Two other points to consider, even if the new ratio allows you maintain
your cruising speed within a safe engine RPM:

1. You will be able to go slower while in gear at idle, which might be an
advantage. My speed at idle is a bit over 2 knots, which is a bit fast for
negotiating tight spaces, so I have to pop out of gear to scrub off speed
sometimes.

2. You will have less power on demand at the top end when you might need a
burst of power, such as yesterday when I backed out of my slip in 25+ knots
of wind, and then had to spin the bow through the wind, which required two
attempts and full throttle. I've considered whether I could have backed all
the way out, but by the time I steer clear of my neighbour to leeward,
there is very little room left to swing the other way. I have not installed
a tach yet, but my engine has a wider power band than most diesels
(900-4800RPM), so I'm thankful at times like this!


Shawn Wright
shawngwri...@gmail.com
S/V Callisto, 1974 C&C 35
https://www.facebook.com/SVCallisto


On Thu, Jan 2, 2020 at 9:05 AM Neil Gallagher via CnC-List <
cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote:

> Olivier,
>
> Let me add a little info regarding the engine/gear/prop question.
> Assuming a 19% higher gear ratio, if you can run the engine at 19%
> higher RPM you will have identical performance of the prop/hull, as the
> prop RPM will be the same.  That means the power demanded by the prop is
> identical, thus the load on the engine will be the same. The principle
> at work is that power = torque x RPM, so if you go up in engine RPM,
> the engine torque will go down  proportionately to give the same power
> output. (There may be a small change in engine efficiency at the
> different speed/torque combination, but no more than a few percent,
> meaning fuel consumption may change a few percent, possibly for the
> better.)
>
> The only question is can the engine run 19% faster without hitting the
> limit.  The 3HM35F appears to have a limit of 3,200 RPM, so if with your
> old gear you were under 2,624 RPM (=3,200 x 2.14/2.61) at your normal
> cruising speed, you would be able to achieve that with the new gear at
> 3,200 or less.  If you run above 2,600 RPM now, you won't be able to
> match the speed you have with the old gear. And running the engine at
> higher RPM may cause it to wear a little faster, but if you're within
> the 3,200 limit, and the torque will be lower, shouldn't be too big an
> issue.
>
> If you approach this with the new gear ratio and want to run the engine
> at the old RPM, you'd have to increase pitch to give the same boat
> speed, as several people have pointed out.  Now your torque will
> increase, possibly exceeding the torque limit at your old RPM. You'd
> want to check with a prop shop, who can give you that kind of info.
>
> Neil Gallagher
> Weatherly, 35-1
> Glen Cove, NY
>
>
>
>
> On 1/2/2020 9:32 AM, Olivier Chatot via CnC-List wrote:
> > Thank you for the comments!
> >
> > I see that my understanding was basically correct. The shaft RPM will
> > be lower than before, and using a larger prop or a prop with greater
> > pitch would counter this difference.
> >
> > I'll update you later if I end up using the transmission with a
> > different gear ratio. I won't get a new propeller right away to get a
> > chance to test the new transmission with the old prop.
> >
> > I think there's a chance the gear ratios are close enough that I'll
> > get the same speeds at still reasonable engine RPMs. What I'm thinking
> > is that lower prop RPM also means that the prop slip will be lower, so
> > even though the prop RPM would be 19% lower, the boat speed is likely
> > to decrease by less than 19%.
> >
> > Thank you,
> >
> > Olivier Chatot
> > C&C 38-3
> >
>
>
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