Volvo Penta’s folding propellers for sail boats combines the folding propeller’s low drag under sail with reverse thrust and speed when the engine is used, fully comparable with fixed propellers. A conical toothed section ensures that the propeller blades are in the correct position. With no complicated machinery or mechanisms to cause trouble, the propellers provide superb reliability. The folding propellers are manufactured from a nickel-aluminium-bronze alloy which ensures no growth and excellent corrosion resistance. It is fitted with a bushing at the hub, this absorbs the shock which the propeller and shaft are subjected to during quick shifts forwards and backwards. The folding propellers are available as Right Hand and Left Hand rotating propellers for both S-drive and shaft installations. The folding propeller’s greatest advantage is its low drag under sail. The folding propellers offer outstanding maneuverability. Despite being a folding propeller, reverse thrust is fully comparable with that of a fixed propeller. The 3- and 4-blade propellers offer more or less the same speed as a 3-blade fixed propeller across the full rev range. The huge benefit shows in an increase in sailing speed of up to 1.5 knots due to the low drag. Up to 8 times lower drag compared to a 3-blade fixed propeller. And, what’s more, the unique blade profile promotes an extremely quiet and vibration free operation.
