I suggested it because they can ship one out in a few days, customized for your boat.
It also happens to be a really nice propeller and has the ability to be adjusted....
Greg
Propeller fell off - need size and vendor recommendations
- Thread starter StretchCT
- Start date
It also happens to be a really nice propeller and has the ability to be adjusted....
Greg
Any progress with your lost prop? Did you get hauled without a replacement prop?
I ended up ordering from Beneteau. Though it cost double the Michigan prop, they could get it quicker and I know its the right one. The 25mm vs 1 inch came up when ordering elsewhere and the question of tapering also came up, so I sucked it up and paid more for the part from Beneteau.
In the short run the wallet doesn't like your decision, in the long run you will be happy you didn't listen to your wallet on this.
It's a decision I could have made day one, but I shopped around and lost time. We've got a dinghy with a 6hp that will be able to tow, in the right conditions, the boat across the channel into the marina and the marina has a workboat to assist for this very purpose. Apparently several boats are not functioning right now. This apparently happens every winter.In the short run the wallet doesn't like your decision, in the long run you will be happy you didn't listen to your wallet on this.
And that's going to correct the problem of the damaged shaft taper how ........ ?
Lap-Fitting a Propeller to a Shaft - Marine How To
Slide The Prop On The Taper Step 1 - The first step is to slide the prop, or prop hub, onto the shaft without the key. Be sure the shaft & prop hub are clean.
marinehowto.com
It's not damaged that we know of, but one vendor told me that the difference between the 25mm and the inch bore is that the 25mm is tapered and the inch isn't. Basically they said the inch won't work, not only because it's not exactly an inch, but because there's a taper. Thus is has to be custom built. This is what takes 4 months.
Now those are words to live by ................ "that we know of". In other words, an armchair guesstimate as the shaft has neither been seen nor photographed. I guess this means the prop will be hammered on and vibration be damned.
An untapered 1" shaft. A 1 in. prop shaft without a taper ? ? ? And you believed him ? ? ? The taper on a 1 inch shaft and taper on a 25 mm shaft will be of slightly different gradient as one is imperial and the other is metric.
And you took the word of the most ignorant supplier you could find ?
What I'm getting at here, amongst all the sarcasm, is that you have made no preparation for either the removal nor the replacement of the prop shaft should it be required once you are on the hard.
Do you need to drop the rudder ?
Will the coupling bolts come off ?
Do you have clearance to pull the prop shaft coupling off ?
Do you have room to cut the shaft ?
Looking back through this posting, I see no proof that this is a 25 mm shaft other than what others say that their particular Bene's have. Original owner didn't swap prop shafts for some reason ? Have you measured the shaft within your boat to positively identify its diameter ?
Surely you're not serious ? What are your winters like and what would a winter on a mooring be like ? Maybe become familiar with tow boats in your area, just in case.
Once you get the boat in the yard, you will have several months to sort things out. As Ralph mentioned, it would be a good opportunity to remove the shaft and have a machinist check the shaft for any lack of trueness & to lap fit your new prop onto the shaft. Have them verify that you have a 25mm shaft for your own peace of mind. Really shouldn't be too difficult to remove the transmission output coupling and slide the shaft out without dropping the rudder. You can always remove the cutlass bearing to provide a bit more wiggle room to clear the shaft & rudder. Would also be a good time to assess the condition of the cutlass bearing & replace as necessary. If the Volvo shaft seal hasn't been changed yet, change it now. Volvo recommends 5 year replacement interval; I procrastinated & got 15 years out of mine. Also be sure to inspect / replace the shaft seal cooling water nipple that is prone to snapping off because of internal corrosion....that problem has sunk a few boats. Reassemble, check the shaft alignment with the engine & you are good to go!
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jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 22,217
@StretchCT it has been 6 weeks since you posted about losing your prop. You indicated in your bio that you are new to this sized boat. We are now at the start of the winter weather for you New England sailors.
The info about prop, shaft size, and encouragement to measure what is on your boat to guide your decisions have been shared by the above very knowledgeable sailors. It sounds like you have chosen a path to resolving the problem.
It is time to “Execute! Execute! Execute!”
Get the boat out of the water. Do the measurements to verify your boat system. Do the work and get the boat back in the water before the first freeze. It’s only going to get more unpleasant to do any of this work in the coming months.
Good luck
The info about prop, shaft size, and encouragement to measure what is on your boat to guide your decisions have been shared by the above very knowledgeable sailors. It sounds like you have chosen a path to resolving the problem.
It is time to “Execute! Execute! Execute!”
Get the boat out of the water. Do the measurements to verify your boat system. Do the work and get the boat back in the water before the first freeze. It’s only going to get more unpleasant to do any of this work in the coming months.
Good luck
So NOW you tell us where it's sitting.
Still have to wonder if the OP used the prop to stop his reverse motion after backing out of his slip. That would have indicated a problem right away.
I suspect he's already made up his mind and doesn't want any further possible facts to interfere with this choice.
Something caused the old prop to become disengaged and that problem is going to remain.
I don't know why you guys are hammering the OP about why the prop fell off? Who knows, it may not have been torqued very well at some point, the locking nut or castle nut may not have been locked up with a pin. The pin broke, or fell out..
When mounting the new prop, any damage to the shaft will become apparent and if needed can be dealt with then. If all looks OK, just place a set of proper nuts with lock pin and go send it.
Also, the original question was about which prop the boat originally had and where it could be found. Please be kind to each other and do not think the OP needs 'a lesson' just because that's not what he asked..
(Just my 2cents.. I read the comments as belittling. If I misinterpreted, i apologize)
Good luck to the OP! Hope the boat will be sailing (motoring ;-) ) again soon.
When something fails, it is good to know and understand why it failed especially a critical part like a prop. If the cause of the failure is not known, the probability of it occurring again is high because the underlying cause of the failure has not been identified and corrected.
That's all true, but a lost lock pin or lock nut would not be able to be identified as the cause since it's not there anymore anyway... Any wear to the shaft/taper would be obvious, so simply going at the repair and putting a new prop on if all looks good and locking it up properly would be my approach.. Why would you need to know for sure what caused it before buying the prop? You'll need a new prop anyway, so better to have it on hand when hauling out? I don't see the reluctance.
I'd say the prop was lost between the moment it was last used and the moment of noticing it wasn't there.. Since the prop would be spinning the shaft during a sail (regardless of whether the gear was in neutral or in gear), the forces on the prop under sail are similar as when reversing under motor. So could have fallen of anywhere?
If you are still pondering what prop to go with, I’d recommend a folding prop also. My Beneteau 311 came with a 3-bladed fixed prop. When I switched to a 2-bladed Flexofold, I picked up a half knot or more in most conditions. The folding prop was almost as much an improvement as getting new sails.
If you switch to a different style of prop, you’ll need to also change the style of zinc. Beneteau uses a cone zinc that fits on the back of the shaft. With a different style of prop, you’ll probably need a doughnut zinc that fits in the space between the prop and the cutlass bearing. If you are in fresh water there in a river near New Haven, consider an aluminum “zinc” instead of zinc.
If you switch to a different style of prop, you’ll need to also change the style of zinc. Beneteau uses a cone zinc that fits on the back of the shaft. With a different style of prop, you’ll probably need a doughnut zinc that fits in the space between the prop and the cutlass bearing. If you are in fresh water there in a river near New Haven, consider an aluminum “zinc” instead of zinc.