Sail-Drives or Shaft Drives?

[markpj23]

Greg - thanks for the info.

After looking through some old photos, the strips I have are NOT ss and if you think about it that would be a bad thing as ss and constant salt water exposure equals failure. Guess I had a senior moment....

What I actually have is cut from fiberglass about 1/8 inch thick. The photo shows one with the fairing rubber removed (left) and the other with the old rubber still in place. These are screwed into the hull with lots of 4200 sealant to help hold things up.



You can see through the hull opening here that I did not have much growth after about 5 years, most of that time the boat was in Key West. For me it would not be worth the effort / mess to go the foam - filled route. Certainly not using great stuff which - as you mentioned - sticks to everything...

[svcattales]

[QUOTE=markpj23;327788]Greg - thanks for the info.

After looking through some old photos, the strips I have are NOT ss and if you think about it that would be a bad thing as ss and constant salt water exposure equals failure. Guess I had a senior moment....

What I actually have is cut from fiberglass about 1/8 inch thick. The photo shows one with the fairing rubber removed (left) and the other with the old rubber still in place. These are screwed into the hull with lots of 4200 sealant to help hold things up.

You can see through the hull opening here that I did not have much growth after about 5 years, most of that time the boat was in Key West. For me it would not be worth the effort / mess to go the foam - filled route. Certainly not using great stuff which - as you mentioned - sticks to everything...

Mark, Thanks for the pictures. I like the idea of using fiberglass for holding up the rubber fairing better than metal. It looks like something I could make out of cloth and epoxy. Glass would also flex better to take the curve of the hull. It's amazing how little growth you've had inside. I'm going to need a jack hammer to get all the barnacles out when I haul.

I'm not positive, but I think the sailddrive holes in Cat Tales are much larger than yours. It seems like my rubber fairings only overlapped the hole opening by about 3/4 of an inch while yours look like it overlapped about 1.5 to 2 inches. Having the foam inside would give the rubber fairing some support from inside on mine. I also like the idea of having something else besides the rubber boot to keep the ocean out if the boot fails. I doubt I could make the foam water tight, but I think it might slow down a leak to a point where my pumps could keep up with it.

It sure would be easier to have a conventional drive shaft, but we have to make the best of what we have. Still, I wouldn't trade my boat just to get propeller shafts.

[SurfNRG]

Greg, Curious if your hull is balsa cored below the water line. If so, I personally wouldn't be a fan of drilling holes to hold a fiberglass frame in place. When I replaced the fairing boots on my volvo saildrives I used 5200 and wedged wooden pieces to lay flat along the hull while it cured. Worked perfectly. And instead of paying $75 each for a fairing boot (from Volvo) I made my own out of thin Neoprene that I purchased at a local (Apple) hardware store in Ft. Pierce. Cost me less then $5.00 for doing two. Used the old one as a template. Replaced a boot one time using Debond to loosen the 5200 and a putty knife. Just my 2 cents. Oh, and I loved my sail drives.

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by SurfNRG

Greg, Curious if your hull is balsa cored below the water line. If so, I personally wouldn't be a fan of drilling holes to hold a fiberglass frame in place. When I replaced the fairing boots on my volvo saildrives I used 5200 and wedged wooden pieces to lay flat along the hull while it cured. Worked perfectly. And instead of paying $75 each for a fairing boot (from Volvo) I made my own out of thin Neoprene that I purchased at a local (Apple) hardware store in Ft. Pierce. Cost me less then $5.00 for doing two. Used the old one as a template. Replaced a boot one time using Debond to loosen the 5200 and a putty knife. Just my 2 cents. Oh, and I loved my sail drives.

Thanks for the ideas Surf. My hull is foam core, but I'm pretty sure it is solid glass around saildrive. I do hate to put screws in it regardless. When I hauled the boat the first time I removed aluminum strips that were holding the rubber fairing because I didn't like the holes in the hull. I think the 5200 would work fine if it is clamped well and both surfaces are cleaned well. I'm a little gun shy after my last attempt to use only adhesive, however.

Good idea on the neoprene. I have two Volvo fairings that I captured before they came totally off the drives, but I'm certainly going to make a pattern from them before installation. I have an old 1/4" wet suit that will make great fairings for next time.

[SurfNRG]

I'm not sure about using an old wetsuit. Someone originally told me about using a truck inner tube and that was a joke. Call around and see who's got thin flat sheets of neoprene. It's cheap and will lay REAL FLAT which is key. An old wetsuit probably is gonna be too thick and not lay real flat. I didn't have to clamp anything. Just layed small pieces of plywood around the surface area of the neoprene and used a couple 2x4's wedged in from the ground to the plywood to make it all flat. Worked like a Gem. Just my tried 'n true advise. I might even have some extra neoprene. If you can't find it in your area drop me a PM and I'll scan the garage.

[Laidback]

Originally Posted by SurfNRG

Replaced a boot one time using Debond to loosen the 5200 and a putty knife. Just my 2 cents. Oh, and I loved my sail drives.

Hi SurfNRG,

What is Debond ??? Having used 5200 many times and having had to unglue port-holes that were glued with 5200 - always wondered what would help deglue !!!

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by SurfNRG

I'm not sure about using an old wetsuit. Someone originally told me about using a truck inner tube and that was a joke. Call around and see who's got thin flat sheets of neoprene. It's cheap and will lay REAL FLAT which is key. An old wetsuit probably is gonna be too thick and not lay real flat. I didn't have to clamp anything. Just layed small pieces of plywood around the surface area of the neoprene and used a couple 2x4's wedged in from the ground to the plywood to make it all flat. Worked like a Gem. Just my tried 'n true advise. I might even have some extra neoprene. If you can't find it in your area drop me a PM and I'll scan the garage.

Surf, thanks for the extra details on the neoprene. I shouldn't need to use it this haul since I have two Volvo fairings, but I will certainly make a pattern for next time.

For Laidback: WD40 is also a solvent for 5200. You can use it before it cures to clean up around a project (don't saturate it or you will unglue your bond) or after it cures to dissolve it.

[Laidback]

I suppose it is the gasoline component in WD 40 which is useful in the earliest stages of using 5200 - what works down the line ? That was the question re debond - is this a purely US product ??

[svcattales]

Originally Posted by Laidback

I suppose it is the gasoline component in WD 40 which is useful in the earliest stages of using 5200 - what works down the line ? That was the question re debond - is this a purely US product ??

WD40 will also remove fully cured 5200. Start at the edges and work your way in.

[SurfNRG]

Check out link. I bought a small bottle to try out at Sailormans in Ft. Lauderdale. It worked fine. Heard you can buy it off eBay as well. Right On!

DEBOND 2000 AEROSOL 4OZ MARINE FORMULA REMOVER 167283