Oops ..... A Sorry Story.. Wnat can possibly go wrong. ?

[oldgit]

Oops ..... A Sorry Story.. What can possibly go wrong. ?

BANG......Having carefully undone all the ropes...and this time even the shorepower , departed the pontoon.
Kettle was put on ready for the journey round to WID with half dozen other club boats, not a breath of wind, warm sunshine and water like a mirror
Put on hat and cool dude sunglasses.
What can possib...............

Bang went something under boat, stalling engine, restart and gingerly open throttle, wobble wobble goes entire boat.
Creep back to mooring.
Almost certainly bent prop, no problem,on blocks over night and quick swap.
Off to WID in the morning, with rest of fleet.
As the tide drops the exposed prop blades look suprisingly OK.
The shaft does appear to be at funny angle tho
O cripes.........
Spend weekend up Allington tootling on one engine.
Weekend not totally lost.

Plan of action formed.
Boat lifted out at Gillingham Marina.
Phone call to T Norris for quote.
Cut shaft into sections to remove ..a real pig of job.fortunately had loan of ginormous disc cutter and props came of with ease.
While in bilges freed off stern gland nuts and cleaned out all the crud.
Spend three hours driving 40 miles to Isleworth to deliver old shaft for dimensions.
Has anybody here actually been inside their workshop machine room ???

State of play.
Wait for new shaft.
Fitting new cutlass bearings and anodes tomorrow and fitting new bit of exhaust hose over weekend.

Ps .Marina has very nice caff.
PPS. got to get one prop mended yet agin.

 

[Actionmat]

Sorry to hear that, sounds like a very expensive weekend.

Has anybody here actually been inside their workshop machine room ???

Yes. No one in brown coats, but I'm sure any young lad would soon be sent off to fetch a left handed screwdriver and a long weight.
A proper timewarp, last of a dying bread.

 

[boatone]

Excellent yarn, Fred, the stuff that this forum used to be made of ! I visited Norris once to get some bronze fittings chromed - good old fashioned engineering and one wonders just how much longer such folk will be around.

Still remember with great satisfaction our joint efforts (mostly yours) to sort out the heat exchanger on my Hardy 27 when "engineers" quoted £2000 to fix a crossover problem between raw and internal cooling and we dun it for about £150 including parts !

 

[dash300]

Used them for years and nothing has changed fortunately. I still bring my props up to them even though I have moved away. A more unlikely place for a Marine Engineering emporium would be hard to imagine but they are first class at what they do and that's the sort of confidence one needs now one is on the briny.:encouragement:

 

[[2068]]

Was it one of those situations where an outdrive would have just kicked up a bit?

<runs and hides>

 

[oldgit]

Was it one of those situations where an outdrive would have just kicked up a bit?

<runs and hides>

Grrr...


On arrival in Maidstone a boat was parked just upstream, the crew wandered down, usually moored over other side of river in Rochester.
What happened,they asked ?.... We heard a blimming great bang and saw your boat leap out of water...........

 

[Flynnbarr]

Excuses,Excuses......just to avoid getting beat in a sail boat race...

 

[oldgit]

Excuses,Excuses......just to avoid getting beat in a sail boat race...

We can wait a little longer to inflict that crushing defeat on the opposition .....
Would not at all be suprised if Murv had not dumped a load of concrete blocks by my berth to avoid the inevitable

 

[Actionmat]

Are T Norris repairing your prop? I'm asking because one of mine looks in a similar sorry state and I'd be interested to know how much the repair would be

 

[Murv]

Excuses,Excuses......just to avoid getting beat in a sail boat race...

We even offered to shadow them all the way up and down the Thames with a tow rope on standby. This was met by a slightly alarmed expression, much mutterings and a swift refusal. I rest my case!

That is a hell of a job on that shaft, surprised the prop looks as intact as it does. I guess the impact must have stalled it immediately, then the weight of the boat has bent the shaft using the P bracket as a fulcrum?
I do really admire your spirit though, still enjoying a good long weekend despite being down to one engine. Especially with your destination having a bit of a reputation for destroying stern gear! Really does put most of the boats on the moorings to shame that never go anywhere, despite being fully serviceable (or were when they were last checked.)

Anyway, sailing vessel "OG Destroyer" is still onboard and ready to go at a moments notice, I guess I'll just have to wait a little while longer to claim the inevitable victory

 

[oldgit]

Are T Norris repairing your prop? I'm asking because one of mine looks in a similar sorry state and I'd be interested to know how much the repair would be

prop being mended by Invicta Marine a local company.

 

[rosssavage]

Are T Norris repairing your prop? I'm asking because one of mine looks in a similar sorry state and I'd be interested to know how much the repair would be

Depending on prop dimensions and damage, £150-180 is a good guess.

Think I paid £160 last time for mine 21” x 24”, welded repair, balance and polish. Three day turnround, best in the business by a long way.

If you have twin engines, they may want both props to ensure the repaired one matches the other one precisely.

 

[Chill]

Oh dear sorry to hear about this, hope you get it sorted without too much pain on the bank balance.
Was this at the RCC moorings? any idea what you hit? was it low tide?

 

[Actionmat]

Thankyou Ross and Fred for the prop info:encouragement:

 

[oldgit]

Oh dear sorry to hear about this, hope you get it sorted without too much pain on the bank balance.
Was this at the RCC moorings? any idea what you hit? was it low tide?

No idea what we hit, virtually no damage to any propeller blades,some time after low water.
Suspect it may have been something jammed between propeller and "P" bracket.
Having had some experience of bending the odd prop or six, you normally do get a bit of warning before actual disaster strikes.

Changed the exhaust hose today.
Was up until now, under the total misapprehension that Anti Fouling was the most evil job you can do on a boat.
Was so wrong

 

[Chill]

Perhaps it was one of those Medway Dragons

 

[oldgit]

Perhaps it was one of those Medway Dragons

Naa ...no DRAGONS left, down here we have caught and eaten most of them .

 

[CX54WEK]

Troublesome these shaft drive boats aren't they

 

[Parabordi]

Troublesome these shaft drive boats aren't they

Nope

 

[oldgit]

Troublesome these shaft drive boats aren't they

Ouch