I am planning to dive this weekend and replace my prop shaft zinc. Any tricks as to a way to do this without losing screws??? The little nuts can fall out too??? I am very comfortable underwater but managing tiny screws and nuts on dry land can be a challenge. Maybe put it all in a big plastic bag to catch dropped parts??? Put a bucket underneath where I am trying to attach the zinc??? I'd like to do this without losing anything..first try!!!!
Any Tricks for Installing Zincs??
- Thread starter MoonSailer
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Jim Pulling the boat no Challenge but expensive!!!
But what is SCADA equipment??? I plan to use my SCUBA gear. The only real problem is not dropping the little nuts and screws. Bubbles from my regulator might also pose a problem as I will have to look up at the shaft. Part of the problem is that I now need reading glasses for working up close. I think that I can see well enough but my fingers aren't the most nimble so I will probably drop something at least once. I think that I will practice using a broom stick on dry land, Surely someone among the distinguished readers has replaced their own zincs. I don't plan to pull the boat until next spring or summer for a bottom job.
But what is SCADA equipment??? I plan to use my SCUBA gear. The only real problem is not dropping the little nuts and screws. Bubbles from my regulator might also pose a problem as I will have to look up at the shaft. Part of the problem is that I now need reading glasses for working up close. I think that I can see well enough but my fingers aren't the most nimble so I will probably drop something at least once. I think that I will practice using a broom stick on dry land, Surely someone among the distinguished readers has replaced their own zincs. I don't plan to pull the boat until next spring or summer for a bottom job.
No Tricks To It
Just requires a mask and fins. The shaft zincs I buy have little fiber retainer washers that hold the Allen Screws in place and the nuts are pressed in. If your nuts are little loose, you can always put a couple of drops of glue, paint, etc. to hold the nut in place. The one thing I do is make a retaining wrist strap for the Allen wrench so I don’t drop that. I put the used zincs in my shorts pocket while I tighten the new ones in place.
Just requires a mask and fins. The shaft zincs I buy have little fiber retainer washers that hold the Allen Screws in place and the nuts are pressed in. If your nuts are little loose, you can always put a couple of drops of glue, paint, etc. to hold the nut in place. The one thing I do is make a retaining wrist strap for the Allen wrench so I don’t drop that. I put the used zincs in my shorts pocket while I tighten the new ones in place.
"pre-load" the allen wrenches into the cap screws
BEFORE you go underwater. Just use paper shims to hold the Allen-wrenches tightly INTO the cap-screws. Buy several ... they're cheap. If you drop one or two it wont matter.
BEFORE you go underwater. Just use paper shims to hold the Allen-wrenches tightly INTO the cap-screws. Buy several ... they're cheap. If you drop one or two it wont matter.
Reading Glasses
I think you might have a problem with those little screw's. Get the zinc's that use only screw's in to the zinc's without nut's and hit the zinc while you tighten the allen screw's if you can that is the trick so they don't loosen up. When I go diving and also need reading glasses I need magnification of some sort in my mask just to read the gauge,I can read the gauge without magnification some times but putting screw's in zincs,you are better than me seeing close up I guess. Good luck hope everything go's well but buy more than one zinc just in case and bring back if you don't need them. I put DIVEOPTX in my mask for seeing close up,ask a dive shop about them. Nick
I think you might have a problem with those little screw's. Get the zinc's that use only screw's in to the zinc's without nut's and hit the zinc while you tighten the allen screw's if you can that is the trick so they don't loosen up. When I go diving and also need reading glasses I need magnification of some sort in my mask just to read the gauge,I can read the gauge without magnification some times but putting screw's in zincs,you are better than me seeing close up I guess. Good luck hope everything go's well but buy more than one zinc just in case and bring back if you don't need them. I put DIVEOPTX in my mask for seeing close up,ask a dive shop about them. Nick
I do it all the time. I just hold your breath
It might a few dives, but its doable. Pulling the boat to intall zincs sounds very extreem (and expensive). Even if you didn't want to do the job yourself lots of bottom cleaning services (they use scuba) will install your zincs for a nominal fee. I have found many of the better brands of zincs actually have really tiny press fit plastic washers on the other sides of the screws to retain the screws onto one side of the zinc. You could always screw just one side into the nut on the other side of the zinc and then twist and fit the zinc over the shaft and tighten just a bit and then put the second screw in and tighten
It might a few dives, but its doable. Pulling the boat to intall zincs sounds very extreem (and expensive). Even if you didn't want to do the job yourself lots of bottom cleaning services (they use scuba) will install your zincs for a nominal fee. I have found many of the better brands of zincs actually have really tiny press fit plastic washers on the other sides of the screws to retain the screws onto one side of the zinc. You could always screw just one side into the nut on the other side of the zinc and then twist and fit the zinc over the shaft and tighten just a bit and then put the second screw in and tighten
Just Be Sure...
...that both sides of the zinc gets "banged" against one another to make contact with the shaft. After the two halves are tightened, use two hammers (or a good-sized C-clamp) and ensure that the sides are squeezed together. If you choose the hammer route then one hammer will be used as a backer while the other is used to rap the other side into it.
...that both sides of the zinc gets "banged" against one another to make contact with the shaft. After the two halves are tightened, use two hammers (or a good-sized C-clamp) and ensure that the sides are squeezed together. If you choose the hammer route then one hammer will be used as a backer while the other is used to rap the other side into it.
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