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Not such a fine weekend out on the water... 50 miles offshore, heading back home at cruise, loud bang, 10 hour tow back to port.
Hauled the boat and found the prop gone along with the end of the shaft. I believe it's the aquamet 22. Does anyone have the dimensions of this? I'm being told locally that the shaft will have to be custom machined for the boat. They want to remove and send it out. Right now we're looking at 1.5-2 months. If anyone has had to do this before or know where I can get a shaft made any sooner that would be great. Our seasons are short here and this really, really sucks.
Yikes! I'm really sorry to hear. Mine was made by a local shop here in nj...they made it in about a week! You might be able to get them to make one and ship it up. I forget, is your an engine box or flush deck? I had to replace mine because it bent, so they were able to copy it. I would assume they still have the specs...
Thanks guys! I'm going to call H&H today. If you have the contact info to your shop in NJ I would definitely give them a ring as well. My boat has the engine box w yanmar/velvet drive.
Thanks again! I got in touch with atlantisprop and they said they could bang one out in about a week. It was advised that I get a new coupling as well which I will do. Anyone have any experience with dropping the shaft? The coupling I have on is not in the best shape but looks like I may be able to get it off with some persuasion. The yard can't get to it until next week so I'm contemplating doing this myself to get the correct measurements as far as where it tapers etc... I'm assuming these shafts are single taper just at the prop? It also looks like (from Robs' pic when he was selling his boat) that the coupling end is keyed as well. I don't remember seeing this on my boat so I'll have to take a closer look when I'm back down there.
I did not recondition the prop prior to launch this season as it looked fine....
You will probably be removing the stern tube and if that is the original you may be looking at a replacement from Buck Algonquin. It is not protected by a zinc and the inside lip which centers it undergoes galvanic deterioration. If it is you should contact them immediately. I have been waiting 3 months for the bearing holder that goes on the skeg bar as they do not keep them in stock and it has to be cast.
Russ
2005 Flush Deck
Honey Girl
Volvo D6-310
Stuart FL
Tree wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2017 4:22 pm
8' long and 1.5" diameter. I'm getting worried now that a few shafts have gone now. Think I'll make myself a new one from super duplex or T-Met!
Mine was from a strike unfortunately:/
I don't remember if they are double tapered or not but I do believe mine is keyed at the coupler. They mated them up at Atlantis, balanced and trued them together as well. I had the yard do my work unfortunately so I can't help there
Russell wrote: ↑Tue Jun 06, 2017 7:33 pm
You will probably be removing the stern tube and if that is the original you may be looking at a replacement from Buck Algonquin. It is not protected by a zinc and the inside lip which centers it undergoes galvanic deterioration. If it is you should contact them immediately. I have been waiting 3 months for the bearing holder that goes on the skeg bar as they do not keep them in stock and it has to be cast.
Are you referring to the rudder bearing or the cutlass housing?
Russ is referring to the stern bearing housing. Here's a bunch of pictures that may help you along the way. The shaft removal and replacement is not difficult at all - do it all yourself. I bet if you take your time you can get that housing off in good enough shape to be able to reinstall it --- leave it to the yard monkeys with the lump hammer and all bets are off.. If not leave the new cutlass bearing a little longer to act as the centering pilot
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Rob S.
"TENACIOUS"
1974 Chris Craft 36' Commander Tournament
Cummins 6BTA 330B's
Rob - this is huge. Thank you very much for posting all these pics.
This is the process I have thought out in my head, let me know if it seems somewhat accurate....
1. Try like hell to remove the bolts that hold the coupler to the drive shaft.
2. Once removed, push the shaft up from the outside so that I can get a puller on the coupler.
3. Drop the shaft out the back (does the rudder need to be moved?).
Now I'm assuming the only reason to remove the cutlass housing from the keel is to change the bearing?
How do you drive the bearing from the housing once the housing is off? socket and a hammer? Is it absolutely necessary to replace the cutlass if it is in good shape?
I'm a little confused here " If not leave the new cutlass bearing a little longer to act as the centering pilot". Do you mean leave it sticking out a bit on the keel side so that it slides back and holds where it originally came out? (sort of like what I see in your last pic but with a new cutlass bearing?).
Look at my 2nd and 3rd pic above. Unbolt the rudder show from the strap and tie the rudder off to the side. That will give you the clearance to slide the shaft out. Removing the bearing housing will give you the ability to angle to the shaft passed the rudder and it will literally slide right out of the boat. She's on a trailer right? If she's not and she's blocked low I hope she's not on pavement because you have to dig a small hole to get the shaft out - see my red circle.
Do both the cutlass bearing and the shaft seal - too easy not to when it's all apart. The bearing should be pressed out of the housing and new one pressed back in and don't forget to drill the water flow holes on each side.
You have a tides lip seal, right?
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Rob S.
"TENACIOUS"
1974 Chris Craft 36' Commander Tournament
Cummins 6BTA 330B's
Now those are some great pictures. Thank you, Rob. What a great help, having gone through some of the same issues on my A25.
I do think the shaft length may be very specific to the boat/transmission/coupler/split coupler/length of propeller boss/protrusion of cutless from housing, etc. etc. I would not count on somebody else's measurement, but I am a firm believer in the do it yourself method. Take it to the pros when you know exactly what you think you need. My pro, Mr. Gary Ives at the Mukilteo Prop Shop, is a pro's pro and a real decent human being. He steered me out of the weeds at so many turns I cannot thank him enough. But it took me a while to find him. (I had a "pro" up in BC tell me that I am the kind of guy he would gladly pay $25 just to go away, and he took 10 minutes to say that. At $150/hr, he just broke even, though I am still waiting for my check.)
Your picture of the shaft resting on the center console of your family car is almost identical to what I just did last week. I really enjoy this community of boaters. Thanks all!
I second what Willie has said - thank you very much.
The good news is that she is indeed on a trailer and I should have plenty of clearance to get the shaft out. I'm quite mechanically inclined but I will admit that due to the importance of these components it makes me just a tad nervous as this is my first time. The holes you mention that need to be drilled through the cutlass looks like I just need to get a bit through the housing where there is already a hole and drill through? I believe the boat has a dripless or tides seal. I know there is water that pisses from the engine to something down there. How is the access to the shaft seal? it seems like it's waaaay down in the bilge by the auto pump switch. Is the shaft seal easy to replace?
Do you have any reference to these parts? are all cutlass bearings the same as long as they are 1.5" ID? How about the shaft seal? that sounds like it might be a pricey item that could be a bit difficult to replace but again - never done it before. Also it looks like you had replaced your cutlass housing due to the broken tube on the keel side. I'm assuming this is the piece that has a very long wait.
Also, while we're on the topic... I had a 4 blade 19x19. The boat topped out at 3850RPM per the yanmar tach (haven't had time to use a real tach yet). Should I drop a pitch to be safe?
