Propulsion Issue

[Boatman Al]

Out on a cruise this weekend i was plagued by the following symptoms.

 

 

Regular drop in propulsion speed, but no apparent drop in engine rev but wash from prop coming high up the back under fender and appearing askew. Disengaging gearbox into neutral and slowly re-engaging and building speed would return the wash to the subtle bubbling beneath water and full speed, as would going into reverse for a blast. But eventually returning to the slow messy wash.

 

Going into gear is clunking and there is some drive plate chatter. not sure if this is or could be related?

 

Not being down the weedhatch yet, could it be a prop foul? or does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

 

many thanks

alex

[matty40s]

This commonly happens at this time of year, to a lot of boats, and particularly those without cavitation plates.

 

The leaves and small branches falling from the trees build up around and above the prop. This is even worse passing through bridge holes.

 

Simple solution is to drop into neutral, or a quick blast of reverse, and then forward again.

Edited November 6, 2012 by matty40s

[alias]

 

 

Regular drop in propulsion speed, but no apparent drop in engine rev but wash from prop coming high up the back under fender and appearing askew. Disengaging gearbox into neutral and slowly re-engaging and building speed would return the wash to the subtle bubbling beneath water and full speed, as would going into reverse for a blast. But eventually returning to the slow messy wash.

 

 

Autumn leaves on the prop?

[howardang]

Out on a cruise this weekend i was plagued by the following symptoms.

 

 

Regular drop in propulsion speed, but no apparent drop in engine rev but wash from prop coming high up the back under fender and appearing askew. Disengaging gearbox into neutral and slowly re-engaging and building speed would return the wash to the subtle bubbling beneath water and full speed, as would going into reverse for a blast. But eventually returning to the slow messy wash.

 

Going into gear is clunking and there is some drive plate chatter. not sure if this is or could be related?

 

Not being down the weedhatch yet, could it be a prop foul? or does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

 

many thanks

alex

Sounds like leaves on the prop!

 

Howard

[mrsmelly]

Out on a cruise this weekend i was plagued by the following symptoms.

 

 

Regular drop in propulsion speed, but no apparent drop in engine rev but wash from prop coming high up the back under fender and appearing askew. Disengaging gearbox into neutral and slowly re-engaging and building speed would return the wash to the subtle bubbling beneath water and full speed, as would going into reverse for a blast. But eventually returning to the slow messy wash.

 

Going into gear is clunking and there is some drive plate chatter. not sure if this is or could be related?

 

Not being down the weedhatch yet, could it be a prop foul? or does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

 

many thanks

alex

 

Hi

 

Could well be something on the prop but at this time of year there is a large build up of fallen leaves in most rivers and canals and on shallow sections this can build up and be a pain. Does a quick blast in reverse seem to clear it for a while ? if so could well be the leaves.

 

Tim

[alan_fincher]

In our neck of the woods we are very firmly in "leaf foul" season.

 

Any chance there were a lot of fallen leaves in the water where you were boating ?

 

We were out at the weekend, and particularly trying to stop in some locks, leaves were just balling around the prop, and on a couple of occasions I had virtually no reverse thrust at all, (to the point of near embarrassment in the worst case!...)

 

If it is leaves, just short bursts ahead and astern will (temporarily!) remove it.

 

EDIT:

 

Must type faster - only beaten to it by 4 other people!

Edited November 6, 2012 by alan_fincher

[Kiwidad]

What Matty said

 

Sometimes takes a cuple of quick bursts in reverse. Eventually you get the feel of the tiller vibration, and know when to clear it before speed is affected.

[Boatman Al]

all of the above is exactly what i was experiencing. Phew. was dreading some serious issue may be afoot. Yes, blasts of reverse relieved issue, as did floating along in neutral, was worse in shallower stretches and bridge holes. And yes lots of leaves on the water.

 

Can they get clogged in there? Should i go down the hatch and clear it?

 

 

thanks for quick responses.

