Query on 2 Prairie 29s for sale

[tallswede]

The 29s are great little boats but if you run across a 36 for the right price you can hardly go wrong especially if it has well cared for Perkins 4-236s. Yeah, a single NA Perkins 6-364 or Cummins would be ideal but I have run mine with only one engine on and at 1600 rpm I do a tad over 6 kts. That is about .8 gph on my boat. When it's time to dock or other tight maneuvers, having twins is nice. The 36 is a little big for just a couple but if you have kids or friends that visit, it like having a little apartment on the water.

Kevin

 

[kokopelliTim]

Tallswede,
So you have run your Prairie 36 with only one engine? I have always heard this is not recommended. I like the idea, though.
I really like a Prairie 36...but the twin engines just gets to me some how (perhaps because I have always owned single screws)
But IF is it possible to run on one screw, while cruising, and then two screws for close quarters...that could change things.

Thanks.

Tim

 

[tallswede]

I have run mine with one engine down for several miles just to see how it will handle. I have not taken any long trips with it like this yet. Borg Warner says their velvet drive transmissions (which I have) are ok to do this. I do have to steer in the direction of the running engine to go straight but not much. The extra drag created by the off center rudders and spinning dead prop will not allow you to get twice the mileage on one engine but it does help quite a bit.

Kevin

 

[FOG]

Running my Prairie 36 twin Perkins 6-354s on one engine at certain times is also my plan.
As Kevin says the Borg Warner Velvet Drive will free wheel without issues. My last boat was a Motorsailor with the same drive train. I would let it free wheel while under sail and never had an issue.
I have a Flow Scan on the Prairie starboard engine so I should be able to get a good idea on fuel usage verses performance with the port engine shutdown.

 

[CaptTom]

FYI, I had occasion to run on one engine last summer for about an hour (also 6-354's w/BW velvet drives) due to a problem with the other engine.

As part of my regular engine room rounds, I shoot the temperature of a few spots on the gears, which normally live at about 100F +/-.

After about a half-hour, the non-powered (and non-cooled) gear was significantly hotter. Unfortunately I didn't write it down, and I had enough going on already that I don't remember the exact value, but I was getting worried. I probably would have ended up securing the shaft with a belt or something if I'd had to go much farther.