Cutlass Bearing Question

[SteveM]

Yesterday we ran from Man O War Cay (Bahamas) to Florida. About 190 miles.
We bent the starboard prop slightly somehow. Deep water. Must have been something submerged or prop fatigue.
While inspecting the prop I noticed a piece of plastic wedged in the strut where the cutlass bearing would go.
Could this be a blown Cutlass Bearing?
Or do you think it's part of whatever bent the prop? Gray plastic or fiberglass maybe?

I'll haul the boat and have new bearings put in, along with some other maintenance.

It was a bitch changing the prop without a tank. The wheel puller fit perfect but somehow skipped a thread halfway through and didn't finish out. Luckily I could tap the collar of the prop with a hammer and get the bad prop the rest of the way off.

Note to self: Bring a mini sledge along with all the other tools. Bring extra cotter pins (I only had the ones in the shaft). I had plenty of other tools and spare props, spare nuts, spare keys. Oh and bring an air tank when going great distances. It would have sucked to run back over 100 miles on 1 engine.

Link to photos of the strut and shaft and new prop: https://photos.app.goo.gl/DoQbbuM6Zzbtyr939

Here's our spot link: https://share.findmespot.com/shared/fac ... lXOqtnSl2l

[Tommy]

Steve,

I have no insight as to the debris between the shaft and the strut housing, so will be interested to learn what the yard determines. I will say, though, that you are very resourceful and I tip my hat to you for successfully making the deep-water swap out of props! I'm glad the seas were calm for your beneath hull work. I had a dive shop make me a regulator with 30' of hose between the first and second stages so I could work under my boat with an air supply but without the tank on my back to restrict movement or bang against the hull or running gear. I assume you tethered both the bad and the replacement props topside while changing, but that had to be a bitch holding on with one hand while muscling the prop with the other. Who was your crew topside? My wife and daughter always stressed out when I was working under the hull; the fear of the unknown I guess. All I know is that I want you on my boat if I ever have a breakdown!

[SteveM]

Tommy,

This is the second time I've had to do a prop change with a snorkel. I hope it's my last! My Dad had a regulator made up years ago like you described with a long hose and gave it to me recently. It's sitting in the boat house on Man O War, as I don't have a tank...YET! An air tank will be on any future crossings. My brother was with me on the way back, I flew him out, as I don't like to cross alone. Glad he was there. We traded off my snorkel gear back and forth as each of us were fatigued and it was good to have a 2nd set of eyes on the issue at hand. I moved the boat to 5' of water in case I dropped something...which I did 2 or 3 times. My brother immediately said, "Glad it's just you and me on the boat for this moment, if anyone else was here, there'd be a lot of anxiety floating around". It was interesting to diagnose. As soon as we hit something, it wobbled just like I have seen in the past. I pulled it back to neutral immediately. When I re-engaged at idle speed to see what's up a loud squeaking sound appeared to be coming from where the shaft bolts to the transmission area. So we shut it down, checked transmission fluid. All full. I jumped overboard, no ropes on the prop, and it appeared ok at a glance. Spent more time underwater and discovered the plastic shard and small ripple in one of the blades. So we figured it must be the prop. I was very hesitant even after we swapped props to put much load on it as I feared it would squeal or wobble again. It didn't and we ran back to FL. Very long day dodging thunderstorms too. 11 hours, should have been 8 or 9 hours but we spent a while with the repair.

[Tooeez]

I had something similar with a piece of wood in the strut--I hit a submerged 2 x 6 about 5 feet long with the port shaft; it was apparently floating parallel to the long axis (keel) of the boat, and hit the shaft end on, slid down to the strut and jammed into the front end of the strut and stayed there until I stopped the boat. When I hauled out there were pieces of wood in the strut just like the plastic pieces in your pictures.

[SteveM]

Tooeez,
Thank you for the feedback. I'm more and more convinced it was a piece of plastic. Hope to haul it later this week. New bearings, repack rudder shaft logs, tune up the props ...and buy another wheel puller.

[Carl]

Changing wheels underwater is fun...try doing a shaft!
The shaft I did dockside, would not attempt anyplace but...not that I carry an extra shaft anyway.


A blown bearing would have rubber coming out between strut and taper. Seems you got lucky enough to hit whatever it was Just Right to grab a few shards and bump the wheel.

I wouldn't bother with a sledge...just can't swing em fast enough underwater to make much of an impact. And talk about getting fatigued fast...holding a sledge, swimming and trying to use it is tough. Your arm is going forward with all your might and that action is pushing you in the opposite direction while sinking. I gave up on that pretty quickly. Although holding the anvil using with short taps kinda works.


I found using a tank was pretty easy. Tether your tools to boat, do one operation at a time. For things that keep you there awhile, go slightly positive buoyant and your plastered to the hull. It's like working on the floor, but upside down.

