Feathering, Folding or Fixed?

The three most commonly used propellers on sailboats, fixed, folding and feathering each have a number of distinct advantages and disadvantages, the major differences to consider are shown in the table below.

What is the difference between a Fixed and a Folding propeller?

It must be remembered that this information is of a general nature and varies between brands and designs

ADVANTAGES
Feathering	Folding	Fixed
Superior manoeuvrability at all times due to good thrust in forward & best thrust in reverse	Lowest drag of all propellers	No service requirements (Other than shaft zinc/anode and cleaning)
Best reverse thrust of all propellers	Sleekest lines = Lowest chance of snagging foreign objects in the water	Lowest initial purchase price
Low Drag (Slightly more than a folding prop dependant on shaft angle, but significantly less than a fixed prop)	Generally smoother/quieter under power than flat blade feathering propellers
Adjustable pitch allows optimisation of setting to suit application (System varies, Autostream can be set independent forward & reverse, even while in water)	If perfectly pitched, provides best forward propulsion
Reduced prop walk (Reduction is highest on models with independent forward/reverse adjustment)	Lower initial purchase price than feathering prop	Reverse ability is usually better than folding props (Dependant on number / size of blades, gearbox ratio & displacement)
Long service life (Dependant on design)	Lower initial purchase price than feathering prop
Generally more robust in construction than a folding prop	Simpler design than feathering props	Long service life (If protected from electrolysis)
Generally more robust in construction than a folding prop		Simplest design, no moving parts
No technique required for docking manoeuvres		No technique require for docking manoeuvres

DISADVANTAGES
Feathering	Folding	Fixed
Highest initial purchase price	Typically have 'adequate' to 'poor' reverse thrust and require some 'technique' during docking manoeuvres.	Highest drag while sailing of all types
Slightly more drag than a folding propeller while sailing (Largely dependant on shaft angle, but significantly less than a fixed propeller)	Due to design tend to wear the fastest. (Varies with brands considerably)	Requires a shaft lock to stop rotation of shaft
Some service requirements (Complexity & frequency varies with brands)	Fixed pitch	Rotating shaft generates noise and can damage gearbox.
	Gears exposed to marine environment	Reverse thrust lower than feathering propeller
	Fixed pitch cannot be changed once fitted, without removal and specialist attention.
	Tendency to "prop walk" in reverse