Bryce Grefe (Hunter 410 'Spellbinder') was kind enough to pass along this notice he received from Autoprop. As many of you have an Autoprop installed we thought it might be helpful to post it here. The letter follows: 'Brunton's Propellers is initiating a product recall, as a precautionary measure, based on customer reports and our in-house technical inspection. The recall is necessary because of a small number of instances where, through lack of maintenance or poor assembly, blades on early propellers have become loose. Premature wear to the blade mechanism may, in an exceptional circumstance, result in the blade working loose. Using the Autoprop under such conditions over long periods of time may lead to potential breakdown of the locking washer securing the blade to the hub. This situation will only occur on certain size Autoprops with a serial number between AP2902 and AP5299, purchased between 9/9/98 and 1/1/02. Please check whether your Autoprop falls within this range. The number appears on the palm of the blade. If it does, contact your local dealer or the autoprop office in England. We can confirm whether your Autoprop is affected or not. As part of our ongoing product development plan, to enhance performance and ease maintenance, a new blade locking mechanism has been introduced. This mechanism is now being fitted to all roller bearing style Autoprops. Brunton's Propellers intends to take the following steps to address this situation: 1. Modification of the bearing retaining and locking mechanism. 2. Free upgrade to new style locking mechanism for all Autoprop user covered under our warranty policy. 3. New generation lip seal fitted free of charge with all upgrades. 4. Worldwide support network of dealers and service agents for local assistance and advice. We appreciate the difficulty in assessing this situation, particularly if your yacht is afloat. If your Autoprop does need technical attention related to this recall, we will endeavour to make arrangements to upgrade it with minimum disruption to your sailing schedule. If you would like further clarification, or to talk about how any of the above points may affect you, please contact our head office on 44(0) 1225 427511, service@bruntons.com, or your local Autoprop dealer. Yours sincerely, David Sheppard Products Manager'