Med boaters - will you get to your boat this year?

[Greenhorn]

Turns out the problem wasn’t the bellows but the casing where the bellows attached was broken. Looks like the bearing holding the shaft failed, causing the shaft to move around which broke the casing. Mechanical failure isn’t covered under my insurance so looks like I’ll have to pay for the salvage costs. Very frustrating as we’d only done 3 hours since the leg drives were serviced!

 

[AllanG]

^^^ that’s impressive! Cayenne or Macan?

That’s a Macan......the same as I’ve got, but mine is a 3l V6 petrol, so I don’t get anywhere near Porto’s MPG! ?

 

[julians]

Turns out the problem wasn’t the bellows but the casing where the bellows attached was broken. Looks like the bearing holding the shaft failed, causing the shaft to move around which broke the casing. Mechanical failure isn’t covered under my insurance so looks like I’ll have to pay for the salvage costs. Very frustrating as we’d only done 3 hours since the leg drives were serviced!

View attachment 139046

Ouch,not good. How old is the boat?

 

[Greenhorn]

That’s a Macan......the same as I’ve got, but mine is a 3l V6 petrol, so I don’t get anywhere near Porto’s MPG! ?

I should have known as my wife has a Macan GTS, averages 24mpg, might get 30 on a run.

 

[Greenhorn]

Ouch,not good. How old is the boat?

2015. The “good” thing about boating I’m learning, is that the cost of everything else pales into insignificance.

 

[julians]

2015. The “good” thing about boating I’m learning, is that the cost of everything else pales into insignificance.

Wow, you'd expect no issues of that sort on a 2015 boat, maybe the previous owners didn't stay on top of replacing the anodes? In which caseit might be worth carefully inspecting all the under water components, because if that bit is corroded there's sure to be more.

Were they dph outdrives?

I had dph drives on my previous boat, they were still going fine at 16 years old, religiously replaced the anodes though

 

[DavidJ]

We made it here on Monday, lovely weather, but we've just been told that there is a water restriction and we're not allowed to wash the boat

That’s what night times are for

 

[Greenhorn]

Wow, you'd expect no issues of that sort on a 2015 boat, maybe the previous owners didn't stay on top of replacing the anodes? In which caseit might be worth carefully inspecting all the under water components, because if that bit is corroded there's sure to be more.

Were they dph outdrives?

I had dph drives on my previous boat, they were still going fine at 16 years old, religiously replaced the anodes though

Volvo Penta Pod drives.

 

[Portofino]

That’s a Macan......the same as I’ve got, but mine is a 3l V6 petrol, so I don’t get anywhere near Porto’s MPG! ?

Correct .
Traded a Bentley GT for it back in Feb ……the week before the Ukraine ” small military action “ kicked off and fuel rocketed
We also have a boxster for summer fun and a 70 s classic carbed Ferrari for the classic rallye car itch .
So glad we went the then unfashionable and un woke and anti tree hugging D route tbh for mile hacking .

As I said bit two faced going EV / hybrid and running a mobo , a high speed planing mobo .

I couldn’t.
But realise on here others do ?Not interested in the smugability factor.

 

[Portofino]

Volvo Penta Pod drives.

You mean sterndrives as opposed to IPS .We tend to call IPS pods generally.
Sterndrives also called outdrives or just drives .
D6 tend to come with the DPH , the external steering ram one .

Anyhow what boat is it ?
I know you were new here a while back so you probably saw mine and other posts on the VP outdrive , well none new Vs simole shaft reliability and future expense opinions .

Nothing beats experience .Now you have some going Fwds picking the next boat .
It’s a well trodden path even i have have been down ONCE ( never again ) Most newbies end up in the clutches of VP .

 

[Greenhorn]

You mean sterndrives as opposed to IPS .We tend to call IPS pods generally.
Sterndrives also called outdrives or just drives .
D6 tend to come with the DPH , the external steering ram one .

Anyhow what boat is it ?
I know you were new here a while back so you probably saw mine and other posts on the VP outdrive , well none new Vs simole shaft reliability and future expense opinions .

Nothing beats experience .Now you have some going Fwds picking the next boat .
It’s a well trodden path even i have have been down ONCE ( never again ) Most newbies end up in the clutches of VP .

Told you so… very helpful ?

