Submerged gas bottle & props dont mix.

[Nat]

Just returned from a cracking 10 days of sun & cruising on the Costas. everything perfect........Untill Monday. Cruising slowly down to the Mar Menor about 10 knts & paying more attention to the three topless ladies stretched out on the foward sun pads than where I was going, suddenly i was brought back to reality by a loud clattering noise from the stern drives. I cut both engines immediatly & went to have a look. & found a calor gas bottle complete with hose wrapped round the props. After cutting the pipe (well one of the girls boyfriends jumped in & did the honour) and getting it out from between the drives. it floated just below the surface so I probally wouldent have seen it any way. so I hooked it on board so no other poor git could hit it. At first glance it did not look like much damage had been done. ie no vibrations or loss of performance.
Yesterday morning I gave the props a more detailed inspection & found that about an inch of metal is missing from some of the tips where they obviously bashed the bottle so I think new props are in order. What I intend to do is get a set here & take them over to Spain, change them over & bring the old ones back, have them refurbised & keep them as spares. So if anyone has a set of volvo duo props for sale or knows where to get some for sensible money I could be the buyer The number on them is B3. & of course the must be balanced pairs
.......Nat

 

[Magnum]

We need pics. Some of your guests too so we can get a real sense of what happened.

 

[Dave_Snelson]

Well sorry to hear about that. Gas bottle eh?? I've seen 'em floating in rivers, but never semi-submerged in the sea. You wouldn't have seen it if it was floating anyway, coz its blue!!

My props are A9's, so can't help. Try Steel Developments they are very helpful and are keenly priced. BTW, you don't need to carry the front and back props as spares. Just carry the back smaller prop as it is easily released by undoing the 17mm nut. To get the front one off, you need the special tool and if you are 5 miles offshore, that just ain't practical. The back prop does give adequate propulsion and will get you home.

 

[KevB]

Peters were the cheapest I could find, cheaper than steel developments. £300 + vat per pair for ally.

 

[Magnum]

Wewps, sorry Nat just re-read your post and noticed you got damaged props /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Nat]

Thank you Kev & Dave have got it sorted now.
Magnum. Did you want pic of blades or boobs ?
.......Nat