Congrats on L42, great choice.? Let me know if you have any questions!

Cheers,

Brett

Captain of Key of Sea - 2007 Lagoon 380 S2 #411

I seem to have plenty of power in forward and reverse.? I burn between .64 and .7 gph on each engine. That fuel data is logged and computed at every refuel for the last 8 years.

On the last haul out, I noticed one prop had a very very slight wobble to it. While it was very slight, I decided to replace the hub. I had to have a new hub shipped from Sweeden (maybe finland?) don't recall. They got it to me in three days. The hub with shipping was 1200.? I am still puzzled how it got a wobble since the blades were in perfect condition, and the hub appears to be a solid piece of brass. Apparently it isnt..but sure seems stout. But I was thankful how fast they got a new hub to me. Now that I think about it, I did get a Crabtrap line wrapped around it a year before I noticed a wobble, but never felt any vibration after that incident. I suspect, some would not have replaced the hub since the wobble was extremely slight.

The blades fold very easily and I often find them folded when I scuba dive, so even a current will fold them. I have never had them fail to open up. I would think that they would get barnacles and prevent the flexing but they don't seem to. I put prop speed on them when I have the bottom painted.

If there is a downside, other than cost, it would have to be be the assembly and disassembly of the prop. It's not complicated, but I would not want to do it underwater. The prop cannot be removed as a whole. You must first remove the zinc, then blades, then the hub. Maybe 6? bolts..3 hinge pins, 2 nuts, and a critical locking washer.? (I think there might be a newer version of the flexifold prop, perhaps it could be removed as a whole unit, I don't know).

To make changing zinc's easier, I highly recommend using the horseshoe zinc that goes in front of the prop. That way you don't have to remove the prop when changing underwater.? There is also a zinc at the end of the prop that is easily replaced underwater.?

I carry the original 2 blade props as spares. When you compare the two, it's hard to imagine the 2 blade could compare to the flexifold in thrust or durability.?

The flexifold props on my boat are 10 years old at this point.?

As with all props I have not found a good solution for keeping the barnacles off, last year I had Trilux applied and it was OK, but still comes off after some motoring.

I tend to service them myself as I found the so-called "professional" ward workers would damage them by using inappropriate tools. The metals are quite soft. One couldn't be bothered to find a metric spanner (wrench) so knurled the main nut. Another couldn't be bothered to follow the instructions and used a square sided screwdriver in the blade pivot pin hole to hold it whilst undoing the main nut, thus damaging the hole.

Cheers

Peter

SALILA