[Public-List] Prop Locked While Sailing

[Daniel Swords via Public-List]

Several years ago Yanmar issued a document stating that the engine should be left in neutral while sailing. The reason, with the boat moving and the shaft locked in gear by the drag against the prop (especially three bladed props) owners were damaging their gear boxes trying to force them back into neutral so they could start their engines. Of course another solution would be to drop the sails before starting the engine but many people like to know the engine is running before dropping their sails. When I bought my boat it came with a Yanmar diesel and a three bladed prop and the previous owner suggested keeping the engine in gear while sailing and since I am always single handed I often started the engine before dropping the sails and it sometimes took a lot of effort to get the engine out of gear, enough that I could understand possibly damaging the gearbox doing so. I hated the three bladed prop and changed back to a two bladed prop and I  leave the engine in neutral while sailing. I  have not noticed the two bladed prop turning (the three bladed prop certainly did) so perhaps it is just parking its self behind the keel. 

I  will search for the Yanmar document but I  do not have it saved. 

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