious yachtsman, or naval architect.

• Why wont your engine reach its top rated RPMs?
  
  
• Why is your propeller shaft vibrating?
  
  
• Why doesn't your boat reach the top speed claimed by the manufacturer?
  
  
• Will more or less propeller pitch improve your boats performance?
  
  
• Is a square wheel (pitch equals diameter) best?
  
  
• Is a folding prop best for your purposes?
  
  
• Should you choose a two-, three-, or four-bladed propeller?

All these questions and more are answered in this complete reference—the first of its kind.

Table of Contents:

Acknowledgments | Introduction | Chapter 1. Power: Understanding Engine Performance | Chapter 2. Estimating Speed: Effects of Power, Weight, and Hull Type | Chapter 3. Propeller Anatomy: Parts and Definitions | Chapter 4. Blade Characteristics: Blade Shape, Cavitation, Special Propellers, and Rules of Thumb | Chapter 5. Crouchs Propeller Method: The Empirical Method for Calculating Propellers Using Slip | Chapter 6. The Bp- Method: The Power Factor Method for Calculating Propellers | Chapter 7. Installation Considerations: Blade Clearances, Shafting, and Propeller Weight | Chapter 8. Tugs and Trawlers: High-Thrust, Variable-Loading, Controllable Pitch, and Ducted Propellers | Chapter 9. Sailboats, Outboards, and Go-Fast Wrinkles: Propellers for Special Applications | Appendix A. Measuring the Hull: Procedure for Determining Displacement | Appendix B. Measuring the Propeller: Procedure for Finding Diameter and Pitch | Appendix C. Shaft Taper and Coupling Dimensions | Appendix D. Decimal Exponents | Manufacturers and Suppliers | Bibliography | Index.

About the Author:

Dave Gerr is a naval architect specializing in the design of yachts and commercial craft to 180 feet. He has worked on vessels ranging from 440-foot cruise ships to a 60-foot BOC racer, a 60-mph jet-drive runabout, a 7-knot, 25-foot cruising motor launch, 100-foot aluminum motoryachts, and an assortment of 40- and 50-foot auxiliaries and motorsailers.

Owner of his own design firm, Gerr is a graduate of Westlawn School of Yacht Design and has studied physics at New York University and industrial design at Pratt Institute. He has a particular fascination with the relationship between science and art, function and beauty, and finds in naval architecture a rewarding harmony among these.

Dave is the author of The Elements of Boat Strength, the industry standard reference on props, and the acclaimed The Nature of Boats, both published by International Marine books.

The Propeller Handbook: The Complete Reference for Choosing, Installing, and Understanding Boat Propellers