Indigo

[rigspelt]

A new shaft is $220, the stuffing box is about $75, the coupler (if I have to break the old one to get it off & the shaft out) is about $65, & the cutless bearing $40.

[Hot out there! We just got done waxing the hull: time for cool drink of water and check the osprey.]

Stanley, Get the shaft inspected -- it might be fine. A prop manufacturer checked mine for true for free, said it was fine, and then gave me tips on mounting the prop. Check also for scoring at the cutless and stuffing box packing.
I soaked our old stuffing box in vinegar, which cleaned it up like new, after some scraping and emery cloth.
The connecting hose shouldn't cost $65. Important to use the right kind of hose (discussed in prior threads).

[sastanley]

Ah..that price was for the whole thing...bronze nuts, tube, blah blah...it is an assembly over at Deep Blue. If the hose is in fact the only damaged piece, I assume I can re-use the other stuff.

Here is a link - I have to pay extra for the nice T-style clamps like you have all over your boat though

http://www.deepblueyachtsupply.com/series.aspx?id=185

There is a shaft place about 45 minutes up the road. I do plan to take it to them if I can get it out in one piece.

That shopping list was a 'worst case' scenario.

[sastanley]

haul

OK, finally got on the schedule.

Boat gets hauled at noon today. Hopefully she'll hold together long enough to make it down the creek

[sastanley]

boat out

Boat is out. There is some slightly disturbing findings under the Marine Tex repair (which I chipped away with a chisel after the boat was safely on the hard) that was aft of the stuffing box. I need to do more investigating to report back...I have pics on the camera to upload for your viewing/scrutinizing pleasure. It looks like there is some rot and the marine tex held it for 20?? years but now it needs attention again - I'll work on those pics.

Still working on getting the aft half of the coupler off the bronze shaft. Fiberglass/boat smart friend recommended some heat/cold cycles to try and break it loose.

The engine ran great. I dusted a Tartan 3500 in the harbor today..if the marine police had pulled me over I would have claimed innocence based on the paddle wheel being out. She ran great at 2,100 RPM when I goosed her.

[Mark S]

Speaking of Indigo

Finally! Launching tomorrow.

[sastanley]

Mark,
I do not have enough real world data to provide you with feedback on my Indigo prop performance yet. However, I can guarantee it was no worse than the 12" x 7" two blade I took off. So far only 50 more RPM, but I have other issues I am still dealing with and only 1.5 hours (up & down the creek once) on the motor/prop combo so far.

Hope you like it! Looks a lot like mine except I sprayed mine with the gray Pettit 1792 barnacle stuff my buddy swears by. It was only in the water for 12 days but came out absolutely clean.

[Mark S]

Shawn,

I'm in the middle of a self imposed real busy stretch at work so I probably won't have much opportunity until late June to post any data, but when I have it, I'll post it.

Good luck.

Mark

[hanleyclifford]

shaft log

Shawn - I actually did look at this thread first, assumed you could run engine on the hard. Regarding the repair, have you determined what material the tube is made of? Schedule 40 bonds well with West System, don't know about schedule 80 - Neil may know about this. While doing the repair, good time to soak those motor mounts.

[ndutton]

HC and Shawn,
Yeah, I can offer sumthin regarding the shaft log.

I've seen shaft logs in only 3 varieties: cast bronze and two fiberglass versions. We fin keelers don't have bronze shaft logs, they're the purview of full keel boats with the shaft exiting the deadwood.

Of the two fiberglass types, by far the most common is a filament wound tube made on a mandrel. It is comprised of unidirectional roving (UDR) aka fiberglass rope, impregnated with polyester resin (epoxy was unheard of in boats of our vintage) and machine wound about a mandrel to a wall thickness of approximately 3/8". The winding was precise, looked much like a new roll of masonry string. The glass to resin ratio was very high (that's a good thing). The inboard end was sanded on a lathe to get it smooth, round and to dimension to accept the stuffing box hose.

The other fiberglass type was a crude version of the filament wound tube. It too was formed on a mandrel but by hand with alternating layers of fiberglass mat and cloth (no heavy roving). It was prone to air voids in the lamination and tended to be resin rich.

The difference between the two can be seen in the lamination. If it looks braided, it's machine wound (better, in my opinion).

So how did Shawn's get holed in the first place?

[keelcooler]

Frank Buttler only used the lowest cost FRP tubes found south of the boarder.

Mark, You going to put a zinc on that bling or ya going for that max patina no fowling thing?

[Dave Neptune]

Rpm

Shawn, sounds like she will run very good for you. I cruised to Catalina over the weekend and filled the motor with saltwater. Spent an extra hour on the mooring to get the water out and get the lil beastie lit again. That's another story.
I am still getting more RPM with the original plugs. I had the opportunity to use the 12's again after the water and the engine turned slower.

Don't worry about the "glass tube" to much as the shaft should not touch. There's gobs of clearance, just be sure and get it in-line with the output shaft and the strut.

Dinner
Dave Neptune

[67c&ccorv]

Mark and Shawn - I think you will both like the improved performance the Indigo prop provides.

For me, it was low speeed manouvering that I was most impressed with. It's like I have a new Brad-point drill bit down below that just pulls me in whatever direction I chose to go...forward or back.

Cheers!

[sastanley]

pics

Here are the pics..I think the last pic tells the story of the mysterious leak anyway. Yes, that is some bronze prop shaft you can see inside the hole I poked in there I also finally cut out the access hole so that when I am putting all this back together, I'll actually be able to get at the nut(s).

Probably gonna take off work early and try to get to the boat today. A friend that was planning to come into town is now not, so that frees up another evening for the boat. Will likely be busy all weekend so not much chance for boat work. Might be taking a little road trip to do some car shopping, & going to meet up with some cousins and watch the Orioles beat up on the RedSox at Camden Yards.

[Mark S]

Keel,

There is insufficient room between the prop and the bearing to install the collar zinc I used on the old shaft with the old prop so we're going to do without for this season. We are at a mooring in the middle of Salem Harbor and there's not much electricity in the harbor and none around us so I'm not worried for one season. If I get bored, I suppose I can dive and put on a zinc nut. I probably should have done that before yesterday's launch but we wanted to get in the water and the yard wanted to get rid of us.

Mark S

[sastanley]

Mark, the dissimilar metals and the salt water itself will produce some electric current.

It will be interesting to see next year when you haul how well Tom's theory works regarding 'barnacle free operation'. When the boat comes out try to take a shot from similar angles so we can compare any physical changes of the prop & also try to get a shot before any scraping is done