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Thread: Lock and Seal shaft/prop

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Default Lock and Seal shaft/prop

    Does anyone know how people lock and deal a saildrive? I know there are many ocean races where boats have saildrives. Howeve I cannot find any info on how to lock the saildrive and still use the engine for charging.

    Thanks!

    Dirk - Xpression

  2. #2
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    Sep 2007
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    I put two small vice grips on the shaft - one for each direction and braced them on opposite sides of the bilge. I also drilled two holes behind my shift in the cockpit coaming and wire tied the shift to the side of the cockpit. About day four I got worried that a sheet would snag the shift and move it into gear and I'd start the engine to charge the batteries and despite the vice grips and the wire tie I'd still break the seal so I cut a slot in a tupperware container and taped it over the shift so that a sheet would slide over it.

    I've heard that the prop shaft seal was designed by the originators of the SHTP to provide hours of entertainment for the racers. In '06 the race committee even gave each racer a big roll of gorilla tape for this and other mad thoughts that pop up.

    Bill Merrick

  3. #3
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    Sep 2007
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    Oh, you said saildrive. Sorry........never mind.

  4. #4
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    Sep 2007
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    59

    Default

    I don't know anything about saildrives, so I can't be of help. But I can ask a related question! I've noticed that when I run my engine in neutral while under way, the prop and shaft revolve. Is this normal for marine diesels? (Mine is a BMW M-7.) If so, how would you seal it for the SHTP?

    - Tom Kirschbaum, Feral

  5. #5
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    Sep 2007
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    Capitola,CA
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    3,338

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by blighbaum View Post
    I don't know anything about saildrives, so I can't be of help. But I can ask a related question! I've noticed that when I run my engine in neutral while under way, the prop and shaft revolve. Is this normal for marine diesels? (Mine is a BMW M-7.) If so, how would you seal it for the SHTP?

    - Tom Kirschbaum, Feral
    The shaft should not revolve in neutral. Either 1) the gear shift is out of adjustment. 2) the prop hasn't folded closed because the engine was not momentarily put in reverse after shutting down. Or 3) This little eggbeater of an engine shakes so much at low revs that it results in the shaft slowly revolving.

    For 1) disconnect the shift cable from the gear shift lever on the engine, and see if you can stop the shaft spinning by slightly moving the lever fore/aft. For 2) after stopping engine, put in gear in reverse. For 3) if the shaft is slowly revolving, grasp with your hand and see if you can stop it. If so, vice grips locking, as suggested by Bill, will do the trick.

    ~sleddog

  6. #6
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    Sep 2007
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    I sealed most of the shafts for the '04 Transpac. I don't recall whether I did any Saildrives, but the plan would have been to wire the shift lever - not the external control in the cockpit, but the doohickey on the Saildrive itself - so that it couldn't move without breaking the wire.
    Max

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
    Posts
    5

    Default dilemma

    Thanks for the feedback. The problem is that the folding prop might be turning when in neutral. So typically (recommended by manufacturer) the saildrive is set in reverse during sailing, except when one is charging the batteries.

    Maybe I can leave it in neutral and rubber-band the prop itself or put something between the prop and saildrive shaft that prevents the prop from turning but will pop out when engaged during an emergency.

    I need to investigate this more.

    Dirk - Xpression

  8. #8
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    Sep 2007
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    Hi Dirk, My boat has a volvo saildrive with a folding prop. In the SHTP in 04 and 06 the shifter was sealed in neutral. I had no issues with the small amount of shaft rolling due to clutch drag with the engine running in neutral. It is insufficient to open the blades. It does not turn at all when the engine is not running. If the gearshaft is turning in neutral when the engine is not running but the boat is sailing I am tempted to think the prop is not folding properly. I hope this helps, Al

  9. #9
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    Sep 2007
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    Great that helps, thanks!

  10. #10
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    Sep 2007
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    The only solution I have heard about for saildrives was to have a diver remove the prop the day before the race. The skipper then dove the boat in Hanalei and put it back on! I'm not quite sure how he convinced the inspectors that the prop was gone or how he met the 'alternative propulsion rule', but apparently it was acceptable at the time. On the other hand, this was before it was also allowable to seal the transmission shift lever, so that's probably the easier solution for a saildrive nowdays. So long as you don't have problems with the prop freewheeling in neutral....

    Many props can open up when the transmission is in neutral. One blade may drop down, and dig in, causing the prop to open and turn. Once this happens, it will continue to rotate. Stopping the shaft from rotating while charging is a good idea, since a freewheeling prop causes quite a bit of drag. On Alchera, I notice anywhere from a quarter to a half knot of speed difference. I meet the requirement by having my gearshift sealed, but I still wedge in some thin wooden shives (available at building supply stores) where the shaft connects to the engine so that it won't freewheel in neutral when I'm charging. The shives will easily splinter if I have to start the engine in an emergency.

    I also take care to secure the prop such that the blades open horizontally so that there is less likelihood that one blade will drop down and drag. If I'm really feeling anal, I'll adjust the angle depending on which tack I'm on.

    - Mark/Alchera

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