Prop Shaft with One Nut

[gettinthere]

The way the Maxprop is designed, you have to cut off some of the threads on the end of the shaft and are left with only one nut.
If I put the standard 3 blade fixed prop back on, will I be able to rely on one nut? It has a hole thru the shaft for a cotter pin.

[johnar]

I worked on a Cape Dory that had the same problem, there are two ways to fix this.

First you can have the prop milled down to reset the frist nut then put the second backing nut on with the cotter pin cuts in it.

Second option a the one I used, I ordered two bronze nuts from Bearing Headqorters, one was a hafe nut and the other had the slots for the cotter pin, I still had to cut the backing nut down 1/8 to be sure I eas past the taper on the shaft.

Been over a year not and the guy tells me it is holding fine.

Dutch

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by gettinthere

The way the Maxprop is designed, you have to cut off some of the threads on the end of the shaft and are left with only one nut.

Have you already installed the Max Prop? This is only true for some installations, not all installations.

[SabreKai]

I don't think I've ever seen a boat around here with more than one nut on the shaft. Prop, washer, nut. Cotter pin. Done. Both of mine are done that way. Is installing two nuts a common procedure with you guys in the States?

Sabre

[rabrown10]

Another solution, which I am using, is to use one nut with a special washer. The washer is thin and has two slits starting on the inner hole (shaft dia.) and moving out along the radius to form a tab. The width of the tab is the slightly smaller than the width of the key slot in the prop. The outer diameter of the washer is larger than the nut. Install the prop, next the washer and bend the tab into the prop key slot. Next install the nut and hammer over the outer edge of the washer onto the nut. The nut is now locked to the prop. Since the the prop is keyed and can't rotate neither can the nut. I removed the Max prop and installed the fixed prop in the water (not recommended). I got the washer from a prop shop. BTW his also avoids the need to drill a new hole in the shaft for a cotter pin.

[johnar]

if you are working on the prop in the water do not use an electic drill to dill the shaft, and if you do please tell us the out come.

Dutch

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by rabrown10

Another solution, which I am using, is to use one nut with a special washer.

The washers you a referring to are standard equipment on all Beneteaus and Jeanneaus with shaft drives. While I normally curse the French bastard who designed this system, you make an excellent point; these things would be great for use in retrofitting a fixed-blade prop on a shaft that had been shortened to accept a Max Prop. I install a lot of Max Props and this bit of info will come in handy next time I'm making a sales pitch. Thanks!

[Hampus]

Originally Posted by SabreKai

I don't think I've ever seen a boat around here with more than one nut on the shaft. Prop, washer, nut. Cotter pin. Done. Both of mine are done that way. Is installing two nuts a common procedure with you guys in the States?

Sabre

Same here. 30 years down the road, that one nut is still holding on. Well... It's been off and on a few times...

One nut and cotter pin is standard procedure here.

/Hampus