When a simple task turns out differently
Yesterday, looking at the forecast I thought I would head out for a fish in the morning and then do some maintenance at the marina afterwards when the wind got up. Needless to say, the fishing wasn't great for me with a few undersize flathead and snapper making a slow morning on the water less than satisfying.
About 11am I headed back in, it was a slow trip since I have been having trouble with what I thought was a slipping prop hub on the starboard side when reaching planing speeds. By the time I got back to the marina the wind had dropped and berthing was a simple task to do by myself.
So I broke out the tools and started on some maintenance items. I replaced the engine hatch gas strut that broke a few weeks ago with one I bought in Repco. Found them on special on Saturday for $30. It fitted fine and was much stronger than the old one so it was a bit of a win. Next job was to remove the offending prop for an inspection to see what was required. I raised the leg and when I laid on the swim platform I was easily able to reach the prop. The trouble was my shifting spanner was too small. Off to supercheap auto up the road for another. Managed to find a 1 and 1/16th spanner as well so back to the boat. The prop nut fought me all the way due to drowth on the threads but eventually it was released from its resting place and onto the boat. The hub actually didn't seem too bad but the prop was in terrible condition so not sure if exhaust leaking out near the leg is causing cavatation instead or if the culprit will be the engine coupler.
The plan was to leave the prop off and then scour around for a used replacement to get me by until I could finalise plans for rebuilding the transom assemblies and a noisy leg. Things went a bit downhill when after feeling victorious and taking some pictures of the prop and then I heard the bilge pump come on. Ok, maybe a bit from the normal leak but then it went again. Opened the engine hatch and I can hear water running. Uh oh.
A quick call to the guys at Hillarys lifting service and I was motoring my way down the coast from Mindarie to get the boat lifted. It was a beautiful afternoon with light winds and a slow old drive down at 7 knots. 90 minutes later the boat was in the soothing grip of the slings at Hillarys. I figured it best to be safe than sunk in the pen.
So she needs some love, might have a lead on some second hand drives and transoms, need to fix the oil leak, clean the bilge, tidy up some wiring, new antifoul, a new toilet and I can finally install my sounder. Might even be able to get the bent section of bow rail replaced!
If the rebuild gets significant I might make a new thread and document it that way.
scottnofish
Posts: 1621
Date Joined: 28/08/07
Looks more like electrolosys
On your prop may need a few new anodes to fix that before it stuffs anything else
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
For sure
Yep, the boat wasn't loved in recent years by the previous owner so the anodes are all gone and the bellows were so brittle they broke when I lifted the leg!
Rob H
Posts: 5798
Date Joined: 18/01/12
you are very lucky you caught
you are very lucky you caught that before it went to the bottom
As Neil said, you will need to look very closely at the condition of the leg as there is a good chance it also has some savage wastage on it.
Give a man a mask, and he'll show you his true face...
The older you get the more you realize that no one has a f++king clue what they're doing.
Everyone's just winging it.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8669
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Long time
From the amount of weed growth ,it looks like it hasn't been out for quite some time.
Good clean up and new bellows, check the uni joints, replace anodes, renew water pump impellor and some antifoul and she will be good for another 12 months
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
Believe it or not but I had
Believe it or not but I had the divers scrape the hull 2 months ago. The weed seems to grow on everything at Mindarie pretty quick. Hopefully the antifoul will stop it.
carnarvonite
Posts: 8669
Date Joined: 24/07/07
Airberth
Here in Carnarvon, we had to pull the boat out every 6 weeks to clean its bum of barnacles, weed and oysters due to the warmer waters in an effort to keep it up to speed.
Since getting an airberth maintenance is zero and any growth of the airberths can be cleaned off with a good whack with a hammer causing most of it to simply drop off. Expensive at first but well worth it in the long run, 3 minutes to launch and about 4-5 to lift up
sstevee
Posts: 472
Date Joined: 15/11/11
I could be completely wrong
I could be completely wrong but it looks like that prop has a crack in it... Starting at the second blade in the bottom right hand side of the pic... Could just be designed like that though
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
If the props are original
If the props are original that makes them 23 years old so they have given their service. The plan is to replace them with new 4 blade props.
z00m
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 10/05/14
The boat is all sorted now.
The boat is all sorted now. Had the transom and drives replaced with good used ones. Antifoul done and various other jobs. So back in the drink she went today. Did the 10 miles from Hillarys to Mindarie this arvo in 2m to 3m seas and it ate it up at 17 knots. Best part was, the newly installed sounder actually worked! I'm surprised because I installed it and cut out about 4 previous installations of electronics. I reckon the boat is lighter now with all the wire I removed.
Shark1
Posts: 1086
Date Joined: 21/05/12
Nice when it all works out.
Nice when it all works out. Hope u put in new anodes as well. She'll repay the love with interest
crasny1
Posts: 7003
Date Joined: 16/10/08
Just saw thisWell done on the
Just saw this
Well done on the fix, but bloody hell that prop was truely plucked. I wonder how it wasnt noticed?
Also where did the water come in from. That would be my first fix?
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