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Rlrobi-

WindCatcher (#618, 1998 ) has had an AUTOPROP H5 since 1999. Installation was straight forward, requiring a 1" plate at the shaft coupling. (Now there's room for SPURS between hub and strut!) A vast improvement over the fixed wheel - 85% less drag and one powerful reverse. The strongest arguement for Autoprop is that it auto-pitches. When you run at low RPMs while motor-sailing, it adjusts pitch to boat speed to take bigger bites out of the water and still maximally load the deisel. In serious waves or steep chop, this prop constantly auto-pitches for best performance on the up and down sides, powering through whatever comes along and never loosing it's bite. Then, of course, there's the impressive fuel ecomomy in the midrange where you really get bigger bites for the gallon by getting max work out of the happy deisel. The 38 Gal tank just goes further.

Like any feathering prop, there is seasonal lubrication, but you never, ever need to worry about the adjustment because it's always self-changing by to maximize conditions. And, after 6 years, my bearings are finally being replaced.

Of course, it needs to be locked to feather when sailing by keeping the trany in forward. Yes, forward, but the transmission never jams. You're going to love it.

Ernie April