Fw: Bent prop shaft

--- On Thu, 1/1/09, ira reba <th… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: From: ira reba <th… [at] yahoo.com> Subject: Bent prop shaft To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, Lo… [at] yahoogroups.com, sa… [at] yahoogroups.com, si… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, January 1, 2009, 2:43 PM Hello All: I had a hellatious freak accident the day before Christmas. I was anchored just out of the ICW south of St Augustine when at around 3AM three distinct hard thuds occurred. Enough to wake me up and think a boat hit me. I'll dispense with the details, but suffice it to say, a water logged telephone pole 12-15 feet long, perhaps a foot and a half in diameter was seen caught in some crab pots 15 miles south the following day. I'm willing to bet the farm that was the cause of the following damage: a. bent prop shaft b. broken strut The question is, if the shaft is bent, and the prop shop can rebend it, am I taking a risk? Should I be concerned with metal fatigue even if I'm assured it will be good as new. OR should I grit my teeth, tell them forget, and just fabricate a new one? Presently, I'm boatless, no transportation, learning to fish, living on the hard in Ponce Inlet, FL, for about 3 more weeks. Any suggestions????

A good machine shop can easily and inexpensively straighten a "tweaked" or slightly bent shaft. Ask the local sailors. I had my prop shaft straightened in 1987 and now have over 3,500 hours on it - no problems. There is a firm in NJ, I believe, Algonquin (?) or something like that. Send them your bent or broken strut and they can replicate it. I had two struts made for a power boat a few years back at a fair price. If I can find the receipts I will send the name to you. Tom Vandiver, Cal 46 & 25, Pensacola, FL --- On Thu, 1/1/09, ira reba <th… [at] yahoo.com> wrote: From: ira reba <th… [at] yahoo.com> Subject: [Cal_Boats] Fw: Bent prop shaft To: ca… [at] yahoogroups.com, Lo… [at] yahoogroups.com, sa… [at] yahoogroups.com, si… [at] yahoogroups.com Date: Thursday, January 1, 2009, 10:29 PM --- On Thu, 1/1/09, ira reba <thekitchenguy02148@ yahoo.com> wrote: From: ira reba <thekitchenguy02148@ yahoo.com> Subject: Bent prop shaft To: cal_boats@yahoogrou ps.com, LowCostVoyaging@ yahoogroups. com, sailingonline@ yahoogroups. com, singlessailing@ yahoogroups. com Date: Thursday, January 1, 2009, 2:43 PM Hello All: I had a hellatious freak accident the day before Christmas. I was anchored just out of the ICW south of St Augustine when at around 3AM three distinct hard thuds occurred. Enough to wake me up and think a boat hit me. I'll dispense with the details, but suffice it to say, a water logged telephone pole 12-15 feet long, perhaps a foot and a half in diameter was seen caught in some crab pots 15 miles south the following day. I'm willing to bet the farm that was the cause of the following damage: a. bent prop shaft b. broken strut The question is, if the shaft is bent, and the prop shop can rebend it, am I taking a risk? Should I be concerned with metal fatigue even if I'm assured it will be good as new. OR should I grit my teeth, tell them forget, and just fabricate a new one? Presently, I'm boatless, no transportation, learning to fish, living on the hard in Ponce Inlet, FL, for about 3 more weeks. Any suggestions? ???