It’s a Princess V39

 

[markc]

Don’t you just love “ dirty diesel “ guys
Well if you are into Mobos …….blasting about why not ?

Impressive, I averaged 22.1mpg in my Cayenne Turbo in the opposite direction....i was pleased with myself as I usually get 17mpg. Not so pleased now.

 

[julians]

Told you so… very helpful ?

It’s a Princess V39

That boat uses outdrives not pods. They are Volvo penta dph outdrives, the same as I had on my previous boat, they should last way longer than 7 years before they corrode, if maintained correctly. It will be worth getting someone experienced to check the rest of the underwater critical stuff out just in case if other issues.

 

[Mr Googler]

Turns out the problem wasn’t the bellows but the casing where the bellows attached was broken. Looks like the bearing holding the shaft failed, causing the shaft to move around which broke the casing. Mechanical failure isn’t covered under my insurance so looks like I’ll have to pay for the salvage costs. Very frustrating as we’d only done 3 hours since the leg drives were serviced!

View attachment 139046

but why did the bearing fail? My guess would be the bellow wasn’t on properly….seawater in and bearing destroyed.

Engine out and new bellhousing. Nightmare!

 

[Portofino]

Told you so… very helpful ?

It’s a Princess V39

Sorry not intended to appear like that .
It might help the next guy behind you reading that post .That was the intention.
Good luck with the fix and the rest of the season .

 

[Greenhorn]

View attachment 139068
but why did the bearing fail? My guess would be the bellow wasn’t on properly….seawater in and bearing destroyed.

Engine out and new bellhousing. Nightmare!

The bellows were attached OK. Perhaps just one of those things. My gut feeling is that when they replaced the bellows, there was probably evidence of previous water ingress that they should have investigated further. But I can’t prove that.

 

[Portofino]

The bellows were attached OK. Perhaps just one of those things. My gut feeling is that when they replaced the bellows, there was probably evidence of previous water ingress that they should have investigated further. But I can’t prove that.

How did water get through if the “ The bellows were attached ok “ ?

I was of the understanding even if the drive shaft bellows failed the bearing would initially with its grease packing and tight tolerance fit wise prevent a sinking ingress scenario .
Sure seawater and even greased bearings would eventually fail but weep first , weep enough for bilge pumps or relatively unconcerned water in the bilge scenarios .

That bearing must have been soaked in seawater for a while eventually corroded having lost its grease protection .
Then broken down significantly to allow volumes of water ingress .

Sometimes a weepy drive bellows only knackers the universal joint , that goes first .Play and corrosion is detected at the 2 yr bellows change .

So the bellows just done or previous bellows must have failed over a considerable period of time to allow sea water ingress .
Can’t see 3 hrs ago since previous bellows service .You did say you had them done 3 hrs ago ?

I used official VP agents in there yard to service my KAD 300 s + DPG drives .Fresh oil annually and bellows every two yrs .
It was a 4 day job the bellows by them and a lot of Labour .They used to remove the drives take them into the engine shed lay them down and strip them down , pressure test the thing overnight one night .Measure with a micrometer stuff .
Then advise which bits were out of tolerance, replace shims , the odd thrust bearing etc and re assemble re fit to the boat .All genuine VP parts .
The same guy Frank from Arie d Boom in La Rague looked after them for 9 seasons .No break downs what so ever .
But big bills several thousands each year .
Typically there could be 8/9 drives on the bench all stripped each week by the team of techs .
Did not think much of it thought it was normal being complicated things dangling in sea water with aluminium cases .

 

[Portofino]

Just as an aside one season I did the AF on the hull .The Yard removed the drives for ^^^ . When I had a Portofino 35 .
Next door was a Targa 34 like PeteM s . One morning a un marked white van turned up and a guy sprang out and started to wrestle with the outdrives , without removing them he changed the bellows in under two hrs then disappeared.
The parts were not in blue boxes just in clear bags .
That evening when he had gone and when mine were refitted after being off for 4 days in the shed I had a good comparison.
After all 2 hrs + pattern parts Vs 4 days + genuine VP parts and hrs and hrs of Labour . What was I exactly buying for my thousands of € ?

Well his bellows were hard and plasticy , mine were softer and more rubber ie flexible .His had less concertina / folds in them .
His flange where the clamp fits was narrower .His clamps where thinner in x section and the rack and pinion bit smaller , you know where the worm supposed to grip .
The metal was duller than my genuine VP SSteel bellows clamps .