[matty40s]

What Matty said

 

Sometimes takes a cuple of quick bursts in reverse. Eventually you get the feel of the tiller vibration, and know when to clear it before speed is affected.

given this fact, Kiwidad has now reversed from Ashted Tunnel, down to Blisworth marina with no prop foul whatso-ever.

[alan_fincher]

A weed hatch trip is not usually required.

 

They just form a kind of "ball" around the prop, enough to severely limit its effectiveness, but a blast in the opposite gear will always throw it off.

 

Just don't go charging up to anything where you might need to stop quicker than you find you are able to!.......

[mrsmelly]

all of the above is exactly what i was experiencing. Phew. was dreading some serious issue may be afoot. Yes, blasts of reverse relieved issue, as did floating along in neutral, was worse in shallower stretches and bridge holes. And yes lots of leaves on the water.

 

Can they get clogged in there? Should i go down the hatch and clear it?

 

 

thanks for quick responses.

 

They will not clogg. Just blast and go as it where

 

Tim

[Keeping Up]

Can they get clogged in there? Should i go down the hatch and clear it?

 

Nine times out of ten, when you look in the weed hatch you would find nothing because the leaves will have fallen off when you engaged neutral. This is most disconcerting at first because it makes you think there had not been anything on the prop ion the first place, but don't be fooled by it.

[RLWP]

I was wondering the other day when we would get our first leaf posting of the autumn

 

Richard

[alan_fincher]

I was wondering the other day when we would get our first leaf posting of the autumn

 

Richard

We already have, though......

 

"Leaves" post.

[Grace and Favour]

I was trying to coil up my 50' ropes the other day, and noticed that there were maple and beech leaves fouling them . . . . .

 

Is this an example of the wrong type of leaves on the lines?

[JamesWoolcock]

Those of us without weed hatches are forever thinking of what might be round the blade. Yes, almost certainly leaves at this time of the year - BUT - don't rev astern !!! There may be more on there than you think and all you are going to do is wind it on BOTH ways! Then you have a problem.

 

So into neutral and let it drift. Then, maybe ONE turn of the propeller in reverse, then go ahead and watch it all come off, hopefully.

 

James

Edited November 7, 2012 by JamesWoolcock

[Kwacker]

I suffered a complete loss of drive once caused by crushed ice packing around the prop. This didn't come off by stopping or reversing. You've got that to look forward to if you go "ice-breaking".

Edited November 7, 2012 by Kwacker

[dor]

The first time I got 'leafed' I was convinced the prop had come loose. But somehow every time I stopped and checked down the weedhatch it had tightened itself back on and was fine again. For another five minutes.

[Proper Job]

Pesky little critters them leaves

 

I've managed to keep going with all sorts of stuff wrapped around the prop, but leaves, they get you every time

[Higgs]

When I first found out that my serious engine/gearbox problem was this leaf mugging of the prop, I felt both relief and also like a drip. From this point on you'll be like the Ancient Mariner, stopping every boater and passing on your story, for a while.

[Philippe]

Been having the same issues myself recently and I also panicked about serious issues initially. I tried the reverse burst and this did the trick. I thought that something may have got caught in the prop but hadn't considered a build up of leaves.

 

You're learning all the time on the cut and this forum is an invaluable resource of knowledge (and confusion sometimes with conflicting advice and opposing strong opinions! )

[bowten]

The railways have a problem with it too.

[Kiwidad]

I confess to being on the point of calling RCR It was only becuse i popped the enjin into reverse to slow and moor up, that I realised it had cleared and worked it out from there!

[Pentargon]

I had 'leaf-mugging' [copywrite Higgs! LOL] all the way from Hayes to Stratford. Luckily James Bills, he of Archimedes fuel boat, told me what to do. Soon as you sense power loss go into neutral for a few seconds, then engage reverse while looking astern. Invariably you'll see huge numbers of leaves in the water. Go to neutral and then forward. James also told me to do this now and again without waiting for trouble. He was totally right (as would be expected of a true professional) and I am hugely obliged.

Edited November 7, 2012 by Pentargon