Cruiser propeller

[Kate and James]

Hi,

we ran aground on Saturday and although we made it back to our mooring it felt quite juddery... wether this was just my legs shaking or not I do not know but I want to check on the prop. Now,, I accept that this will involve waders.. James just thinks that we can't find out as it's to far underneath, but 've pointed out that that's just dumb as if it was tangled by weeds or whatever we'd have to be able to get to it to clear it (What I'd do for a weed hatch right now!!)

 

Any advise?

 

(t's a freeman 26 if that makes any difference?)

 

K xx

[Paul Evans]

Get out, get in, get under!

 

From the pictures on the Freeman website (Link) the prop is not that far under the boat. You should be able to reach it without resorting to snorkel or scuba gear.

Edited April 5, 2010 by Paul Evans

[Guest]

 (What I'd do for a weed hatch right now!!)

 

Any advise?

 

One of these????

 

.

[Kate and James]

Fair enough Paul... that's what I thought!

 

MJG... I think it would be grounds for divorce if I attacked the hull with a jigsaw hahaha!

[fuzzyduck]

Ahhhh yes fouled props.

 

Yup, its chest waders, or tshirt shorts and old shoes. Next time you have her out consider getting a rope cutter fitted. Also invest in the best rope knife you can afford.

 

Good luck.

[Kate and James]

funnily enough we've just been looking at rope cutters! wll definatly be on the shopping list!

thanks

[Naughty Cal]

Get a cruiser with an outdrive. No more getting wet to clear/change the props

[Big COL]

Get a cruiser with an outdrive. No more getting wet to clear/change the props

 

 

Outboards are king, Tilt and clean, Shhhimples

[Naughty Cal]

Outboards are king, Tilt and clean, Shhhimples

 

Outdrives are the same

 

Tilt, trim, clean, change props (often) all whilst in the water.

[mykaskin]

Not sure how safe it would be with a fibre glass boat, but I use a boat hook to clean the prop on my historic narrowboat. A good metal hooked one will probably be needed to clear anything of any weight. Often just putting the prop in reverse will clear it, but may need to be done several times with a bad load.

 

Mike

[Naughty Cal]

Not sure how safe it would be with a fibre glass boat, but I use a boat hook to clean the prop on my historic narrowboat. A good metal hooked one will probably be needed to clear anything of any weight. Often just putting the prop in reverse will clear it, but may need to be done several times with a bad load.

 

Mike

 

Why would it be any less safe than on a narrowboat?

[mykaskin]

Why would it be any less safe than on a narrowboat?

Risk of damaging the gel coat?

 

Mike

[Naughty Cal]

Risk of damaging the gel coat?

 

Mike

 

Not underwater. It will be antifouled. The worst that will happen is a scuff on the antifoul paint, not the end of the world.

[gazza]

funnily enough we've just been looking at rope cutters! wll definatly be on the shopping list!

thanks

 

non planning cruisers are better with a proper gerabox and shaft than an outdrive in my opinion.

 

yes they are more difficult to clear a fouled prop, but for robust and reliable performance a prop(er!) shaft is the way to go. outdrives are way too much of a compromise, especially from an engineering point of view.

 

when an outdrive packs up (which they enevitably do) it is a major arse ache to sort, when a gearbox or cutlas bearing needs sorting on a shaft its not too expensive or difficult to sort.

 

high performance boats have a different set of requirements, but if you really wanted a proper propulsion system on a high performance boat you would have a jet drive, think how much you would save on props........

 

outboards are easier to clear, but a bit of a bugger to get more than 8 amps charge out of. a calorifier is a nightmare to fit to an outboard

 

 

edited to add, the quote should have been phylis outdrive is the best option....... not sure what happened there.

Edited April 7, 2010 by gazza

[DHutch]

Not underwater. It will be antifouled. The worst that will happen is a scuff on the antifoul paint, not the end of the world.

If you have seen how vigorously some people go at fouled props on historic boats you might change you mind.

 

While i understand there tougher than many give them credit, im quite sure you could take a fair sized chunk out of the back of a grp boat with a 8foot lenght of 2by2 with a ruddy big lump of steel on the end.

- I would estimate, with thought, you could puncher a 10mm grp sheet for sure....

 

 

Daniel

[robkg]

Get a cruiser with an outdrive. No more getting wet to clear/change the props

 

Apologies in advance for indulging in a bit of "ours are better than yours".

 

As a large proportion of narrowboats are fitted with weed hatches, then there is no need to get wet on them either.

I don't anticipate having to change the prop. for many years so no problem there.

Also there is no need to reach out over the stern (or back up to the bank) so possibly easier.

 

Rob

[Naughty Cal]

Apologies in advance for indulging in a bit of "ours are better than yours".

 

As a large proportion of narrowboats are fitted with weed hatches, then there is no need to get wet on them either.

I don't anticipate having to change the prop. for many years so no problem there.

Also there is no need to reach out over the stern (or back up to the bank) so possibly easier.

 

Rob

 

Who mentioned narrowboats?

 

non planning cruisers are better with a proper gerabox and shaft than an outdrive in my opinion.

 

yes they are more difficult to clear a fouled prop, but for robust and reliable performance a prop(er!) shaft is the way to go. outdrives are way too much of a compromise, especially from an engineering point of view.

