Props and Shaft
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New stainless Seal for shaft tube
Due to chronic leaking around the shaft tube, I worked with Cobbs to design and install a stainless ring with gasket that seals the shaft tube. Done in May 2020.
Installed Autoprop (closeup)
Install Autoprop (orange indicates paint masking points)
Before painting, mask all the way around the turning joint (the long orange curve). Do for all three blades.
End of the prop shaft where the prop goes
Axis of rotating blades
Autoprop - pre-Barnicle Barrier
Autoprop from different angle
Note that Autoprop uses a different zinc from the original Beneteau zinc.
Prop and shaft from side angle
Diagram provided by Beneteau
With every haul out, always check the cutlass, "Fillet of 5200", vent fitting, and vent hose as shown in the diagram.
New cutlass bearing
From Log 34 Aug 23
Caulk needs to be replaced
White caulk circling the shaft guard is 3M 5200 or 4200. This seals the chafe guard to the boat.
New caulk around chafe guard 5/25/2017
Inside - well under the shaft
Prop shaft is water cooled; hence the labeled through-hull.
Attachment of shaft cooling hose
Replace brass fitting every 2-3 years. The hose also needs replacing. The fitting in this picture was leaking and was replaced May 2017.
Replacement shaft water cooling vent fitting.
Annapolis Yacht Sales in Annapolis sells a kit for replacing this fitting. Contact Cathy Streeter or order online for Beneteau spare parts.
Replacement vent fitting size
New install
Installed by Cobbs. Top of shaft tube.
Original 3-bladed fixed prop
And Beneteau zinc
New 3M 5200 in place
Prop cleaned, checked, and polished by Nautilus in Maine.
Clean prop
We hauled the boat this spring and repainted the bottom and I polished the prop.
Looking pretty good
The yard manager(pink hat), the surveyor (blue shirt), and the mechanical guru( green shirt), inspecting the situation.
Damaged cutlass bearing
The "pot wahp" (trap line) was sucked up into the tube on the right and chewed up the rubber gasket (cutless bearing) inside. The part on the left is the base of the prop with a few barnacles on it. The shaft in the center is the prop shaft that extends through the hull and into the transmission. The tube on the left is a metal housing that surrounds the epoxy shaft tube that goes through the hull. See diagram in next slide.
Mike pulling the shaft out.
All the way out.
Visually, the shaft looks good and straight. This was confirmed with a roller test, but next we need to verify that it was not cracked in any way.
From Log 34 Aug 23
From Log35 Re-entry
From Log35 Re-entry
From Log35 Re-entry
From Log35 Re-entry
From Log35 Re-entry
Testing a Varifold Propeller 5/13/2020
Varifold prop mechanism
Testing out a Varifold Prop with King Propulsion.
Varifold Prop from Brunton's
Testing it out with King Propulsion
Varifold Prop test 5/13/2020
