To what extent will a Kiwiprop improve my sailing performance?

This is always very difficult to comment on due to the very large number of variables involved. What is known from the published work from MIT in their lab is that a fixed three blade 16” propeller will produce drag of over 70 lbs at 8 knots. This was reported in Practical Sailor “ October 1993 and January 1995 issues. [ Refer to our web pages ]

This will have a very significant on sailing performance.

Our empirical experience is that a typical 30 to 40 foot vessel hard on the wind in about 15 knots of breeze will achieve maybe an extra 0.75 knots of boat speed and point about 10 degrees higher into the wind with very significant increase in VMG over a fixed three bladed propeller.

Reaching can deliver up to an extra 1.5 knots - again very dependent upon the individual vessel and situation.

In short - the sailing performance improvement will be dramatic and it is for this reason one would switch from a fixed blade propeller.

Versus an existing folding propeller there will be no improvement in sailing performance - but a dramatic improvement in reversing function.