Replacing paddlewheel

[eddystone]

Is it OK to replace log paddle wheel before launching? It seems to me that the location is well forward of where the cradle strap would sit and don't fancy taking out blanking plug when it's in the water.

 

[Poignard]

I always fit it before launching and remove it after lifting out. I've never had a problem because itis in a place where the lifting strops don't bear on the hull.

 

[vyv_cox]

Mark the hull with a bit of electricians tape where you want the strop to go, ensuring that it will not contact the log paddle.

However, if your paddle wheel lasts a full season without needing to be cleared of either weed, barnacles or debris, it will be unique in my experience. The amount of water that comes inside the boat when removing the paddle is not a lot and once the technique has been practised a couple of times you will be quite comfortable with it.

 

[RichardS]

Just wrap an old towel round the tube, whip the paddle wheel out with one hand and slide in the blanking plug with the other. A bit of "vaseline" on it first perhaps. On a 40 ft monohull I used to get less than 500 ml of water coming in, easily absorbed by the towel alone.

Richard

 

[sailorman]

I always fit it before launching and remove it after lifting out. I've never had a problem because itis in a place where the lifting strops don't bear on the hull.

i do the opposite,i do not want a damaged transducer. what does the OP do on a passage with a fouled transducer,as stated in #4 terry little water comes into the boat

 

[Danbury]

Organisation is the key (your wife was right !)... have everything to hand, and make sure you know which way the arrow is pointing...

 

[theoldsalt]

There is no need to completely remove the unit. Just lift it sufficeient for the paddle to be above the outer hull. The seal on the unit should still prevent water inflow. After launch push the unit fully out and tighten the securing collar. Do the reverse when lifting out.

That's what I do every year with my log unit.

 

[ghostlymoron]

There is no need to completely remove the unit. Just lift it sufficeient for the paddle to be above the outer hull. The seal on the unit should still prevent water inflow. After launch push the unit fully out and tighten the securing collar. Do the reverse when lifting out.

That's what I do every year with my log unit.

You are all assuming that it's a Raymarine type with built in flap valve and slide in plug. If it's a NASA one like mine, with no flap and a screw on cap, you get more water through the fitting. But not much if you use the 'towel' method. I like to do a dry run before I start so that the cap is not out of reach at the vital moment!

 

[theoldsalt]

You are all assuming that it's a Raymarine type with built in flap valve and slide in plug.

I'm not assuming that !

Mine is a Stowe and when lifted slightly no water enters the boat.

 

[ghostlymoron]

Raymarine or Stowe

 

[vyv_cox]

I think the NASA ones have no facility to lift the paddle wheel without removing the whole unit, the one on Cecilia is certainly like that. The B&G one on Straitshooter allows the paddle wheel to be lifted without removing it. I never have been sure what benefits that gives, except maybe when sailing through the Sargasso Sea. I would not like a hoist sling to lie across the fitting whether the paddle was in or out.

 

[ghostlymoron]

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=16_paddlewheel_unit
The transducer is removed by unscrewing the retaining thing and withdrawing it. There is a blank cap supplied with the unit which is very easy to cross thread when your boats rapidly filling with water. (This isn't a criticism of the NASA unit ).
Agree it's best not to have a lifting strop over a plastic skin fitting.

 

[bert49uk]

http://www.nasamarine.com/proddetail.php?prod=16_paddlewheel_unit
The transducer is removed by unscrewing the retaining thing and withdrawing it. There is a blank cap supplied with the unit which is very easy to cross thread when your boats rapidly filling with water. (This isn't a criticism of the NASA unit ).
Agree it's best not to have a lifting strop over a plastic skin fitting.

I dont understand this, no need to hurry and get it cross threaded, once the unit is pushed back in the water stops, you can then screw in the cap at leisure, its job is just to hold it in posision not seal it

 

[ghostlymoron]

I dont understand this, no need to hurry and get it cross threaded, once the unit is pushed back in the water stops, you can then screw in the cap at leisure, its job is just to hold it in posision not seal it

When you withdraw the sensor for maintenance, you have to undo the retaining cap, pull the sensor out (at which point water gushes in), and put on the screwed blanking cap whilst you do your maintenance. It's the point between 'water gushes in' and screwing on the blanking cap where panic sets in and cross threading can occur.

 

[RichardS]

When you withdraw the sensor for maintenance, you have to undo the retaining cap, pull the sensor out (at which point water gushes in), and put on the screwed blanking cap whilst you do your maintenance. It's the point between 'water gushes in' and screwing on the blanking cap where panic sets in and cross threading can occur.

I was referring to the sort referred to by bert49uk where the blanking plug is a long cylinder like the paddle wheel carrier. Once you slide it in the water stops and you then have plenty of time to screw on the locking collar which only holds the cylinder in place.

There are obviously different types!

Richard

 

[ghostlymoron]

My remarks relate to the NASA unit, Raymarine and similar ones have a flap valve which stops water ingress substantially.

 

[James_Calvert]

On my Sadler 32, the paddlewheel transducer is well forward, on the centre line in the space where the port and starboard underbunk lockers join up. It's not really possible to get more than one arm into the space at a time, so taking it out and putting the blanking cap on, and vice-versa is worth practicing while you are still out of the water. My cap isn't attached to the fitting, so you need make sure it's very handy!

On the original poster's question, if the position is similar to mine, I wouldn't bother to remove it, the worst that can happen is that a strop might slide past it before it is in position. The most I might do is to withdraw it slightly into its tube, and push it down (not forgetting to retighten the sealing nut) once launched.

 

[jwilson]

You need to lose your fear of taking out the impeller. A few pints, or even a few gallons, will not sink you. The paddles are however very vulnerable to heavy lifting strops sliding along the hull at launch/liftout time. You may get away with slings 5, 10 or 20 times, but sooner or later it will cost you a new log impeller. In Falmouth mine seems to need taking out at least weekly in the season.

 

[makingplansfor]

I have just suffered a broken paddle wheel when the boat slipped in the strops - no problems in past years. A few pints of water to deal with is nothing compared to the drama of changing the complete log system including the hull fitting!!

 

[sailorman]

On my Sadler 32, the paddlewheel transducer is well forward, on the centre line in the space where the port and starboard underbunk lockers join up. It's not really possible to get more than one arm into the space at a time, so taking it out and putting the blanking cap on, and vice-versa is worth practicing while you are still out of the water. My cap isn't attached to the fitting, so you need make sure it's very handy!

On the original poster's question, if the position is similar to mine, I wouldn't bother to remove it, the worst that can happen is that a strop might slide past it before it is in position. The most I might do is to withdraw it slightly into its tube, and push it down (not forgetting to retighten the sealing nut) once launched.

The worst that can happen
The transducer can be pushed up into the boat breaking the securing ring, have a softwood bung handy :encouragement: