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Alpha one prop blowout

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markchiz

Contributing Member
"this aft on the lake my buddy

"this aft on the lake my buddy smoked some rocks with out prop. prop is mangled, but c an be rebuilt. I am just wondering if there anything else i should be checking for damage? prop has been replaced, and boat runs well and moves well (2007 bayliner , 3.0 mercruiser).
theres a few chunks out of the fin type thing on the bottom of the outdrive...not like bent out or anything it looks like a shark bit chunks out of it (no sharks in lake, just an example of what it looked like). it doesnt look like what would happen if it hit rocks. odd.
anyways...input? suggestions?
anyody else ever blow out a prop and experience troubles after?
thanks"
 
"Yes, I must admit, I did mang

"Yes, I must admit, I did mangle a prop on some rocks. I limped into the closest marina and the Mechanic did a visual inspection and all looked good. I suppose you would look for common items such as a bent output shaft, leaking oil, cracks in the lower caseing. He put on a new prop and off I went! As I left I just felt for any unusall vibration, there were none. Thank god for I had borowwed this boat and was able to bring it back the same way I got it. As far as the nip out of the skeg, thats OK, it will look like all the other outdrives with chunks missing from the skeg, like mine!
And smoking rocks while out on the water is BAD!!
(small joke)
Chris"
 
"You could easily have caused

"You could easily have caused hidden internal drive damage, such as a hairline crack in a gear or shaft. These cracks of course are getting continually stressed with every rotation of the gears, and may eventually give. When gear pieces break off they usually wind up causing major damage as they get jammed between other gear teeth. This often results in a split gear case which is quite expensive to replace. Usually a complete replacement upper or lower is cheaper.
Sometimes a drive that has hit the rocks will run seemingly fine for several weeks or months, then suddenly POOF!
There is really no way you can know this for sure without having the drive leg disassembled and all critical parts checked by dye pen or mag particle.
Rod"
 
"This is timely as I just did

"This is timely as I just did the same thing yesterday as well. What a way to end a perfectly good day boating! Went for about a 4 hour ride and on the way back in smacked a low spot in the middle of no where! Cruisin along nice in about 15' and then wham!

Anyway, chewed up the prop pretty good but was able to limp in. I'll be changing the prop here this week.

The other interesting thing of the day was when this ^%$@!!! 40' cruiser went whipping by going the opposite direction from me on the Niagara river. Lot's of smaller boats cruisin in both directions and this guy goes flyin' through down the center throwing out the most obnoxious wake. My problem was with all the boats around I couldn't move away far enough and ended up getting full force of what hade to be an 11' wake! My 19' poked right through it though. We got soaked, my friend lost his hat but that was the worst of it. The boat handled it just great and ran on regardless (Thank God!)"
 
"Bill;
Sounds like you could

"Bill;
Sounds like you could have easily had a mini Poseidon adventure on your hands!
What was that clown doing going that speed anyhow? Are there not speed limits in areas of high boat traffic on the Niagara, like most waterways?
If you noticed the registered name on the transom you should perhaps report him to the local water authority.
Rod"
 
"Hey Rod - My thoughts exactly

"Hey Rod - My thoughts exactly re: Poseidon. No, I didn't see any speed limit signs. I'll take a look next time...sure would make sense.

I didn't think about getting a look at his transom until he was long gone....heck, I didn't even think to turn and shake my fist at him! My immediate thoughts were about my crew and boat. I was kinda stunned by what happened and awed by the fact that the boat did so well. You see, I am relatively new to owning a boat so I had no idea what to expect. I was in the Coast Guard Auxiliary for two years, so got some experience boating on patrols with them. But piloting myself....relatively new to that."
 
"So far this year, I have not

"So far this year, I have not (yet) mangled a prop.. Took out the prop, and a big chunk of the skeg last year.. Replace that prop with one that I found had a bad hub, then replaced that one.. I also replaced the skeg with a stainless one from Skeggard, a lot quicker than having a new one welded on..You just slip it over the 'stub' drill a couple of holes through the aluminum, tighten up the two piece screws that come with it, and yer done.. Took about ten minutes.. If you use a airdrill, you don't even have to take the boat out of the water..

Oops not quite correct, you have to use locktite on the screws, but if you have some that will cure underwater goferit
http://www.skeggard.com/"
 
"I'm looking at the online

"I'm looking at the online manual for replacing this. It talks about maybe having to heat the thing to melt rubber in a hub??? How likely am I to have to do that? The boat's in the water, can it be changed there or do I need to pull it out?

hassles, man...

"come out to the coast...have a few laughs....""
 
"You can change the prop in th

"You can change the prop in the water, it that's what you mean. The rubber business is between the sleeve that fits over the splined propshaft and the prop outer shell. This is done by a prop shop when they repair your prop if its repairable.
Rod"
 
"Th rubber bushing is integral

"Th rubber bushing is integral to the prop, and is pressed in/out when the prop shop services your prop. It's not a user serviceable part.

The prop nut is a special fine thread elastic stop nut; I don't know the size offhand, but it's a wise idea to keep a spare for it and the tab washer on hand in the tool box.

Actually if you don't already have a spare prop nut wrench, most boat shops carry a kit that contains a yellow plastic wrench that floats (you can't beleive what a life saver that has been on a couple of occasions!), a spare nut, and a spare tab washer. Very handy for in the boat.

Rod"
 
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