Diesel in gear at the slip or Neutral?

[Scott]

What’s the opinion on leaving your diesel engine in gear while the engine is off and the boat is at the dock? There is a reasonably strong current where the boat is at the slip. Or is the idea to leave it in neutral and let the prop spin?



ssantoro1@mediaone.net

[Mark Yashinsky]

Take a look in the engine caompartment to see if the shaft is even turning. This might not even be happening. Depending which way the current is running, could leave it reverse (like when sailing). Think you would have more concerns about docking, if the current is this strong (to turn the prop).

[Boyd]

Check with the manufacturer for their recommendations. The manual for the Hurth transmission says to leave in neutral when freewheeling. However that may be different for other transmissions. I doubt that the current is strong enough to turn the prop. I was docked in a very strong river current and the prop did not turn in neutral.

Boyd

What’s the opinion on leaving your diesel engine in gear while the engine is off and the boat is at the dock? There is a reasonably strong current where the boat is at the slip. Or is the idea to leave it in neutral and let the prop spin?

Tern30@aol.com

[Olli Wendelin]

Letting your prop spin at the dock will put alot of miles on it. I have a CD30 with Yanmar YSB12, v-drive, and 3 blade prop. In neutral
it is quite loud when sailing and will spin at my slip. I always keep the engine in reverse when not running it. This stops the shaft and gets the shifter out of the way.

Olli Wendelin
BLUE MOON
Charleston, SC



wendelin@spawar.navy.mil

[Dennis P. Robinett]

I have a Cape Dory 36 with a Hurth transmission. The book says never let it freewheel under sail or at the dock. The rear bearing does not get proper lubrication when freewheeling. I always sail with the transmission in reverse. I recently replaced the stuffing box to a PSS dripless seal and there is so little friction now she really will freewheel. The dripless seal is a carbon seal against a sealplate which is hardly any friction compared to a stuffing box with material clamped around the shaft.



CDSailor@aol.com