2006 340 Sundancer....Shaft/Prop damaged...?

J

Jeckert35

New Member
Oct 31, 2007
1
I currently have a 2006 340 Sundancer and had a recent unexplainable experience. While under power, the port prop and lower portion of the v-drive shaft broke and ...Gone.. Originally told I must have hit something or ran aground..however, after further review it appears the prop became loose and vibrated until it broke off the shaft and gonzo..... Anyone else have this experience or should I say problem...as I am told this has happened to others. Please respond with any input possible.
thanks,
John
 
I had a similar experience a few years ago...

We were cruising, normally around 23knots and there was a very sudden strong vibration followed by the motor spooling up freely - no load. Initially I thought I spun a prop. When we go to the marina I got under the boat and found not only the prop missing but the shaft as well. It snapped right at the strut. The yard that fixed the boat said that the breakage was the result of electrolysis. He showed me pitting on both shafts (Aquamet 17 1.25" I think).

My wife swears I hit something, I maintain that I did not...
 
No experience here & haven't heard of any 340 on Lake Travis suffering same.

What engines do you have.....how many hrs.....where do you boat?

Keep us updated on repairs
 
There was an issue at one time with the 340's breaking shafts that the factory got involved with. I don't know any details, but it might be worth a call to CS.
 
My '03 has not exhibited the issue you described. I did have my shafts aligned about a year ago, which helped reduce the vibration I had at certain rpm's. I would suspect that you hit something as well, unless you did not drive the boat for several months, and the corrosion you described was so extensive that it eroded the shaft to a point of falling off. If that occurred, I would have expected a lot of vibration as you accelerated.

How long into your cruise did this occur?

Either way, I would alert those on your dock to have their shafts and zinc's inspected as well.
 
If you haven't already, make sure your shaft zinc anodes are in good shape (and actually PRESENT). That and the main anode too. These are cheap, a lot less than the running gear and the hassle of getting stuck.
 
I along with another owner of a 2007 36 Sedan Bridge just had this happen. Both of our shafts were the starboard side shafts. The prop just sheered the shaft right in half...clean break. Shaft gone, Propeller Gone....and a big bill to Sea Ray that was taken care of by them. They have now changed the props on this model boat along with the shafts. Sea Ray replaced both shafts and put two new props on our boats...but it was a somewhat disturbing experience. I had about 100 hours on my boat, and the other owner probably had less than that. No warning or vibration prior to sheering off....it just went.
 
I would check with Caroline Atjotian from BoatUS on the BoatUS.com forum. She can give you the info if this has been a known issue and unbiased help, even getting involved and help with Sea Ray if needed.
 
Our friends 06' 340 did the same thing. It had a vibration at delivery and the dealer told them that was normal, this was their first boat with v's.

Shaft broke at 30 hours - due to bad alignment. They told them he hit something, it was eventually covered under warranty.
 
Jeckert35 said:
I currently have a 2006 340 Sundancer and had a recent unexplainable experience. While under power, the port prop and lower portion of the v-drive shaft broke and ...Gone.. Originally told I must have hit something or ran aground..however, after further review it appears the prop became loose and vibrated until it broke off the shaft and gonzo..... Anyone else have this experience or should I say problem...as I am told this has happened to others. Please respond with any input possible.
thanks,
John
Click to expand...

I have an 06 340 and the starboard driveshaft came loose hitting my rudder and almost causing the boat to capsize. Searay is evaluating the damage to see if it is under warranty. They say I must have hit something hard. I never have hit anything.
If they refuse to pay, I dont know what to do. I may have to sue them even though I hate lawsuits. This isnt the first problem I've had. Anyone else with similar experiances?
 
Two guys. First post. Same problem. Wow.
 
This is the kind of issue where a site like this can really shine. We have seen this happen several times on different kinds of boats. The shaft just shears off about an inch behind the strut. Unfortunately the evidence of what happed is in Davey Jones locker so it remains a mystery.
I don't think it is impact related. My guesses are defective shaft, strut alignment, harmonic vibration, or speed shifting.
I will be very curious to see what conclusions others come to.
 
What is speed shifting?

Changing gears while moving or at engine speeds other than idle?
 
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I would hire my own surveyor qualified to assess the cause of the failure and resulting damage.
For a few hundred bucks you get an unbiased determination...
 
How about a little more information.............

You said ".......the stbd driveshaft came loose" and caused damage. Do you mean the shaft came loose from the transmission and slid back into the rudder? Or, do you mean the shaft broke and separated before striking the rudder?

In either case, the damage, while not insignificant, probably makes a lawsuit less than a reasonable approach. Sea Ray has a habit of doing the right thing if you go about it the right way, but understand that they are part of a big company and as soon as their folks hear "lawyer" or "lawsuit" they will stop talking to you and refer you to their corporate attorneys. Try your best to work thru your dealer and Sea Ray customer service to get the help you need. Stressing the fact that you bought a Sea Ray because of their reputation for making a quality product and that you are a very dissatisfied owner seems to hit the hot buttons with their problem solvers.
 
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