Shaft Strut for 78 Hunter 30

[mikestolarz]

Good Day,
Right on the inzone after repowering my Hunter 30 and prepping for sea trials. The engine / trans shaft would not line up properly and after some scratcthing of heads, we discovered the strut was bent and had been like that for quite some time. In fact, the original Yanmar was mounted " at the obligue" a bit to accomdate. I just bought this boat last year knowing I was putting a new engine in it and here I am. Previous is very helpful and never had issues. I am inclined to say it was like that for a long time and he never had issues. My question is, do folks think this can be "heated" and tweaked back a bit to line up properly? If not, the long pole in the tent is finding a replacment strut ( company that made them is our of business). It is a Y at the top where it connects to hull then hangs 7- inches down.

Any help or experience is appreciated.......

Mike

 

[Ed Schenck]

Yes, my own has been straightened and I have a couple additional thousand miles on it without problems.

 

[sailaway78]

Heat

I would refrain from heat if possible. If you can get the strut off the boat, find yourself a reasonable sized press. It will be much easier to get it straight this way, than trying to bend and heat while mounted on the boat. I am assuming this is bronze, and if too much heat is applied, can possibly do some damage to the glass where it attaches to the boat.

 

[tommays]

My Cal 29 had a bad case of the strut was never lined up from NEW

I did what i would do when repairing a machine ,which is put bronze bushings in the strut as the rubber cutlass allows to much cheating

Then a good a good piece of shaft going through the shaft log with a bushing to center it in the log

Then i was able to use wax paper and epoxy to correct the mounting pad or if you really have to bend it which is not a good idea

 

[Witzend]

I drilled mine out and floated my cutlass in with epoxy into perfect alignment. Using this approach would of course depend on how far out it is.
See this thread:
http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=114669

 

[mikestolarz]

Thanks to all of you for taking the time to repsond. We are attempting to remove strut this week instead of the heating process...... Some risks there ofcourse. So close on getting her back in the water and this surfaces. Hope to at least get NOV in with some sails. Will ping back with any questions. Thanks much....
Mike

 

[Mark Ferrick]

Please take some pictures

and then post them. I, for one, would love to see what your doing to correct ir, before during and after.

 

[mikestolarz]

and then post them. I, for one, would love to see what your doing to correct ir, before during and after.

Have the same issues? Same design underneath with the Y strut? Rain today so tommorrow we go in to test removal of strut.
Thanks.....Mike