Hull Distortion !?!

sounds like they didn't do a very good job installing the other stuff, and are now feeding you a bunch of BS about needing new mounts.

run run away from this clown and find someone else to work on the boat or do it your self.

Hi

Thanks for the post, yeh we drove it back a good 15/20mins back to the slipway, and the boat was seriously vibrating but as I am a total novice I couldnt say one way or the other.

This marina usually do outboard motors I really dont think they have seen a boat like ours before - they thought our ballast tanks were petrol tanks! I obviously didnt know this before I handed the boat over to them, trouble is the specialist place for correct crafts in the uk is down in england and we are up in scotland.

Originally put it in for a service, then they rebuilt the carb, said a exhaust manifold was leaking, so went to replace that and cracked the whole manifold, so we needed a whole new manifold. Then we bought a new prop and p-bracket and when they went to fit it they realised our shaft was bent. So they custom made a prop shaft and now are saying the thing about the two plates not lining up properly. They say if we run it like it is, then it could damage the shaft again and the p-bracket.

They also wanted me to enquire about another p-bracket where the shaft meets the hull but I was told on this forum that its just packing or something - so that shows how little they know.

They haven't mentioned a strut.

I think they call a p-bracket the same as a cutlass bearing?? With a combination of me not knowing anything and them neither it can be fairly confusing!

I had a look at the post on alignment - would the same actions apply if the two flange plates are about half an inch apart at the moment ?? the prop shaft one is lower than the tranny one. In the pictures it just looks like you should be able to unscrew the nuts and lower the engine a bit to match it up.

Think I will have to go up on saturday and have a proper look at it and get them to explain what it is that they cant do and maybe take some pictures for posting on here.

Gareth, Those guys at that so called marina must be smoking something!! This is all pretty basic stuff for a mechanic whether they work on a inboard, outboard or I/O. Hopefully they don't refer to themselves as "technicians"! Have them look at the pictures in Eric's thread on alignment and then you can read the captions to them.

Alignment all starts at the strut (they call it a p bracket) and goes forward. If the strut is bolted on the hull in the correct spot, not bent and with a straight shaft, the shaft should go though the hole in the hull centered. It then goes through the shaft log which is the cast bronze mount that is glassed into the hull. On this, the stuffing box (that Chris mentioned) is connected via the short piece of rubber hose. Now the engine is aligned to the shaft and connected via the coupling.

Did they make the shaft long enough?? If too short, it will be too far aft and will be lower too. Maybe they had a problem converting inches to metric.

Get some pictures. I want to see the hull "distortion" they think happened.

Edit: you should have about 1/2" to 3/4" between the strut and the prop for water flow through the rubber cutlass bearing (it's water lubricated). If less, then it would be a good indicator that they are trying to make a too short shaft work by pulling it forward.

Also did they face the coupling on the shaft?

8122pbrainard wrote: Gareth, Those guys at that so called marina must be smoking something!! Alignment all starts at the strut (they call it a p bracket) and goes forward. If the strut is bolted on the hull in the correct spot, not bent and with a straight shaft, the shaft should go though the hole in the hull centered. It then goes through the shaft log which is the cast bronze mount that is glassed into the hull. On this, the stuffing box (that Chris mentioned) is connected via the short piece of rubber hose. Now the engine is aligned to the shaft and connected via the coupling.

Yup, They don't know what they were don't and it sad because as mentioned before this is pretty logical stuff for a mechanic.

Don't run the boat with the strut out of alignment like it is. It needs to be unbolted and shimmed/resealed so the prop shaft is centered to the hole/log in the bottom of the boat. The the engine will need to be aligned to the shaft.

Sounds like they did give you a shaft!!

Sounds like you got the shaft, indeed! I had the same problem (hit the rocks) and I had all the running gear replaced (prop, shaft, strut, rudder, coupling, tracking fins), the engine aligned and gel repair for about $4,000. That is just over half of what you paid, and it is not even running!!! Do you have any recourse with them to get any money back? I think you really got screwed!

Gareth, who was your point contact at Caledonian? - my family are quite influential in the yachting world which may help Caledonian see sense....

Check the strut (P bracket) is not bent, if your prop shaft, and prop took a beating, then personally I would have also changed the strut as a matter of course. I had to replace strut, rudder box, propshaft, prop and coupling on my old Mastercraft, think it cost £1000 for parts and a day or so to install and realign.

The good thing for you is that you now have all the parts (minus strut) to effect your repair, realigning the engine is time consuming but provided you are methodical, it can be done by a relative novice.

Let me know how you get on, if you get stuck give me a bell 07802649111, I can have a look at it one evening.