Cutlass Bearings in Greece

[Jeva]

Does anybody know if it's possible to source imperial sized cutlass bearings in Greece?
Thanks All

 

[cmedsailor]

Try asking Nautilus.

http://www.nautilus.gr

Though I have some doubts for the imperial but you never know.


Edit: http://shop.nautilus.gr/site/product/Μπούσες-μπρούτζινες-μετρικές-ίντζας?prdId=080502&extLang=

Maybe they do.

 

[Tranona]

Imperial sizes are quite common. You need to measure both the internal and external diameters as some are mixed dimensions - ie one imperial and the other metric. If not available locally there are plenty of suppliers in UK who do mail order. ASAP, Lake Engineering, T Norris as examples.

 

[Brent Swain]

I have always used bronze oilite bushings,under $5 each.They last about ten years.

 

[AndrewB]

Be careful. Nautilus in Gouvia sold me what they swore was a 1¼" ID x 1¾" OD cutlass bearing, but it was actually 32 x 45mm - didn't fit. (And they refused to give me money back, only credit). Peter's chandlery in Gouvia used to do imperial sizes but he has now shut shop, however I did get one from the chandlery at Cleopatra boatyard, Preveza (they had to order it, but it was next-day delivery).

You'll save money though if you can buy it in England.

 

[Jeva]

You'll save money though if you can buy it in England.

Thanks for that, but unfortunately I won't know what the O.D. is until I lift the (non-standard size) boat out.

 

[lpdsn]

SVB (www.svb24.com) seem to do mixed metric(ID) imperial ones(OD), except they call them rubber shaft bearings. Might be worth looking at as they'll probably deliver to Greece quite cheaply.

 

[vyv_cox]

Which part of Greece? Both chandleries in Leros could obtain just about whatever you want. There are many UK boats berthed on the island and it would be surprising if none of them ever ordered Imperial components. They certainly do inch shaft anodes.

 

[Jeva]

I'm in the Athens area. I'll be going out to check things in a couple of weeks, so I'll have some words with the various locals that may be involved.
Thanks for all your help and comments.

 

[Flica]

Which part of Greece? Both chandleries in Leros could obtain just about whatever you want. There are many UK boats berthed on the island and it would be surprising if none of them ever ordered Imperial components. They certainly do inch shaft anodes.

Nautilus, amongst others, will source brass-backed bearings to imperial dimensions - I actually buy my bearings in the UK, from Countrose - being a blind housing I need to use phenolic backed ones.

 

[ccscott49]

Get your cutlass bearings in UK. Countrose bearings. The ones sourced in Greece are more often than not Italian or Spanish ones and are of poor quality, just ask me how I know!! The Countrose ones are far superior, much better made and good thick bronze backing. They mail order very quickly. The T. Norris ones are also from countrose. This is of course IMHO.

 

[Flica]

My bearing were a special order, a strange length, id in mm and od in imperial and they were phenolic backed.
I ordered them (with a lot of technical assistance from their management) and had them delivered to a UK address.
It's not difficult (or expensive) to order things in UK or the US for delivery to Greece, whicj I've done on about 15 occasions, with only one that went in any way awry.
Countrose are specialist manufacturers, not cheap, but very good.

 

[Normalfornorfolk]

Isn't cutlass bearing an offense under the Criminal Justice Act 1988?

 

[Brent Swain]

Some metric sizes are extremely close to imperial. I have digital dial caliper which converts metric to imperial with the push of a button. Many do. Set it at 25 mm then switch it to inches. The difference from one inch is tiny, too tiny to matter. Ditto 3mm and 1 1/4 inch. Write down the difference and set your caliper to the difference, and see if it is enough to worry about. Would you throw away a bearing with only that much wear?
Some have cut a slice out, and wrapped a shim around them, for many more years of use.

 

[Tranona]

Some metric sizes are extremely close to imperial. I have digital dial caliper which converts metric to imperial with the push of a button. Many do. Set it at 25 mm then switch it to inches. The difference from one inch is tiny, too tiny to matter. Ditto 3mm and 1 1/4 inch. Write down the difference and set your caliper to the difference, and see if it is enough to worry about. Would you throw away a bearing with only that much wear?
Some have cut a slice out, and wrapped a shim around them, for many more years of use.

This totally unnecessary. Cutless bearings are made in precise sizes of OD and ID to give the right clearances in the housings. Using the "near" equivalents is just not necessary. Order the correct size from the supplier after measuring the bearing housing and shaft ACCURATELY. In Europe, and particularly the UK there are many reputable suppliers of the correct sizes so no need to bodge..

 

[Brent Swain]

This totally unnecessary. Cutless bearings are made in precise sizes of OD and ID to give the right clearances in the housings. Using the "near" equivalents is just not necessary. Order the correct size from the supplier after measuring the bearing housing and shaft ACCURATELY. In Europe, and particularly the UK there are many reputable suppliers of the correct sizes so no need to bodge..

This is the kind of thinking which makes one totally helpless when things go wrong in remote areas.

 

[capnsensible]

This is the kind of thinking which makes one totally helpless when things go wrong in remote areas.

Get two so you have a spare for remote places. Easy.

 

[Tranona]

This is the kind of thinking which makes one totally helpless when things go wrong in remote areas.

The OP was not in a remote area and was doing routine maintenance. a boat that would need to replace a cutless in a remote area I would suggest is badly prepared as it is not the sort of item that fails just because you are remote.

Of course one may at times have to "bodge", but it is completely unnecessary in normal circumstances. You can avoid the need to bodge by doing things properly and using the correct materials in the first place.

BTW only a very tiny minority of sailors go to "remote" places so your advice as you try to give here is mostly useless to the majority of sailors (and often dangerous)!

 

[Flica]

The OP was not in a remote area and was doing routine maintenance. a boat that would need to replace a cutless in a remote area I would suggest is badly prepared as it is not the sort of item that fails just because you are remote.

Of course one may at times have to "bodge", but it is completely unnecessary in normal circumstances. You can avoid the need to bodge by doing things properly and using the correct materials in the first place.

BTW only a very tiny minority of sailors go to "remote" places so your advice as you try to give here is mostly useless to the majority of sailors (and often dangerous)!

On a sailboat having a cutless bearing go should be no problem - after all your main mode of progress is by sailpower (or is it?).
In fact it coat only 40% more for two than 1 bearing, when last I got one - so 3200 hours and 10 years later I'm still shaking the shaft and finding no play. I just hope I can still find the spare (if the chap with hourglass and scythe doesn't catch up).