Reassuring help in Greece

[TRUNDLETRUC]

We have just returned from our two month holiday in Greece which involved a trip from Preveza to Athens with various friends and family. Unfortunately, the holiday started terribly when we launched and there was this noise from the motor/drive? It started at about 1500 revs and continued up to about 2000 revs and sounded like real trouble in the saildrive.
Having travelled a few miles we decided to return and get a technician to sort it out. Whilst we were moored to the quay the technician put the boat into gear and listened for the noise. It was not there! He said there was nothing to worry about and we would have to "live with it" He would not come out for a sail so he could hear the proper noise. So we set off again. After a few days we thought it might be the rope cutter catching so we arranged for the boat to be lifted and the cutter removed at some cost. This made no difference at all! Still the noise.
Obviously with a trip across Greece to do and the possibility of having to cancel holidays we were very worried. But as we were going through the Lefkas canal I rang Contract Yacht services the Volvo agent run by Joe Charlton They arranged for their technician to meet us on the quay and he came out in our boat and heard the noise. He was not sure what it was but arranged for Joe and a diver to meet us at the end of the canal in Ligia. After examination it was agreed to lift out again and change the lower sail drive bearings, the seals needed replacement anyway.
This they did the following Monday and it made no difference! CYS had a Volvo prop in stock they agreed to get a diver to replace our "new fangled" prop (which had cost a lot of money) but if it did not stop the noise they would replace our prop back again. The noise was no more!
Why am I writing about this? For two reasons - firstly, think very very seriously about changing to a prop that is not recommended by the manufacturer. Secondly, and this is the main reason. We find it very hard to get work done correctly in Greece but I must recommend the tenacity with which Contract Yacht Services approached this problem and saw it though to its conclusion so that we did not have to "live with it".
The problem was the propeller and there is an example on You Tube (which we found later on) search for "Singing Propeller"
Thanks to Joe Charlton and his team we made it to Athens and back and had an enjoyable time with our friends.

 

[RupertW]

What was the propellor type?

 

[sailaboutvic]

Over the years we changed prop on many sail drives never a problem ,
Interested to hear more .

How come they never found the problem when they haul you out .
Good it sorted but it must had cost you quite a lot u til they did .

 

[BobnLesley]

...We find it very hard to get work done correctly in Greece but I must recommend the tenacity with which Contract Yacht Services approached this problem and saw it though to its conclusion...

On the basis of our years in the Med we came to realise that there's a special name for competent yacht Engineers down there and most especially in Greece; they're called 'Foreigners', predominantly of the North European variety.

 

[Cariadco]

On the basis of our years in the Med we came to realise that there's a special name for competent yacht Engineers down there and most especially in Greece; they're called 'Foreigners', predominantly of the North European variety.

Would that make them to be ''Northerners''...???

 

[Mr Cassandra]

If I remember correctly Joe Charlton is an Aussie, or kiwi. Also check if your watch is still on your wrist.

 

[chris-s]

On the basis of our years in the Med we came to realise that there's a special name for competent yacht Engineers down there and most especially in Greece; they're called 'Foreigners', predominantly of the North European variety.

Ha! Our son has recently started working as an engineer on Poros for a charter company after two years at marine college, just doing it until next year when he starts a Superyacht engineer course. On his first day, he fixed five outboards the local guy had failed/messed up and overhauled a yanmar which someone had butchered attempting some sort of repair. He has no shortage of work between the flotilla boats he is employed to look after and the other visitors in need of assistance.

 

[Tony Cross]

On the basis of our years in the Med we came to realise that there's a special name for competent yacht Engineers down there and most especially in Greece; they're called 'Foreigners', predominantly of the North European variety.

I think that what you need to bear in mind is that 'foreigners' with the right skills move to the location that gives them the most work. The local Greeks generally look for work where they are, and except for those few places with a lot of visiting yachts or a lot of local vessels, there just isn't enough work to make it worth their learning the necessary skills.

Here in AG Nik on Crete we have a great marina, but it's on the small side and there isn't enough work to sustain more than one or two 'engineers' and even then they tend to be 'general engineers' rather than specialists. One of the really good engineers we used to have coming down here on a regular basis decided to stop coming because there just wasn't enough work to make it worthwhile. He could earn more money elsewhere.

 

[TRUNDLETRUC]

I have been astonished by some of the above comments. I believe that writers on the internet should be very careful with their pessimism and particularly personal remarks. Actually the technician who showed the greatest resolve in sorting out the problem was indeed Greek!

I believe it is not fair to name the type of prop. as it was fitted two years ago and worked fine. Only at the end of last year did we get an occasional noise. Only on launching this year did it become a real problem and close examination both before launching and at the lift outs did not show any obvious problems. Perhaps there is slight damage?
The manufacturers have agreed to have the prop. back and see what went wrong. I will be very interested to know the answer as it did indeed cost us a considerable amount of money to get the yacht put right.

 

[sailaboutvic]

I know people who been very happy with work done by CYS one was a new engine replacement , I also know a few who have not got a good word to say about them , but that's the way it goes , I glade you got your problem sorted ,
Although I am a bit surprise that they replaces your bearing when it seen there was nothing wrong with them and missed out on the real problem the prop .
We had different props on sail drive and never had a problem , it's a shame you won't say what prop you had on ,it may just save someone else having the same problem .
Maybe you will report back at some point .

 

[Mr Cassandra]

I have been astonished by some of the above comments. I believe that writers on the internet should be very careful with their pessimism and particularly personal remarks. Actually the technician who showed the greatest resolve in sorting out the problem was indeed Greek!

I believe it is not fair to name the type of prop. as it was fitted two years ago and worked fine. Only at the end of last year did we get an occasional noise. Only on launching this year did it become a real problem and close examination both before launching and at the lift outs did not show any obvious problems. Perhaps there is slight damage?
The manufacturers have agreed to have the prop. back and see what went wrong. I will be very interested to know the answer as it did indeed cost us a considerable amount of money to get the yacht put right.

As someone who lived in Nikiana for 5 years 1996 -2001 ,I knew Joe quite well, If you are happy, then Joe will be very happy.