Need immediate help from all

[letterman]

I have an Irwin 37. I need to find out how far the shaft sticks out to the prop. Its supposed to be 1.5 x shaft diameter. Mine is 18 inches with no supporting strut If you know of any Irwin 37's could you guess at the shaft length and see if there is a supporting strut? Thanks.

 

[kenn]

Can you post a picture of yours?

 

[Roger Long]

Yikes! It sounds like you are missing a strut. You can get away with up to three shaft diameters between the bearing and the prop with small engines but that's pushing it and not recommended. With an engine of the power for a 37 foot boat, I wouldn't want to go as high as 2 diameters.

18 inches? Don't even put the boat in the water or try starting the engine.

 

[zeehag]

please post a pic....

 

[Don12364]

Is the inboard end connected to the engine/gearbox or has it been disconnected and pushed back?

 

[Merlin Clark]

Here is a pic of a 1981 on the hard: http://www.sailboatlistings.com/view/8678
If the model is the same, it looks like either the coupling has failed like Donalex posted or someone "fixed" your boat in the past.
If it did have a strut there should be signs of such inside the hull. My GS center cockpit had a little lift out hatch in the sole in the aft cabin that granted access to the bolts for the strut.

 

[zeehag]

please check yur coupling. if coupled and is out that far, needs a strut. if yours is an aft cockpit mdel, please post pix. i had a friend i sailed from avalon to sd in an aft cockpit irwin-- during the ac 1995 return to port, his coupling disconnected. wasnt fun--please check that and post pix inside and out ....ty
yes the center cockpit and aft cockpit irwins are different, but i am not certain how so under waterline.

 

[Anonymous 121765]

Tho,

I would venture a bet that it is not the orig. shaft. Maybe the previous owner had a crazy idea, but more likely, it was one that cost less & available.
Haul the boat, pull the shaft, have it cut and keyed on the coupler end. No more problem.

CR