I have used both the MaxProp and the Autostream. Each has its pros and cons:

Maxprop:

Pros- proven and reliable
Cons- see Autostream pros

Autostream:

Pros- Stainless construction which is generally more corrosion resistant
than MaxProp's bronze. It has independent pitch settings for forward and
reverse which will compensate for a transmission with a different gear ratio
in forward vs reverse

Cons- This is a big one. The blades have less surface area than the MaxProp
and therefore have to be set with more pitch to compensate. This causes
cavitation when powering into a headwind.

Overall I would go with the 3 bladed MaxProp. You can get the VP version for
a few hunderd $ more which lets you reset the pitch without dissasembling,
ie a diver can do it in the water. It will usually take at least one try and
error before you get the pitch right. MaxProp's recommendations don't always
work.

David

I installed an AutoStream 3-blade in the spring of 2000 and have
nothing except good things to say about it.

Adjustable pitch fwd & rev without disassembly in the water, can be
greased and zinc changed in the water, all stainless construction so
there is no dissimiliar metal issue between the prop and the shaft.
Can be directly painted with copper anti-foul paint since it is
stainless without electrolysis issues.

Great performance in fwd and rev. I never observed any cavitation due
to smaller blade size. I have never had any other feathering prop so
I can't compare.

It was about $1000 less expensive than the MaxProp in 2000. The only
con I see is the $40 price on the unique zinc. I am going to mold my
own. But perhaps the other prop manufacturers hose you on their zinc
also.

Rich


"Glenn Ashmore" wrote:

I am headed for Annapolis Thursday at o'dark thirty. One priority is to
find a 3 bladed feathering prop. The candidates a Martec Auto Stream ,
MaxProp, VariProp and Gori.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of them? Any others you
would recommend I look at?

Yep, an alternative. A FIXED blade prop called a "Campbell Sailer" (yes,
spelled with an "e" not an "o".)

The Sailer is a funny looking thing, with long narrow blades but a thick
leading edge. FAR less drag than a conventional prop, and at least on my
Westsail 32 better performance under power as well. They're made in Canada,
about 1/4-1/3 the cost of variable pitch props, and far simpler, of course.
I wouldn't trade mine for two of the others. (Well, actually I can't trade
it: sold the boat a year ago, in favor of a Victory Tug. Still sail the
dink, though....)

Cheers,

Dick Behan


"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:npj0f.64$784.63@lakeread08...
I am headed for Annapolis Thursday at o'dark thirty. One priority is to
find a 3 bladed feathering prop. The candidates a Martec Auto Stream ,
MaxProp, VariProp and Gori.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of them? Any others you
would recommend I look at?

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Glen .....
I have a MaxProp and haave mostlly good thing to say about it, with the
exception that if you dont full idle down between forward and reverse,
the casting will deform a bit and the blades can get a bit 'sloppy'.

The 'regular' Max-Props are nice as you can change the ptich when the
boat is still in the water.

For those of you with props in 'apertures' ...... When sizing any
feathering prop dont just take the manufacturers dimensions and think
everything will be all-right with the installation. I strongly suggest
that you take the dimensions and make a 'pattern' or mock-up put it on
the prop shaft ..... and then fully swing the rudder back and forth to
determine the intereference when the rudder is 'hard over".





In article npj0f.64$784.63@lakeread08, Glenn Ashmore
wrote:

I am headed for Annapolis Thursday at o'dark thirty. One priority is to
find a 3 bladed feathering prop. The candidates a Martec Auto Stream ,
MaxProp, VariProp and Gori.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of them? Any others you
would recommend I look at?

We like our Max Prop and the ability to change pitch. We liked our Martek
folder on our last boat but this boat is much heavier and the Martek Folder
on the new boat was replaced with the Max Prop. Gotta tell you something.

B


"Rich Hampel" wrote in message
...
Glen .....
I have a MaxProp and haave mostlly good thing to say about it, with the
exception that if you dont full idle down between forward and reverse,
the casting will deform a bit and the blades can get a bit 'sloppy'.

The 'regular' Max-Props are nice as you can change the ptich when the
boat is still in the water.

For those of you with props in 'apertures' ...... When sizing any
feathering prop dont just take the manufacturers dimensions and think
everything will be all-right with the installation. I strongly suggest
that you take the dimensions and make a 'pattern' or mock-up put it on
the prop shaft ..... and then fully swing the rudder back and forth to
determine the intereference when the rudder is 'hard over".





In article npj0f.64$784.63@lakeread08, Glenn Ashmore
wrote:

I am headed for Annapolis Thursday at o'dark thirty. One priority is to
find a 3 bladed feathering prop. The candidates a Martec Auto Stream
,
MaxProp, VariProp and Gori.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of them? Any others
you
would recommend I look at?

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

I had not thought of the J-prop but I will look at them. The 3 bladed Gori
and MaxProp are near the top of my list.

Glenn,

I looked into all of the above, plus J Prop and the Kiwi
plastic ones. I ended up with a _used_ 17" Autostream
bought from a private seller in Oz, but was leaning to the
Kiwi prop for weight (catamaran) and cost reasons previously.

