Has anyone used Michigan Marine Propellers?

[EmCla]

Hi all!

 

I'm buying a new propeller and will likely be using Michigan Marine as the supplier. One issue though - they've suggested a different size prop than beta marine, the engine manufacture. They have recommended 16x9 while beta are saying 16x12. Has anyone else had something like this happen? What was the outcome? 

 

Thanks!

[Tony Brooks]

I can't answer directly, but I think that you need to assure yourself that the company really understand inland canal boating and a bit about  narrow boat hull "designs".  That Beta prop may well be sized to allow a higher engine speed at lower hull speeds for battery charging and a low hull speed at idle when passing moored boats.

[Thames Bhaji]

I used Michigan last year for a pair of 4 blade, skewed props for our electric propulsion barge… so not very typical. I was very happy with the service however and the props have performed exactly as I’d hoped. I did also do a lot of reading myself (Dave Gerr, various fora) so that I had at least some inkling of what might be correct. A 3 inch difference on the pitch is a lot. Are they definitely both looking at the same gearbox ratio? 

[MtB]

7 hours ago, Thames Bhaji said:

A 3 inch difference on the pitch is a lot. Are they definitely both looking at the same gearbox ratio? 

 

I thought that too. I'd definitely go with the size recommended by the engine manu Beta as they know their engines and what works in canal narrowboats. A (presumably) USA company is unlikely to have as much depth of knowledge.

[ditchcrawler]

1 hour ago, MtB said:

 

I thought that too. I'd definitely go with the size recommended by the engine manu Beta as they know their engines and what works in canal narrowboats. A (presumably) USA company is unlikely to have as much depth of knowledge.

Newton Abbot  Michigan Marine Propulsion International | Propeller Manufacturers & Distribution | Newton Abbot, Devon UK (mmp-i.com)

[cuthound]

My 60 foot narrowboat has a Beta 43 with a PRM150 2:1 reduction gearbox 

 

When I bought it, the prop was 17" x 11". The boat went well enough, but was a pig to stop, taking ages and usually ending up across the cut if you used a lot of revs to stop.

 

At the first docking I replaced the prop with the Beta recommended 18" X 12" and it transformed the boat. It stops in half the distance, tends to stay straight when stopping quickly, cruises at lower revs and uses less fuel.

 

If it were my boat I would stick with Beta's recommendation regarding size and pitch.

[harrybsmith]

A neighbour of mine has used Michigan marine and although the lead times were pretty long now he's got it he won't shut up about how good it is

[Barneyp]

A quick look at the website indicates that they don't seem to specialise in narrowboat propellors, not necessarily a bad thing but it may explain why the advice is so different from the engine manufacturers recommendation.

 

I would ask them straight out why they are recommending such a different pitch to the manufacturer and what they think the difference in performance would be between the 2 props.

If they can give an intelligent answer to this question that seems to be based around usage on a narrowboat then I'd stick with them, if on the other hand they haven't factored in battery charging and typical narrowboat speeds I'd stick with the beta recommendation.

[Tony Brooks]

45 minutes ago, Barneyp said:

typical narrowboat speeds I'd stick with the beta recommendation.

 

Particularly speed at idle for passing moored boats.