I know a lot of forum members ( not saying you btw , the guy with the bearing ) end up racing for the bottom with service costs .
The genuine VP parts Vs pattern parts argument , threads galore of folks avoiding VP parts Tax .But the bellows and its clamp are all that keeps the sea out .

Well look on the bright side if it was a helicopter that just had its rotor head serviced 3 hrs ago , had its 2000 hr biggie , the difference is that would have dropped out of the sky .

Your boat just slowly fills up with water nobody dies from pattern parts in critical areas .

I wonder if that bearing can be replaced in situ , circlip off and a puller etc? Seems drastic to pull the motor or worse still it’s engineered as a one component as Mr Googler infers.You end up with a new bell housing as the bearing is designed by VP as a none serviceable part , it comes fixed in the bell housing necessitating engine removal.If so that’s harsh on you .

 

[Portofino]

Turns out the problem wasn’t the bellows but the casing where the bellows attached was broken. Looks like the bearing holding the shaft failed, causing the shaft to move around which broke the casing. Mechanical failure isn’t covered under my insurance so looks like I’ll have to pay for the salvage costs. Very frustrating as we’d only done 3 hours since the leg drives were serviced!

View attachment 139046

The universal joint acted as a flail , banged about inside smashing the flange off .
Could have been that initially a worn UJ .Once the flange cracked off them the seawater attack on the bearing , then that goes = rapid water ingress .
Or the bearings had a chronic history of seepage of seawater over the years and the service guys turned a blind eye just done his bit for now !
I mean wear his shoes it’s a fixed price job he’s allocated a morning ( has another job in the afternoon lined up ).
Arrives with new bellows from where ever ,just wants to get the job done .

I mean imagine the conversation with the owner 2000 miles away from a gawd forsaken yard with limited facilities .
” You need an engine removal + extra daily yard rate + crane hire + work shop space or transport of motor to out workshop ” which incidentally the guy hasn’t got .A few more blokes which being a one man band they guy would have to organise.
Then before the call to owner figure out the cost .Get it wrong end up out of pocket .
For better sticking to bread + butter simple price serving , turning a blind eye at the state of the bearing and moving on to the afternoon jobbie .

 

[Greenhorn]

Just as an aside one season I did the AF on the hull .The Yard removed the drives for ^^^ . When I had a Portofino 35 .
Next door was a Targa 34 like PeteM s . One morning a un marked white van turned up and a guy sprang out and started to wrestle with the outdrives , without removing them he changed the bellows in under two hrs then disappeared.
The parts were not in blue boxes just in clear bags .
That evening when he had gone and when mine were refitted after being off for 4 days in the shed I had a good comparison.
After all 2 hrs + pattern parts Vs 4 days + genuine VP parts and hrs and hrs of Labour . What was I exactly buying for my thousands of € ?

Well his bellows were hard and plasticy , mine were softer and more rubber ie flexible .His had less concertina / folds in them .
His flange where the clamp fits was narrower .His clamps where thinner in x section and the rack and pinion bit smaller , you know where the worm supposed to grip .
The metal was duller than my genuine VP SSteel bellows clamps .

I know a lot of forum members ( not saying you btw , the guy with the bearing ) end up racing for the bottom with service costs .
The genuine VP parts Vs pattern parts argument , threads galore of folks avoiding VP parts Tax .But the bellows and its clamp are all that keeps the sea out .

Well look on the bright side if it was a helicopter that just had its rotor head serviced 3 hrs ago , had its 2000 hr biggie , the difference is that would have dropped out of the sky .

Your boat just slowly fills up with water nobody dies from pattern parts in critical areas .

I wonder if that bearing can be replaced in situ , circlip off and a puller etc? Seems drastic to pull the motor or worse still it’s engineered as a one component as Mr Googler infers.You end up with a new bell housing as the bearing is designed by VP as a none serviceable part , it comes fixed in the bell housing necessitating engine removal.If so that’s harsh on you .

I used a Volvo Penta dealer and paid €3,500 to service the drives. Cost for the repair is €13,000. It’s frustrating when you don’t cut corners and this happens. But hey, everyone’s safe and at the end of the day it’s a first world problem!