“We fitted the 17″ 3 blade FeatherStream to our Rustler 36 in November 2015...
Kath and Franco Mcnulty
FeatherStream B-Hub 3B
Rustler
“We fitted the 17″ 3 blade FeatherStream to our Rustler 36 in November 2015 in Uruguay and it has proven it’s worth. The advice you gave us was perfect. As a result we changed the gearbox, an expensive decision, but the right one without a doubt. Our Rustler 36 Yacht with FeatherStream Propeller first year: 4,400 miles under sail, 1,300 miles under engine, Uruguay – Falklands – South Georgia – Chile Pacific coast … we love it!”
“It was early autumn when we sailed back to Stanley from South Georgia. For a month, we waited for a weather window, anything less than F8 would do. Spending the winter in the Falklands didn’t appeal and we were keen to get to Chile.”
“The weather pattern seemed fairly consistent. When the wind dropped in the Falklands, it was blowing a gale in Strait Le Maire, a place infamous for wind over tide over falls. We decided to time our departure so as to arrive at the strait and the entrance to the Beagle Channel in good weather. This meant leaving Stanley in 40 knots. Caramor flew down Stanley Harbour and turned into The Narrows, the gap leading to Port William bay. The wind was on our nose and there is no room to tack. Our 30HP engine would never have made it with our old propeller but with the ‘FeatherStream’, we clawed our way out steadily. We were ecstatic!”
“A few months before, we had arrived in Uruguay and found that our prop was in bits. The ‘Feather Stream’ looked like it might fit Caramor, our long keel Rustler 36. We contacted Darglow Marine and the advice we received was excellent.
At last we had found someone who really understood propeller sizing.”
“Once through Strait Le Maire, we sailed up the Beagle Channel to Puerto Williams in a light breeze. After resupplying for a long journey, we set off to sail the 1,900 miles up through the Chilean channels over winter as the weather was reputedly better; less wind, more sunshine though colder. The ‘FeatherStream’ had proven itself in strong winds, and we soon found out what an asset it was in light winds.”
“Southern Chile is pristine and very beautiful and we were prepared to sail slowly. Caramor is a heavy displacement yacht, yet with the ‘FeatherStream’, she still made headway in winds as light as 6 knots.”
“Five months later we hauled out in Puerto Mont, a year after fitting the new propeller. It was in excellent condition so we greased it and polished it and sailed off once again.”