 

when an outdrive packs up (which they enevitably do) it is a major arse ache to sort, when a gearbox or cutlas bearing needs sorting on a shaft its not too expensive or difficult to sort.

 

high performance boats have a different set of requirements, but if you really wanted a proper propulsion system on a high performance boat you would have a jet drive, think how much you would save on props........

 

outboards are easier to clear, but a bit of a bugger to get more than 8 amps charge out of. a calorifier is a nightmare to fit to an outboard

 

 

edited to add, the quote should have been phylis outdrive is the best option....... not sure what happened there.

 

Its a bit of a myth that outdrives are fragile. Given the proper servicing they require they serve a long and happy spell in service. There are many many aging GRP boats still sporting their original outdrives 20 odd years (and more) after they first left the production shed.

 

The outdrive has proven to be the most popular choice of propulsion for sub-35ft sports boats for years now, with the major manufacturers choosing it time and again. They cant be that bad or they just wouldnt use them, they have reputations to hold and fragile components would do nothing for that.

 

Ours has proven to be nothing but reliable, it has had knocks, grazes, been stuck in sand banks, clobbered on rocks and yet it continues to provide the service originally intended plus gets the boat upto some reasonable speed without any fuss.

[WJM]

http://www.bargee-bill.co.uk/

 

Bargee Bill's Prop Clearer! I have had one for years but never had cause to use it yet! Looks like a great tool. Although intended to go through a weed hatch, it could be used from the bank too.

[BEngo]

http://www.bargee-bill.co.uk/

 

Bargee Bill's Prop Clearer! I have had one for years but never had cause to use it yet! Looks like a great tool. Although intended to go through a weed hatch, it could be used from the bank too.

 

If you had ever had cause to use it you would know how completely useless they are. I agree they might look good, but I've never seen one on the roof , in the strings or in the hold of a former working boat, most of which have no weed hatch.

 

A good, strong shaft with a sharp hook and a sharp point will clear most things given knowledge of where your blades are, practice, some luck and time and can be used for all sorts of other things.

 

I wouldn't attack a GRP cruiser with either a shaft or a BBPC though!

 

 

N

[Naughty Cal]

I wouldn't attack a GRP cruiser with either a shaft or a BBPC though!

 

We have "attacked" ours with the boat hook to remove debris that has gotten threaded through the trim tab rams and outdrive with no ill effects.

 

GRP is a little tougher than you steel boat owners give it credit for. It isnt egg shell.

[saltysplash]

We have "attacked" ours with the boat hook to remove debris that has gotten threaded through the trim tab rams and outdrive with no ill effects.

 

GRP is a little tougher than you steel boat owners give it credit for. It isnt egg shell.

 

hense all the fenders

[Naughty Cal]

hense all the fenders

 

Yep, keeps scuffs at bay on the topsides.

 

A concrete wall will cause much more damage to a GRP hull than a man weilding a boat hook.

[Phil Ambrose]

We have "attacked" ours with the boat hook to remove debris that has gotten threaded through the trim tab rams and outdrive with no ill effects.

 

GRP is a little tougher than you steel boat owners give it credit for. It isnt egg shell.

 

 

I would second that.

 

Phil

[gazza]

Who mentioned narrowboats?

 

 

 

Its a bit of a myth that outdrives are fragile. Given the proper servicing they require they serve a long and happy spell in service. There are many many aging GRP boats still sporting their original outdrives 20 odd years (and more) after they first left the production shed.

 

The outdrive has proven to be the most popular choice of propulsion for sub-35ft sports boats for years now, with the major manufacturers choosing it time and again. They cant be that bad or they just wouldnt use them, they have reputations to hold and fragile components would do nothing for that.

 

Ours has proven to be nothing but reliable, it has had knocks, grazes, been stuck in sand banks, clobbered on rocks and yet it continues to provide the service originally intended plus gets the boat upto some reasonable speed without any fuss.

 

come on phylis..... i know you are a civil engineer, but mechanical engineering is a totally different field.

 

outdrives are a compromise, they do break, they can be prone to impact damage, they can spring leaks which are a pain to stop in the water, i could go on......

 

a shaft driven boat can suffer as much, but my choice for a non planning boat, based on sound engineering principles is a proper transmision.

 

btw, a leaking stern gland can often by tightened right up to slow a leak. an egg wisk drive that springs a leak at the transom, under the water line cant.

[Tony Brooks]

come on phylis..... i know you are a civil engineer, but mechanical engineering is a totally different field.

 

outdrives are a compromise, they do break, they can be prone to impact damage, they can spring leaks which are a pain to stop in the water, i could go on......

 

a shaft driven boat can suffer as much, but my choice for a non planning boat, based on sound engineering principles is a proper transmision.

 

btw, a leaking stern gland can often by tightened right up to slow a leak. an egg wisk drive that springs a leak at the transom, under the water line cant.

 

 

And its not unknown for a outdrive to be grounded at high speed and take a large chunk of transom out of the boat.

 

If an outdrive's prop-shaft seal fails you may not know until the next leg oil change and then the bevel gears, bearings and housing could be in a very sorry state.

 

I'm with gazza on this - especially when the things get old.