Kiwi:

- cheaper than the rest
- corresponded with one early adopter who had only good
words to say
- blades maybe a bit more vulnerable if you hit debris, but
maybe this saves a shaft or coupling?
- chunky hub

Maxprop
- good track record
- expensive for the VP version


Autostream
- continuous improvement from their earliest models
- Duplex s.s. construction with low corrosion
- simple and very nice engineering. I like this
- seals are simple O-rings at blade hubs with delrin bushings
- independent reverse/fwd. pitch, easily adjustable with a
wrench and allen key underwater
- I don't think their blade area is anything different from
Maxprop

J-Prop
- asked for price from Quebec distributor (out of sight) so
didn't think about it further

All Feathering props:
- must exchange blades to change pitch; usually time limit
on this
- can't change pitch if boat more loaded/fouled bottom
- lower efficicency in head seas/wind
- best choice for racing oriented boats but not cruising
boats IMO

Autoprop
- bloody costly and fairly heavy

Varifold
- no opinion

Evan Gatehouse

In Evan Gatehouse writes:

Glenn Ashmore wrote:

I had not thought of the J-prop but I will look at them. The 3 bladed Gori
and MaxProp are near the top of my list.

Glenn,

I looked into all of the above, plus J Prop and the Kiwi
plastic ones. I ended up with a _used_ 17" Autostream
bought from a private seller in Oz, but was leaning to the
Kiwi prop for weight (catamaran) and cost reasons previously.

Kiwi:

- cheaper than the rest
- corresponded with one early adopter who had only good
words to say
- blades maybe a bit more vulnerable if you hit debris, but
maybe this saves a shaft or coupling?
- chunky hub

Maxprop
- good track record
- expensive for the VP version


Autostream
- continuous improvement from their earliest models
- Duplex s.s. construction with low corrosion
- simple and very nice engineering. I like this
- seals are simple O-rings at blade hubs with delrin bushings
- independent reverse/fwd. pitch, easily adjustable with a
wrench and allen key underwater
- I don't think their blade area is anything different from
Maxprop

J-Prop
- asked for price from Quebec distributor (out of sight) so
didn't think about it further

So you did not really look at it. :-).

All Feathering props:
- must exchange blades to change pitch; usually time limit
on this

I do not get this. So far I can understand and have some experience you
can change the pitch on most feathering props, and many of them allow it
to be done without removing the propeller and even under the water and
some allow you to have different pitch on reverse and forward.

- can't change pitch if boat more loaded/fouled bottom

Of course you have to dive under the boat to change the pitch.

- lower efficicency in head seas/wind

Lower compared to what?

- best choice for racing oriented boats but not cruising
boats IMO

So what is the superior cruising propeller?

Autoprop
- bloody costly and fairly heavy

Costly, will change the pitch automatically.

Varifold
- no opinion

Evan Gatehouse

- Lauri Tarkkonen

Hello Glen,
My suggestion is to look at the Flex-o-Fold prop. It is an interesting
design with great customer suport from Chuck Angle who is the North American
distributor located in Marblehead, MA. He should be at the Annapolis show.

I had a Max Prop-2 blade and found that it's performance was ok in forward
but woefully inadequate in reverse. I have a Paragon transmission (direct
drive) that runs thru a Walters Vee drive. The reduction in forward is 2:1
(via the vee-drive) at the shaft, But in reverse the reduction is 4:1 (2:1
at the vee-drive plus 2:1 at the Paragon)! The two blade Max Prop, in
reverse would turn at 500 rpm at 2000 engine rpm and 750 rpm at 3000 engine
rpm. Backing down was a crap shoot. I replaced the two blade Max Prop with
a three blade Flex-o-Fold two seasons ago and am amazed at the increased
control in reverse-even with the idyosycracies of the Paragon/Vee drive
reductions.
An added advantage is that the prop is folding vs. feathering...I haven't
snagged a lobster pot with the new prop. I've snagged numerous pot warps
with the previous prop.

By way of example, with a three bladeFlex-o-fold 17x16 I can stop the boat
in 18 seconds from a speed of 5 knots with a reverse rpm of 2200-2500 and
shaft rpm of ~ 600. Bringing the boat to a complete stop with the previous
prop was a joke.

Just my opinion








"Glenn Ashmore" wrote in message
news:npj0f.64$784.63@lakeread08...
I am headed for Annapolis Thursday at o'dark thirty. One priority is to
find a 3 bladed feathering prop. The candidates a Martec Auto Stream ,
MaxProp, VariProp and Gori.

Anyone have anything good or bad to say about any of them? Any others you
would recommend I look at?

--
Glenn Ashmore

I'm building a 45' cutter in strip/composite. Watch my progress (or lack
there of) at: http://www.rutuonline.com
Shameless Commercial Division: http://www.spade-anchor-us.com

Evan Gatehouse wrote:

All Feathering props:
- must exchange blades to change pitch; usually time limit
on this

Oops - meant to say "FOLDING" not feathering props!

Evan Gatehouse