Prop Damage - What Does this Look Like to You ?

[whitleybh]

Recently got back from a bareboat charter of an Endeavour Trawler Cat 44'

The charter company claims I have nicked the propeller, pictures attached. I did not run aground and did not feel anything on my trip. Company claims I could have still hit something. I am disagreeing with the company but wanted the experts on here to take a look and let me know if you have seen a nick like this in your past experiences. I appreciate in advance your help. I don't think I should have to pay to have this wheel re-conditioned. It looks like normal wear and tear to me.

Ben

[Stillraining]

Many times:

Electrolysis thinning the metal at the edges and then normal thrust forces ( cavitation forces ) pulling or breaking off tiny chunks...Mine was the same way when I Bought the boat.

Run a file around the edges and call it good...shorting the blades 1/16" is not going to be a big enough thrust difference on a computer program set up to measure such things let alone the Charter company.

Is there any pinkish tint to any area of the prop?....A sure sign of dezincification.

They are just trying to get another grand out of you IMHO and I would laugh at them....If they are threatening your deposit..Take it to a prop shop... not the one they use and get his opinion..I bet he agrees and can clean it up just fine for 100 bucks or less.

Then share the Charter companies name so we don't use them....Total Shenanigans... Normal wear and tear is part of a Charter Co. overhead and built into their operating costs ...not the customer's problem

[FSMike]

Stillraining's post is right on.

[whitleybh]

Thank you, very helpful. Funny part about it, the charter company also runs a boat repair business, complete conflict of interest. He did produce these pictures when I challenged him on it. He is to email me today as to what they are going to do and if if they press this issue, I am going to dispute the charges on the cc, he has already returned my deposit. I just hate being an A-hole and I loved the boat and would like to do it again, we are limited in NC on bareboat opportunities. But, I also don't want to be part of this guy's business model again.

[FrankZ]

Just curious... how did he discover the damage? Is it routine to pull the boat or send a diver down after each charter? Did he just "notice" the boat not behaving properly after you returned it?

[whitleybh]

One of the guys from his crew jumped down and felt the props after the trip. The same guy did the pre-departure check out and reported the props were fine and they have told me I had the option of feeling the propellers and reporting anything before we left. I told him it was completely unreasonable for me to have done that. But, this was my first charter so I am not sure if it is in fact unreasonable.

[Tellie]

The second close up pic of the prop shows pitting and metal weakening all over it. The small chips missing I would consider normal wear and tear considering the age and condition of that prop. Also the gouges above the missing chip looks like tool scratches and not a more uniform pattern you'd see from a spinning prop grounding. I'd tell him to jump over the side and stay a little longer underwater.

[slomotion]

This is crap. Reputable Caribbean bare boat charter companiy contracts include built-in charges for insurance that covers you for all damage except that caused by "gross negligence or wanton or willful misuse by the charterer." Any charter company would have to be insane not to protect themselves in this way and pass the cost of that protection onto its customers. Probably you have already paid for this coverage and these people are simply trying to rip you off - possibly because the insurance company says it's just normal wear and tear, or more likely, because the charter company knows that's exactly what it is and wouldn't dare try to make a damage claim with a marine insurance carrier.

[Stillraining]

Originally Posted by whitleybh

One of the guys from his crew jumped down and felt the props after the trip. The same guy did the pre-departure check out and reported the props were fine and they have told me I had the option of feeling the propellers and reporting anything before we left. I told him it was completely unreasonable for me to have done that. But, this was my first charter so I am not sure if it is in fact unreasonable.

Here again this may be a true statement...BUT...It does not mean much...Look again at the picture he sent ( fortunately he sent full resolution) so opening it up fully clearly shows pink dezincification on the chipped out area...It just chose your trip to break loose...This prop will continue to do this from here on out...There is still lots of life left in that prop however and I would clean it up and run it on my boat in a heartbeat...If you would have hit something more then one blade would be dinged up as well.

[S/V_Surya]

Gee, it kinda looks like my prop. And I know when I did it. I was motoring up the c&d canal and my wife said there is a log in the water. Then I heard it bang on the hull and slam into the prop. I did have to get tranny rebuilt, not sure if that is the reason, but it was leaking fluid pretty bad. When I hauled and looked at prop it had a ding a little more serious than yours. My point is if you hit something that did that damage you would know it. OH, I did NOT fix the prop and it works fine, no wierd vibrations.

[slomotion]

Originally Posted by S/V_Surya

My point is if you hit something that did that damage you would know it.

And it would be covered by standard charter insurance. It would not be gross negligence, much less wanton or willful misuse.

[Chief Engineer]

Just another example of somebody truing to screw the customer.

I could see if the the prop was bent......offer to take it to your own shop.

Or send it to Millers Island Propeller in Baltimore....they will give you a full report.

[osirissail]

That is certainly damage that you had nothing to do with. Lack of zincs can lead to dezincification (the pink color) and the minute fragment breaking off the "razor sharp" edge is caused by improper protection especially if the boat has been plugged into shore power for long periods of time. An electrically "leaky" shore power system with send currents back down the boat's ground system to the propeller and eat away the edges of the propeller. A good propeller should have a 1/16" to 1/8" thick square edge to the outer edge of the blades. Razor edges mean improper electrolysis protection - which is the charter company's problem, not yours.

[Chief Engineer]

Post the name of the charter company "Rhymes with".......

[witzgall]

That is just crazy. We chartered a boat in Washington, NC back in 2007 before we bought our boat. The steering broke, and they brought out another boat. What town did you charter in?

Chris