Axiom props

[bargemast]

When there was a topic about one of the magic new "powerstop" propellors, I was thinking about previous questions concerning "Axiom" props, and remembered that an hotel-barge, named "Lady-Teal" that I had the pleasure to meet on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, when I was visiting there during the Skipton Waterways Festival, was hadding for a drydock to get one of those props fitted.

 

I wrote them a message last night, asking what their experience was sofar, and got the following as their answer : "We would say the Axiom prop is different, there is more slow speed control and in reverse it is much better."

 

That doesn't sound too bad does it ? I didn't ask the dimensions and the price of their Axion prop, but am sure it wasn't a gift.

 

Their boat is big and fat, you can see photos of her on their web-site ; My link

 

Peter.

[alan_fincher]

Yes, but these things seem to be considerably more expensive than even "the best of the rest".

 

The cost to change for most people would be very substantial, so I would expect very substantial improvements in return.

 

"Different" wouldn't be enough for me. That hardly sounds like the "revolutionary" claimed when these were launched.

 

In my experience most of the differences reported relate mainly to reversing and stopping, and maybe prop-walk issues. There seems to be far less evidence of great improvements when going forward, which is, after all, what we do a vast majority of the time. I'm not sure what "better slow speed control" might mean though, and, as ever with all these things, it assumes the best possible option was fitted for the more conventional prop being compared to.

 

At least one boat reported as having one fitted has already had it removed, I believe.

 

Also, as we have seen in other threads, (e.g. those relating to boat "Pin Mill"), the purchase of a quality boat in no way guarantees it comes matched to a suitable prop. That boat has apparently been "revolutionised" just by fitting something that is a good match to boat and engine, after something highly inappropriate proved to come with it. That will have cost far less than fitting an Axiom, I think.

 

Finally, has anybody come to any conclusions about the robustness of these very expensive Axiom props ? Expensive repair and replacement of props used on canals, due to debris damage seems a not uncommon theme. I can see no reason why these are less likely to get severely "dinged" than a more conventional type.

[Robbo]

Has anyone done a Crowther vs Axiom test yet, rather than a "oh the Axiom prop is alot better than the unmatched off the shelf one I used to have on".

 

Note: Lady teal's link is http://www.ladyteal.co.uk/ with out the dash.

Edited November 11, 2011 by Robbo

[bargemast]

Has anyone done a Crowther vs Axiom test yet, rather than a "oh the Axiom prop is alot better than the unmatched off the shelf one I used to have on".

 

Note: Lady teal's link is http://www.ladyteal.co.uk/ with out the dash.

 

 

Hello Robbo,

 

of course you are right, no dash does it, next time I"ll try the keyboard without my boxing gloves on.

 

The "Lady-Teal" owners didn't say it was a magic prop, but were happy with it because it's able to stop their very heavy boat quicker and they have more slow speed control.

 

The barge is used every week during the season with paying guests, so it must be easier for them to spend money on something for the barge as it go into their account with all other bills the have to pay to operate the barge.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter.

[sebrof]

Hello Robbo,

 

of course you are right, no dash does it, next time I"ll try the keyboard without my boxing gloves on.

 

The "Lady-Teal" owners didn't say it was a magic prop, but were happy with it because it's able to stop their very heavy boat quicker and they have more slow speed control.

 

The barge is used every week during the season with paying guests, so it must be easier for them to spend money on something for the barge as it go into their account with all other bills the have to pay to operate the barge.

 

Cheers,

 

Peter.

 

Like Alan F, I have no idea what "slow speed control" means.

 

If the prop really does make it possible to steer the boat in reverse, then I would rate that as a significant advantage. However, I am far from convinced that it would make a significant difference.

[PhilR]

Like Alan F, I have no idea what "slow speed control" means.

 

If the prop really does make it possible to steer the boat in reverse, then I would rate that as a significant advantage. However, I am far from convinced that it would make a significant difference.

 

I agree. There are many factors affecting performance and handling and a change of prop design might make a difference in some circumstances. But it might not and other, cheaper, changes might make a more significant improvement. It would be useful to have some hard scientific evidence of performance in forward and reverse.

[bargemast]

I agree. There are many factors affecting performance and handling and a change of prop design might make a difference in some circumstances. But it might not and other, cheaper, changes might make a more significant improvement. It would be useful to have some hard scientific evidence of performance in forward and reverse.

 

 

The best thing would be to be able to test similar boats, of the same builders, with exactly the same engines and gearboxes, equip a couple with Axiom props and let they others keep their properly calculated ordinary props, all you need then is a bollard-pull measure gadget like they use you find out the bollard-pull of tugs.

 

Only after tests like that, at different rpm can one find out the real benefits (if any) of propellors that claim to be more performent.

 

Peter.

[The Pipe]

Had a look at the web site there size/pitch range is very limited and looking at the blade profile it looks like it has been designed to give nearly the same performance in both directions.

Not too keen on the square tip on an open blade.

The blade section reminds me of some of the Kaplan propellers used in Kort tubes.

[ditchcrawler]

Someone here who likes them http://www.gongoozled.com/another-long-day-to-the-nene/