[SteveM]

while dropping of the bent prop to Bobby Soles, I asked about a new puller. It seems the one I have has been discontinued (makes sense). Something about the metal in the threaded rod being different with the "C" clamp thing and threads going bad. Sounds like what happened to mine. They now sell the "Walters Pullers". I'm getting one of those. I'll pull that plastic thing out this weekend. If it's of interest, I'll report back.

[ktm_2000]

that's no fun. Years ago when I was crewing on someone else's boat boat we had the misfortune of hitting a chunk of rubber roofing which was partially buoyant just as we were about to leave West Atlantis canyon. A portion wrapped the starboard prop and some got jammed in the rudder. With no wet suit I spent about 1/2hr with a snorkel and a knife cutting it away, I'm glad we were on the warm side of the break. I can't imagine switching out a prop.

[PeterPalmieri]

I'll be handing in my man card this afternoon....hahahaha Changing a prop in open water with a snorkel sounds like less fun then running back 190 miles on one engine.....

[Carl]

Walters puller... good choice!

[Tooeez]

Thinking about going under the boat in open water reminded me of a piece of equipment some guys I knew who ran the canyons up north carried: a football helmet. With a single screw boat if you pick up a crabpot line in the wheel 80 miles offshore you have no choice but to go under the boat and cut it out. If the boat lifts to a sea and comes down on your head the line in the wheel is going to be the least of your worries. The helmet at least provides a little protection.

[Carl]

Thinking about going under the boat in open water reminded me of a piece of equipment some guys I knew who ran the canyons up north carried: a football helmet. With a single screw boat if you pick up a crabpot line in the wheel 80 miles offshore you have no choice but to go under the boat and cut it out. If the boat lifts to a sea and comes down on your head the line in the wheel is going to be the least of your worries. The helmet at least provides a little protection.

Now that IS scary.

[SteveM]

we need a photo of someone in an old football helmet with a mask and snorkel

[mike ohlstein]

I have a mask, fins, snorkel, pony tank, regulator, helmet (like a miners helmet), and helmet mounted underwater light on the boat. Now where did I put that knife........?

[Carl]

I have a mask, fins, snorkel, pony tank, regulator, helmet (like a miners helmet), and helmet mounted underwater light on the boat. Now where did I put that knife........?

A picture is developing in my mind of you in that....and it ain't pretty.

[mike ohlstein]

[PeterPalmieri]

It's starting to sound like the back side of that man card is a Darwin award

[ktm_2000]

that helmet is quite appropriate, one of the things I was most afraid of going under was hitting my head. I didn't have a weight belt so I remember hanging onto the shaft with one hand pushing myself further down so I could then reach up with the second hand with the knife. I'm not the best underwater, I can't hold my breath very long maybe 45 seconds or so , so it took quite a few dunks to get things clear. Definitely a stressful time and why in my current project I am so concerned with being able to get the prop out of the water in case $hit happens.

[Tony Meola]

All that equipment is fine, but then you get old and everything just is a blur without glass's. Ugh. Then you just call for a long distance tow.

[Tommy]

Tony, I bought a mask that has prescription lenses in both sides and it works incredibly well; and not that expensive.

[Carl]

Masks fog, waters dirty...not much to see or need to be seen aside from aligning key and that cotter pin hole.
Easy with new pins tough trying to get an old pin back in when you can't see.


Old as the Honeymooners are, even just a scene like that still makes me laugh.
Guess it stays in the timeless section.

[Tony Meola]

Tony, I bought a mask that has prescription lenses in both sides and it works incredibly well; and not that expensive.

Tommy

I am into the bifocal range, so when I buy a prescription I need a second mortgage. Unless a distance prescription would work, if my arms are long enough. Man getting old i tough.

[Carl]

Tommy

I am into the bifocal range, so when I buy a prescription I need a second mortgage. Unless a distance prescription would work, if my arms are long enough. Man getting old i tough.

Couple years ago I was on a good rant complaining to my wife about the fuzzy writing on all the canned goods...she handed me her reading glasses.

Oh! it's not the cans...



Its tough getting older...but I hear the other choice is worse.

[SteveM]

Here's the leftover pieces that were wedged into the front edge of the strut.
I believe I hit the object, it wedged into the strut, then rolled back and bent a prop.
Turtle Shell maybe???? Old fiberglass?
It was a layer of white, then a layer of dark brown.
The dark brown was the part against the shaft.

[Tommy]

Steve, sadly I struck a sea turtle while running from FL to N.C., so that may be the culprit. Turtle shell remnants will have an organic odor, so give it the sniff test. I believe if it’s fiberglass you would be able to see some glass strands with a magnifying glass.