tight shaft

[myketch42]

Are than any guess on the cause of this particular problem . I have a Brewer 44 . The shaft log felt way to hot to touch , although water ,albeit very hot , was coming through the packing in a resonable volume. after sitting at anchor overnight , the log was barely warm ( what I would consider normal) on the way back to my dock . Just prior to reaching home I heard a rattle that I assumed was from the transmission . Shortly afterwards the motor stalled while under way . I assumed the transmission was damaged . After removing the transmission for rebuild ( there was almost no oil in it ) , the shaft is still very tight to turn . My diver said there is nothing around the prop and a small accumulated growth around the cutless bearing . The transmission is a Hurth . I will now have to haul to remove the shaft and find the problem . wonder what the issue will be ?

[Bellinghamster]

My guesses: Packing gland too tight and old or wrong size packing, or engine misalignment (off to the side, top or bottom) causing the shaft to rub on the tube ( although that should have "re-centered" itself after you removed the transmission. Did the shaft "jump" off-center when you separated the coupling?

Where did the transmission oil go? If it didn't end up in the bilge, then suspect a leaking oil cooler (assuming it has one) - make sure you figure that out before you cook your rebuilt transmission!

[SY Harmony]

It is possible your cutlas has swollen.
Does the Brewer have a long tube for the shaft to run in? I’ve seen boats that have a second cutlass up in the tube, at the mid point.

[myketch42]

I am just estimating , but the shaft is not particularly long and I believe there is only the one cutless . adding to the mystery is why after sitting overnight the shaft log seemed to work correctly on the return trip with the right amount of dripping and the right temp. yet it is still bound up . As a note the shaft log and shaft seemed to work correctly on an overnight motor up the ICW previously .

[Fore and Aft]

We had a Clipper 30 power boat here that had a tight shaft. It turned out that the engine beds had sagged ever so slightly.
Cheers

[skipperpete]

Originally Posted by Fore and Aft

We had a Clipper 30 power boat here that had a tight shaft. It turned out that the engine beds had sagged ever so slightly.
Cheers

I really liked those Clipper30’s (and the 34’s) I worked on a whole charter fleet of em, the whole fleet would depart on Friday night like soldiers out of the trenches on the Somme and I’d spend the entire weekend traveling around doing first aid on the wounded.... our totally inexperienced charters never ceased to amaze me with the creative ways they broke those little clippers. Prop shaft/stern tube issues were a regular event mostly from prop strikes and wrap ups and engine overheats were very common to the point where those Ford Lehman’s red paint turned black on the top end... but they still kept plugging along if I gave em a new impeller and dug the mud out of the sea strainer ( from the perpetual groundings) our competitor, Halvorsens never had our problems... they fitted keel cooling ... (made their own toilets too) but still suffered the prop strikes and rope wraps