B28 strut question

[Leigh]

Guys: I have a 1985 B28 that's been a rock solid boat for the 10 years I've owned it. Yesterday, I was crossing Saginaw Bay in Lake Huron, about 25-30 miles offshore and dropped a prop blade. Never heard or felt anything like it and I've been playing with boats for 50 years. Ran in on one engine for about 4 hours and the boat was hauled at small mom and pop yard in Port Austin, MI. A prop's on it's way and the owner-operator of the yard will get that changed no problem. Shaft doesn't look bent, rudder wasn't damaged. But, the strut loosened up a little. There is only about 1/4" of shim filler which looks intact. One of the bolts is actually loose enough to turn by hand. I didn't have a chance to look at it from inside. there is no apparent stress damage to the bottom. Question, can the strut just be tightened back down and have it hold for awhile? I'll have done whatever needs to be done when I get the boat home, but removal, re-bed, etc. inside and out is not something I want to trust to a yard I don't know. The strut backing pads were looked at a couple years ago during a survey by a guy who knows Bertrams and he passed them as solid. The Cutlass bearing is only a couple seasons old and appears undamaged. A little long-winded, but I'd appreciate any thoughts. Thanks in advance. Leigh

[CaptPatrick]

Leigh,

You should be OK with temporarily tightening every thing down until you're back home, but be very alert to vibration at any and all speeds...

[Leigh]

Captain Patrick: Thank you. I did not want to assume anything without bouncing it off the folks who know. I appreciate the reply. Leigh

[Yannis]

Leigh,
I just arrived home from my vacation where at some point I met a guy in a 30' fishing boat who was lucky to have lost a prop blade as he was entering the port !
I hadn't heard anything like it before too. I had heard of whole props flying away, but a single blade? This guy's prop was a 4 blade. And it was a single engine boat....brrrrr.

[Navatech]

I hadn't heard anything like it (losing a single blade) before too

It's really not that uncommon... Especially in boats that are not hauled out...

And it was a single engine boat....brrrrr.

While I certainly prefer a dual engined boat the fact remains that the vast majority of commercial vessels (i.e. freight ships) are single engined... Of course, their engines are monitored 24/7 and they carry every conceivable spare part... Plus, they have the tools, equipment and expertise to actually repair/manufacture a lot of the smaller parts used on board...

My point is that with a reasonably well maintained engine, some spare parts, tools and knowledge a single engined vessel isn't such a scary thing...

[Yannis]

Hi Nav,

I agree, after all I was a single engine boat candidate before I bought my b28.
What would one do though in Leigh's situation had he had only one prop?

[Navatech]

What would one do though in Leigh's situation had he had only one prop?

That depends on what skills, capabilities, tools and spares Leigh has available... I carry spare props (they came with the boat)... I also have diving equipment (both SCUBA and a Brownie)... I also carry tools including a big wrench... In addition, I made sure grease was applied before the props were put back on...

So, I would attempt (and likely succeed) in replacing the damaged prop... However, if that wouldn't work and assuming I were within the service area I'd call BoatUS (I'm a member) and I would have them tow me back... To finish the job on the hard...

Back when I was in the navy we also carried spare props and special explosives based kits to remove the damaged prop(s)... However, explosives scare me... Underwater more so...

[Yannis]

Yeah I thought you would do all that !!
I guess that for the rest of us (the every day happy campers) what you rightfully suggest lies within the sphere of wild imagination !
So, we would most probably switch the damaged engine off and head back on the other one while praying for the best.

PS: Carrying 2 spare props, scuba tanks and outfit etc is almost prohibitive, space wise, in the 28. I'm sure its doable and it's good that you have thought about it so thoroughly, still, I wander how many people among us could perform a task like this !

[mike ohlstein]

I have a mask, fins, and a spare air on board. I'm not changing any props, but I've seen too many pieces of seine net floating around, not to be ready to cut one free.

http://www.leisurepro.com/p-sx27y/spare ... 0302008005



I also have a hard hat and underwater headlight. You really haven't lived until you're been whacked in the head by your boat…….

http://www.grainger.com/product/23V817? ... 08110228:s

http://www.toolexperts.com/led-scuba-di ... 7AodU00Aqw

[Carl]

While I have changed a ton of props in the water for myself and a bunch of friends...no way am I doing that unless it is dead calm, boats in protected waters or an extreme emergency situation.
You have to be too dam close to the bottom of boat with tools and body parts in very awkward positions...Boat starts rocking...to easy to get hung up or hit in the head limb caught in running gear...hands are busy working Puller ...trying not to drop wrenches...or wrenches have lanyards...but they get tangled in best of circumstances. Usually the hardest part for me is the darn cotter pin...can't find that darn hole...then again waters by me are a bit murky...sometimes less then a 1' visibility.

[Navatech]

Carrying 2 spare props, scuba tanks and outfit etc is almost prohibitive, space wise, in the 28.

My Berty is 46'6"... Space is always at a premium on a boat but with a bigger boat you have more to work with...

I'm sure its doable and it's good that you have thought about it so thoroughly, still, I wander how many people among us could perform a task like this !

Actually, the diving equipment is there for the family... The tools are there because I'm a grease monkey... And the spare props are there because they came with the boat... To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't purchase spare props... But, they are there and therefore adding two big ass pipe wrenches (which I had lying about anyway) was a no brainer... I believe that most of us COULD do it provided they had the means and the elements were playing nice (calm weather)... I also believe most of us (me included) would call the tow (BoatUS etc) if we were in the service area as doing the job on the hard is much easier...

[Yannis]

What Mike proposes I saw this summer, this little tank used by a friend to check his moorings every year. I think we should all get one, you can avoid a lot of misery using one of these.

And yes, what Carl says about being hit by the boat on the head; imagine to go below to change the prop and ... stay there for good.

Nav, as I was reading your lines I thought 28 X 2 = 46.6 !

[Navatech]

As a dive master I have to point out that the "Spare Air" devices are exactly that!... They are an independent spare air resource for when you run out underwater... AFAIK they don't have a pressure gauge and you don't really know how much time underwater you have left... I would not use it for anything that required more then a couple of minutes underwater...

[Carl]

As a dive master I have to point out that the "Spare Air" devices are exactly that!... They are an independent spare air resource for when you run out underwater... AFAIK they don't have a pressure gauge and you don't really know how much time underwater you have left... I would not use it for anything that required more then a couple of minutes underwater...

A pony tank would make life much easier...always seems just as the prop puller is just about snug and secure...your out of breath. Then comes...leave it hanging there and grab a breath or pull it off and try again. Everything else is a snap on a breath....unless it's not. Had a key riding in prop one time...must have been jammed on good. Took the better part of the tank to remove wheel. Thats why assemble easy makes removing easy.