Shaft wows

[Skywalker]

My day wasn't going as planned, so I decided to change out my prop, which was on the to do list.

I've been soaking it with acetone/ATF, put a puller on it. No chance.

Pulled out the torch. Nada.

Then I notice what appears to be a crack in the shaft, moving horizontally. I little tap tap tap, and a hunk of shaft falls off, leaving behind a beautiful pink shaft.

Well, time for new shaft. The old Indigo prop was basically welded to the shaft. I cut the shaft with a sawzall pulled it out and on Monday, I'll drop it off for sizing and production.

On the plus side, I just got my two blade back from the prop guy.

Chris.

[CalebD]

Got shafted?

Chris,

Just went through this exercise 2 winters ago.

Started out with an attempt to replace the Cutless bearing. Once shaft was backed out a few inches it was apparent that the old bronze shaft was worn at the Cutless - time for a new shaft. Sawzall works great for cutting a bronze shaft - about 2 minutes of cutting.

While you are there ...

While we were at it we replaced the shaft log hose, hose clamps, cutless, new packing material etc.
Had a new SS shaft made by prop shop in Newburgh, NY (only about $225). New Buck Algonquin hose for shaft log hose (about $15), clamps (~ $15), packing material (3/16" GTU ~ $20), new cutless bearing (~ $60).

Net end of a lot of cursing, swearing and sweating: new drive train in our boat that I should not have to worry about for some time.

A few pics of the traumatic job: http://www.odalisque.us/2011/12/2011...train-rebuild/

Clearly it is at least time for a new SS prop shaft.

Good luck my friend.

[Skywalker]

Great link, Caleb.

What has me puzzled is the bronze shaft. When I first owned Skywalker, I changed out the original bronze shaft, cutless bearing, stern tube. I think that was in 2002.

I guess Harry changed it out. No idea why.

So, I'll check the stern tube again, but looked good. Ironically, I just repacked the bearing.

This certainly has been an adventure! You know the drill. But in a week or two I'll launch.

The list of "new" is getting rather long. New includes - chainplates and bulkhead/knees, side deck core, bridge deck core, deck paint (smooth and non skid), lexan port lights, prop, shaft, distributor, 2 batteries, distribution panel, alternator, tach and temp gauge, salon sole, mast wiring, grab rails, carb, exhaust...

I'm going to South Jersey today for another tournament with my son as he prepares for the Summer National Championsips. Last week was ok, he lost o a very strong Canadian, in sudden death overtime. Top ten finish. He was disappointed. Today's tourney is another strong tune up event.

So, no boat work today. Maybe that's good. Everything I touch needs replacing!

See you on the water in July!

[Hymodyne]

Online metals?

I used a supplier, Onlinemetals.com for my SS shaft.

It is 316 stainless and 4' x 3/4" It cost me about $55.00

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=4479&step=4&showunits=inches&id=7&top_cat=1

here are their marine offerings in stainless:

http://www.onlinemetals.com/merchant.cfm?pid=4481&step=4&showunits=inches&id=7&top_cat=0

I believe the larger shafts are also reasonably priced, and available in 303, 304, 316 and 416 Stainless. The savings on the shaft for me were wiped out by the mods I had to make at the machine shop for my prop application, but with a standard prop, a virgin shaft would need keyways cut on both ends, and threads and a taper on one end. Just a suggestion.

Send my wish for Good Steel to your son in his competition today.

james

[Skywalker]

Thanks. I'm taking a moment from the tourney!

Just gettin started. Hopefully, it will b a long day!

[sastanley]

Skywalker..many of us with older boats are experiencing the same thing you are. Two years ago I went thru it. I started with a 1 week haul for paint and prop replacement, and it turned into a haul (again) for a month and everything from the rear main seal back replacement.

My big problem was water coming thru the shaft log behind the stuffing box hose from a mis-aligned prop that had worn a hole in the shaft log. I did a new stuffing box/cutless/shaft/couplings/everything while I was there.

It is a LOT of work, but you won't be sorry. If you were interested in viewing it, it is the 3rd longest thread on this forum, labeled "indigo", that you can get to in the stats section. I am tired of linking to it.

I feel your pain on the 'everything i touch on the boat breaks'.

[CalebD]

Bronze shaft

Great link, Caleb.

What has me puzzled is the bronze shaft. When I first owned Skywalker, I changed out the original bronze shaft, cutless bearing, stern tube. I think that was in 2002.

I guess Harry changed it out. No idea why.

<snip>

See you on the water in July!

Chris,

That is just a bit weird. If you changed out the bronze shaft when you first owned Skywalker and it came back to you a few years later with another one there must be a story behind this, or he sold you back a different T27!

Bronze shafts are more expensive now than SS. I know that your intermediate owner, Harry demarest, sailed on the Great South Bay which is notoriously shallow, so maybe he buggered the new shaft on something and found a used bronze shaft to replace it? Speculation indeed but this is a bit of mystery.

Shawn's Indigo thread really is a saga into the drive train worm hole. Lots of information worth gleaning.

[Skywalker]

I'll definitely read the thread.

It's been an adventure recently, but I'm starting to believe it will work out sooner rather than later.

There isn't much more I can break!

One more thing. My son had a big day yesterday. Defeated the number one kid in the country en route to earning the highest rating US Fencing has. Fencing as a convoluted rating and ranking system. He has put himself in a nice position heading into the summer National Championships the first week of July.

Chris