White Metal vs Cutlass

[Finding Cloud]

Hello! This is my first post and am looking forward to the great reference this forum can be!

I own a 1974 Bowman 36, Cloud, which we currently have on the hard after a year of ownership mostly spent in the marina. This is my first sailboat and I've learned a lot since acquiring her yet it seems every day new questions arise.

Our stuffing box was dripping way too much while in the water so high on my list has been to get that closely inspected, replace the packing, and then work my way aft all the way to the prop to make sure nothing was compromised in this critical area of the boat. This is when I discovered Cloud does not have a modern cutlass bearing but a much older white metal bearing. This has also confused the yard, as I live in an area much more accustomed to sport fish yachts and not 40+ year old sailboats. They had never seen such a bearing and I had never heard of one.

Information is hard to come by specifically because I'm considering replacing the white metal bearing with a cutlass. Where I get confused is lubrication. Currently, Cloud is fitted with a fixed remote grease pump. At first I thought this was for the packing but from my understanding it's actually to grease the shaft and white metal bearings (I say this plural because there is one on each end of the stern tube). My concern if I were to replace it entirely with a cutlass bearing is what does this mean for the other bearing at the forward end of the stern tube? Will it still need to be greased or will the water lubrication be enough, or is there a different bearing I should have there altogether? Alternatively, how could this effect the packing? As far as I know certain modern packing doesn't need to be greased at all, so does that mean I could eliminate the grease pump all together? Photos attached for reference.

[a64pilot]

I’ve not seen that since I was young and then on Commercial boats.
What was neat about them was you gave them a shot of grease when sitting at the dock and they wouldn’t drip a drop, ever until you ran the motor again.
Plus if memory serves as long as you gave them a shot of grease before every day, they lasted it seemed forever.

Why is it that you want to change them, are they worn out? I ask as it seemed to me to be a better system than a Cutlass. Yes it required a shot of grease often, but if that was done they seemed to never give any problem.

[sailormed]

I would keep the existing, research the correct grease to use and load this. Apply a new grease pump shot after every outing and check for leaks for the season. Decide at the end of the season if you still want to replace. Now is to early, you have not used it as intended by the manufacturer.

[Finding Cloud]

It seems to be in good shape, I just see the cutlass as being so widely used now I assumed it was the way to go. To both your points, I suppose if it's served the boat this long I might as well keep it how it is!

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Cloud.

[HopCar]

First welcome aboard!

I have nothing useful to add but I’m going to be “That Guy”.

People! It’s a Cutless bearing! I know it doesn’t matter and cutlass has become common usage but to me it’s like fingernails on a chalk board.

Now back to actually useful information.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by HopCar

First welcome aboard!

I have nothing useful to add but I’m going to be “That Guy”.

People! It’s a Cutless bearing! I know it doesn’t matter and cutlass has become common usage but to me it’s like fingernails on a chalk board.

Now back to actually useful information.

Yep, that's right up there with weighing anchor with a windless! Or, trimming sails with a wench.

Jim

[Bycrick]

If I remember correctly, the "cutless" was a term describing the bearing, ie it didn’t cut the shaft. I remember seeing such a bearing in a box labeled "Cutlass" with a picture of a curved sword.

[HopCar]

Originally Posted by Bycrick

If I remember correctly, the "cutless" was a term describing the bearing, ie it didn’t cut the shaft. I remember seeing such a bearing in a box labeled "Cutlass" with a picture of a curved sword.

Yes that’s how the confusion got started. Here is a link to a story of how the bearing was invented.
https://www.followingseas.media/blog...that-bearing-1

[a64pilot]

Cutless is a brand name I believe like Band Aid.
So calling a shaft bearing a Cutless or Cutlass is no more correct than calling and adhesive bandage a band aid.
Not that it matters, just don’t think your correct in calling it a Cutless, it’s a propellor drive shaft bearing.

Even that is arguable, is it a propellor or propeller?

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Yes that’s how the confusion got started. Here is a link to a story of how the bearing was invented.
https://www.followingseas.media/blog...that-bearing-1

... And to further distinguish the bewilderment between a cutless bearing and the cutlass sword, Mike Schonauer offers that today the proper term for the bearing is a “water lubricated, hydrodynamic standard rubber sleeve bearing.”

[joelhemington]

Originally Posted by GordMay

... And to further distinguish the bewilderment between a cutless bearing and the cutlass sword, Mike Schonauer offers that today the proper term for the bearing is a “water lubricated, hydrodynamic standard rubber sleeve bearing.”

Well, you learn something new everyday (I guess)

[tkeithlu]

White metal bearings used to be used for the big end of connecting rods. The often had small engraved oild channels cut in them. They worked very well in immersion sump, low RPM low compression engines, basically pre WW2. I've had one made when I burned out the bearing on my family's 1930 Brook Marine boat engine. I've never heard of one on a prop shaft, but it sounds just right as long as you can get some waterproof marine grease to it. Low RPM, low load; it should be that anything a neoprene Cutless bearing can do, a white metal bearing can do better. Keep it.

[sharutika30]

I also like the idea of keeping the two bearings. I have two rubber lubricated bearings in my log which tend to stop a lot of vibration in the shaft. Before I installed the two bearings the prop tended to vibrate the shaft a lot at the stuffing box end, so the only thing stopping the vibration was the hose sleeve. Once the new ones were fitted to both ends this literally eliminated all vibration from the shaft.

[Compass790]

Another vote for keeping the current system if it's not worn.
Found red Mobil synthetic grease to be really good at resisting salt water. Sorry can't remember the exact label. Might be XTHCT or something like that.