Back in the Water - And Faster Than Ever! | S2 Ep 76

After six weeks on the hard stand replacing our old 39 hp Volvo, Sailing NV is finally back in the water! In this episode, we take our freshly refitted ex-Vendée Globe racer out for her first engine sea trial — testing our brand-new Nanni N4.65 and fine-tuning the propeller pitch on our J-Prop. We share what we’ve learned about finding the perfect balance between revs, speed, and fuel efficiency, and explain what happens when your prop pitch is too high or too low. After years of coaxing an ageing diesel, hearing this new engine hum is a dream come true — and the freedom to finally move again feels incredible. Stay with us as we continue exploring the wild coasts of Borneo, testing and learning in real-world conditions, and getting back to what we love most: sailing, family, and life on the water. ⚓ Watch till the end for our speed results — and a glimpse of some well-earned family time on the beach. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When tuning (matching) the propeller to the engine, there are several factors that come into play. Let’s start with the engine sizing — the engine can be: - Undersized - Properly sized - Oversized Undersized Engine: The propeller pitch must allow the engine to reach its full RPM. Otherwise, in difficult conditions, the engine might not be able to reach its torque curve — meaning it won’t provide enough thrust, which could result in low speed or even no thrust at all in strong wind or rough seas. Properly Sized Engine: In this case, you can choose a propeller pitch that causes the engine, at full throttle, to lose about 5–10% of its maximum RPM. This allows for a higher cruising speed compared to letting it reach full RPM. The key point is that the engine must still be able to reach its torque curve in challenging conditions to avoid dangerous situations. Oversized Engine: With an oversized engine, there’s more flexibility in propeller pitch without the risks mentioned above. However, if the pitch is too large, even if the engine’s performance isn’t affected, the boat may reach a high speed even at idle. General Notes: There are, of course, many cases in between. Using common sense — such as keeping the throttle 100–200 RPM below the point where the engine starts to smoke — is always a good idea. A slightly larger propeller pitch can also improve maneuverability during docking. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you'd like to support us on Patreon, our website https://www.patreon.com/SailingNV or with a one-off donation via https://ko-fi.com/sailingnv or paypal https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/sailingnv or if you'd like to help us buy something we need, you can check out our amazon wish list https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1G2NJ0EGJLKR0?ref_=wl_share THANK YOU!!! #SailingRefit #EngineSeaTrial #SailingFamily