Basic Query: Loose Prop on Saildrive

[jglauds]

Pardon my ignorance, but "what I don't know is a lot."

I dove my prop yesterday, driven by a Volvo D1-30 saildrive, and noticed a gap had formed between my two-part, collared anode and the prop of about 1/2 inch. I have a cat, so I checked the other prop, and it was nice and snug. I was able to snug up the anodes a bit, suggesting they had worked a bit loose, and I was able to slide the anode back and forth the across 1/2 inch gap.

I saw and checked a hex nut of the stern tip of the prop, and tried to tighten, but it seemed tight. I looked into the shop manual for the sail drive but there's really no exploded diagram of the connection between the prop and and saildrive.

I suspect the prop has worked a bit loose, but would love some advice on how to re-attach it since I'd like to do it underwater with a minimum of frustration and exasperation

Any suggestions from the gurus at CF?

Many many thanks as always.

/jon

s/v ile de Grace

[Dreaming Yachtsman]

Jon,
I can't help you with this specific problem but do recommend you fix the prop before getting underway again. I lost a prop off Costa Rica two years ago and don't ever want to do that again. You might find an answer in the thread: http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...elp-15371.html.

[jglauds]

Thanks all .. I hauled the boat and discovered that what I thought was a loose prop was actually loose anodes. I have the Volvo two-part anodes, that circle the shaft, and are connected by two allen bolts top and bottom, with said bolts passing through machined holes on the backside of the transmission (sail drive) ... it turns out someone in a yard or the factory had machined out those machined holes so that they were open to the rear (probably to accommodate a close-but-no-cigar one-piece anode setup).

Thus, the anodes could slip back, and made it appear as if the prop was sliding.

As others have noted on other threads (see above posting), these props have a setup like this: prop around splined shaft; plastic washer; threaded cone; allen bolt that fits into cone. To deal short term with slipping anodes, I tapped two s/s metal screws into anode, and then used spectra line to manually pull the anodes forward against the sail drive. This is temporary, since I only ahd a day on the slipway; permanent repair will require replacing the backside of the saildrive with one whose machined pass-through holes are intact (as by design).

I replaced washer/cone/bolt after greasing splined shaft, but given others' losses, will be checking frequently. I checked other shaft, and replaced using RED permatex -- hope I can get it off when I need to!

/jon