Installing new shaft tomorrow...

[Davidhoy]

Hauled my boat for bottom paint and some preventative maintenance, and I found that the prop shaft had corroded on bearing and a frozen coupler. Since I'm getting the boat ready for extended cruising, I wanted to service the dripless shaft seal and cutless bearing, and install a reconditioned Max Prop. Since I could not get the old shaft out, and seeing some other issues with it, I decide to cut it out and get anew one. Turns out that I made a wise choice, as there was significant wear on the shaft in several places. It would not have been cost effective to get it reconditioned.

Got the new shaft this afternoon, and am installing it tomorrow. New shaft, new transmission coupling already fit and faced to the shaft, new intermediate bearing, new Tides Marine dripless shaft seal (the old one had some life left, but I chose to go all new), new cutless bearing, and then finally the as-new 3-blade Max Prop.

I'm reasonably confident that I can get it all back together, but have chosen to hire a professional to oversee my efforts, since I've never done this before. I'd rather not make a very expensive mistake, but I also want to learn in the process. Should be fun...

-David

[Davidhoy]

Well that went better than expected! How often do you hear that when working on boats? Once I had then shaft in, the bearings and seals in place, and the new cutless bearing pressed in, the coupler mated almost perfectly with the transmission, only 1/1000th of an inch out of true, really not worth fussing with to try and align it better. In the immortal words of Monty Python, "...and there was much rejoicing!"

Big shout out to Leandro of Patagonia Services Division at Playboy Marine in Fort Lauderdale who helped me with great advice and assistance - he made an anxious process a whole lot less scary. Thanks, Leandro!

Regards,
David