Saildrive VS Direct Shaft

[Terra Nova]

Originally Posted by Cadence

The only way I could see anyone lose their shaft would be reverse pulling it out of the flange...

It is not uncommon for a shaft to pull out due to line becoming wrapped around it, between the prop and strut or cutless bearing. A friend had it happen on his Islander 30 and nearly sunk the boat, as the shaft came completely out of the stuffing box.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Terra Nova

It is not uncommon for a shaft to pull out due to line becoming wrapped around it, between the prop and strut or cutless bearing. A friend had it happen on his Islander 30 and nearly sunk the boat, as the shaft came completely out of the stuffing box.

I can't see not uncommon? Maybe your friends set screws had backed out? Think about the same thing with a sail drive. The moment arm to the hull if a longline, trawl or a trap warp is picked up? JMHO I have no dog in the hunt.

[Aqualibrium]

Unfortunately I have Yanmar SD 50 saildrives.

Have had to relap both Cone clutches in their first year of operation.

You have to use Aluminium safe antifoul adjacent to legs. the much lower copper levels in the anti foul mean a lot more fouling and cleaning than for the rest of the hull.

Decreased efficiency as you have much higher transmission losses with 2 right angle changes of direction as compared to a shaft with none.

As a Catamaran with Dagger boards if i want to sit on a tidal beach to clean, repaint etc I will be sitting on saildrive legs and rudders rather than a shaft supporting Skeg, so my flexibility is significantly reduced.

With hard earned experience I wish I had not installed sail drives!!!!!!!!

[Jimlad]

OK. to throw a spanner in the works:
On our boat the 50hp Engine is AFT of the prop and the propshaft is only 4' long
How so??

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Aqualibrium

Unfortunately I have Yanmar SD 50 saildrives.

Have had to relap both Cone clutches in their first year of operation.

You have to use Aluminium safe antifoul adjacent to legs. the much lower copper levels in the anti foul mean a lot more fouling and cleaning than for the rest of the hull.

Decreased efficiency as you have much higher transmission losses with 2 right angle changes of direction as compared to a shaft with none.

As a Catamaran with Dagger boards if i want to sit on a tidal beach to clean, repaint etc I will be sitting on saildrive legs and rudders rather than a shaft supporting Skeg, so my flexibility is significantly reduced.

With hard earned experience I wish I had not installed sail drives!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the first hand experience.

[Bulawayo]

AD28, I have had both shaft and sail drive. I too have not experienced any issues. All my cats have had sail drives and we have not had anything but success. I also know several people that have had their shafts give issues, just as some sail drive owners have also had their problems. However, do your maintenance, look after your gear, and you shall generally have a good experience.

Originally Posted by AD28

It is always interesting to peruse threads populated by those who have no experience with that which they pontificate upon.

How do I know? Because I have a saildrive, I know that:
--I can change the oil in the water
--if maintained, there are NO leaks. Dry bilges.
--The saildrive is electrically isolated
--props are directed over the rudders
--I know how saildrive line-cutters work
--2-piece zincs are available

But you folks must know best, you read it all on the Internet.

[Cadence]

Originally Posted by Bulawayo

AD28, I have had both shaft and sail drive. I too have not experienced any issues. All my cats have had sail drives and we have not had anything but success. I also know several people that have had their shafts give issues, just as some sail drive owners have also had their problems. However, do your maintenance, look after your gear, and you shall generally have a good experience.

Thanks for the positive review.

[Aqualibrium]

Pleeaasse
don't throw a spanner in the sail drive works.
It will jam the gears, break teeth and do other terrible damage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[tdoster]

Originally Posted by Jimlad

OK. to throw a spanner in the works:
On our boat the 50hp Engine is AFT of the prop and the propshaft is only 4' long
How so??

To answer yours, would have to first ask if the engine is facing fore or aft.

How about this. The engine is fore of the main mast and the shaft is less than 2'.

[Bulawayo]

But that is the function of the boat design, not the saildrive. I do agree that the Yanmar 50 cone clutches are suggested to be a weak point - just as others are renowned for their reliability.

Originally Posted by Aqualibrium

Unfortunately I have Yanmar SD 50 saildrives.

Have had to relap both Cone clutches in their first year of operation.

You have to use Aluminium safe antifoul adjacent to legs. the much lower copper levels in the anti foul mean a lot more fouling and cleaning than for the rest of the hull.

Decreased efficiency as you have much higher transmission losses with 2 right angle changes of direction as compared to a shaft with none.

As a Catamaran with Dagger boards if i want to sit on a tidal beach to clean, repaint etc I will be sitting on saildrive legs and rudders rather than a shaft supporting Skeg, so my flexibility is significantly reduced.

With hard earned experience I wish I had not installed sail drives!!!!!!!!

[AD28]

[QUOTE=Aqualibrium;2042002]Unfortunately I have Yanmar SD 50 saildrives.

Have had to relap both Cone clutches in their first year of operation.

Yanmar SD's are famous for failures, Volvo not so much.


You have to use Aluminium safe antifoul adjacent to legs. the much lower copper levels in the anti foul mean a lot more fouling and cleaning than for the rest of the hull.

You don't have to do that if you use epoxy/barrier coat on the SD leg etc. and then paint your normal antifoul over


As a Catamaran with Dagger boards if i want to sit on a tidal beach to clean, repaint etc I will be sitting on saildrive legs and rudders rather than a shaft supporting Skeg, so my flexibility is significantly reduced.

That, as was said, is a function of your boat's design, not that of the SD. Besides, if you really like skegs, there's no reason not to install them. I have, though, seen articles depicting older model Catana catamarans, with SDs and no skegs, beached on their rudders. Might want to talk to Schionning about that possibility.

[Franst8]

As long as drives are in discussions, anyone have an opinion on V drives?

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by Franst8

As long as drives are in discussions, anyone have an opinion on V drives?

Something that I have noted with V-drives: in some installations, the stuffing box is inaccessible, under the engine... a very bad thing IMO.

Jim

[Terra Nova]

V-drives--inefficient, noisy, difficult to service.

[four winds]

I was concerned about the v drive on my boat when purchased but it didn't stop me from doing so. Concerned about the added complexity and access. But I wanted this model of boat and they all have it, so not a deal breaker.

Didn't service the box for some time but when I finally did it turned out to be not so bad. The PO had fabricated some special wrenches on 1/2 drive extensions that made it easy to adjust or remove without reaching under the engine. They work well.

However I have only replaced the stuffing with the assembly removed while on the hard. Doing this in place could be a bit tedious I think. Mainly using a tool to pick out the old stuffing and install the new, working backwards so to speak. But it is easy to reach the stuffing box with hands from either side.

Lucky for me, I'm a very patient mechanic.
Need good light under there to see well, too.
Having to empty the cockpit lockers to access the "front" of the engine is a bigger pain in the butt and a more frequent need.


Edit to add.... One good thing.... the engine sits level in the boat in my installation.