Engine Re-fit

[nies]

Sounds like they used a carriage bolt (rounded head), stupid is as stupid does, if you get enough pressure on head , may be able to turn nut off or drill head and use a extracter................good luck...........Phil

[Allure2sail]

Thank you but definitely NOT a carriage bolt. Just suspect they (the previous marina) never put the nut on the inside to tighten up the retainer plate. I can easily see the nut and washer on the upper bolt but the lower is out of sight. I intend on buying that "snoop camera" to look down there.

[jimyoung]

There should be a matching lower nut and lock washer.  I remember being able to get to the nut using about 2-1/2' of extension the last time I had it off.  Now if it only comes apart as easily this time.  Good luck with yours and let us know how it goes.  I dropped the rudder last time, but not sure if it was necessary, may try to get it all apart and back in without removing it this time. Any definitive experience out there on this?

I will post some pictures once it is apart.

[jimyoung]

Well, I just ordered a new Campbell Sailor prop from Norm Ross of West by North Enterprises, really good guys to deal with and we'll see if it was a good decision when it gets here.  I will have to run the old two blade until it gets here so I will have something to compair it to.  Now to scout for a place with clear water deep enough to float, but shallow enough to pick up parts when I drop them while changing out the prop in the water since it won't be here while I am replacing the cutlass bearing.

[bmiller]

Regarding the Campbell Sailor prop. The body of the prop is longer than the two blade. When I switched mine out the original sized zincs would not fit. I had to search for a thinner zinc. Found a metric size designed for a beneteau. I think it was the 25mm found here. Maybe my shaft was shorter to begin with, maybe.

[jimyoung]

Thanks for the heads-up!  I will have her out of the water on Wednesday and let you know what I find out.

[bmiller]

What pitch did you get?

[jimyoung]

Ended up with a 12" dia  x 10" Pitch

[Allure2sail]

There should be a matching lower nut and lock washer.  I remember being able to get to the nut using about 2-1/2' of extension the last time I had it off.  Now if it only comes apart as easily this time.  Good luck with yours and let us know how it goes.  I dropped the rudder last time, but not sure if it was necessary, may try to get it all apart and back in without removing it this time. Any definitive experience out there on this?

I will post some pictures once it is apart.

[Shaft tube leak ordeal over]
Looked down there under the shaft tube with a camera I had purchased and found a pile of junk that had collected at the back lowest point of the shaft tube trough. Cleaned most of it out with a coat hanger and then blew the rest of it out with an air gun. I could see with the new camera that there was a nut was on the bolt but still could not get a socket on it. The best combination is a 1/4 drive extra long extension and a 1/4 drive, 6 point, 1/2" deep socket. The bolt is actually a 5/16" X 1-1/2 long SS hex head bolt. The quarter inch extension and socket are easier to move around down there. Even then I could not get the socket onto the bolt and nut. I ended up grinding off the head of the old bolt and then knocking it thru into the trough. Fished it out with the coat hanger and then the fun began. Decided to super glue the washer onto the face of the new nut and put it into the socket with a small piece of electrical tape on two of the flats to keep it in the socket. Then I slide it down the through with a coat hanger looped under the 1/4 inch drive extension which allowed me to pick up on the 1/4 inch extension to help position it. On the outside I had someone looking for the nut thru the hole. Once he was able to see it I had him center it to the hole with a phillips screw driver. Once centered I pushed back on the extension to hold the nut in place. The person on the outside then was able to get the bolt start into the nut. I held it on the inside with a ratchet and he tightend the bolt from the outside. Also loaded the bolt up with 4500 before sliding it into the hole and catching the nut. Top was easy, you can actually put the nut on the threads of the bolt with your fingers. Not a very nice job but I did finally get it done......going in on Friday.

[Craig Weis]

Ended up with a 12" dia  x 10" Pitch

So what is the pitch of a paddle wheel boat?
Just asking.

skip.

[jimyoung]

Update on the Prop..... Once out of the water I discovered that I had more clearance than I thought and changed the prop to a 14" dia x 8" pitch.

Update on the Cutless Bearing bolts.....  Removed the entire mess yesterday, pressed in a new bearing and reinstalled today.  The bottom bolt was either eaten thru from electrolysis or broke as soon as I put torque on it so I had no trouble getting it out, and after cleaning it all up, drying the well out and a fresh coat of bilge paint it went back together easier than I thought.  Loaded the nut into the socket similar to "Allure" but was able to find the bolt and held the ratchet to the tube with tape, using the hull floor as a stop was able to tighten from outside.  Same process for the top.

And oh yea.....  I think paddle wheel props are measured in length and width

[bmiller]

How much shaft do you have sticking out? You must have lots more then I do being able to use that big of a prop.

[jimyoung]

How much shaft do you have sticking out?

Let's not get personal but I will take the camera with me today and grab some shots of my extended shaft.  

Also when dropping the rudder I noticed that the stop post was a little tilted....  turned out that I had a little dry rot in the wood in that area so I am having to keep her on the hard for another day and do some reinforcing in that area, hopeful for a Saturday launch.