Prop Key - Stainless Only?

[four winds]

Agree fstbttms, but can't afford that either right now. Cash has been a feast or famine situation for me lately.

The water isn't very clear here and I can't see well with no eyeglasses underwater. I do manage to clean my own bottom freediving but don't feel I can pop the prop off without a tank or hooka.

I'm sure the gods fuss about who gets to sling the next lighting bolt at me. But things will work out, they always have.

[jreiter190]

BRONZE

[model 10]

Originally Posted by four winds

Can't blame the yard workers as I did this myself. And worse still I'm not even sure if I put the stainless key back in or a new key of inappropriate material.

This would be a good place for the well overused banghead emoticon.

I did it with a water pump. Never thought about until the regular steel key gave way. Of course it gave up at full power getting away from a lee shore in a squall. It didn't damage anything, the key just rusted away to nothing.

[captlloyd]

It isn't going to rust away in a year or two. Change at next haul-out.

[GrahamHO]

I'm sure SS or bronze is best but I wouldn't panic about accidentally using a mild steel key. I would let it be until your next scheduled haul out. I don't believe it will rust very much as it's not exposed to the atmosphere. The seawater can't very easily get in there and erode it although it will be damp. If it is rusted in when you change it, put some good engineering penetrating oil on it overnight and then use a pair of diagonal wire cutters to grip it and roll it out. It's certainly in my opinion not going to cause any problem in the meantime.

[ausnp84]

+1 for Bronze.

Are your anodes in good condition? If so, you don't have a lot to worry about - just keep an eye on them. Come next haul out, get some bronze key material and make them yourself if you need to. If you've got a file and a vice, you'll bang them out in an hour.

I wouldn't worry about not getting the props off either; find someone in the boat yard with a nice bronze drift and just tap them out. Failing that, having the resident engineer tap them out shouldn't cost more than a case of beer.

n