Key and key way question

I'm glad your problems weren't worse but this thread leaves me with lots of questions.

Why do your rudders need to be dropped to remove props?
Who took your props off/re-installed last fall?
Who/how are they handling your boat during haul out and launch?

Here's an example of why I ask, something for you to think about. I let the 'highly skilled' folks at the marina change my cutless bearings. I was present and the first thing they told me was they were pulling the struts and taking them to the shop to press the bearings out. I stopped them and said 'no you're not'. They didn't like that. They had a nice bearing removal tool and I insisted they use it. That was in the spring, during the fall haul out they wanted to lift the boat with the wrong spreader and slings, I made them change them. Once they got the boat on the yard trailer they drug my brand new props down the gravel road.

I know shit happens but often it don't happen by itself.
 
I know shit happens but often it don't happen by itself.

A few years ago during a launch, I was standing near the travel-lift apparently appearing as nervous as I was. Another boater walked over and condescendingly said, "don't worry, they do this all the time and they know what they're doing".

I said, "I know. They've only damaged her twice!"
 
He would have fixed it if it were possible, but with my boat it's not. I have to drop my rudder to be able to remove the prop.
 
Woody I will try to explain.

My shafts have alignment spacers in the bilge, great things but they extend the shaft out about a inch or two. Making the shaft end closer to the rudders. The prop can not clear the end of the shaft before it hits the back of the rudder.

Last Fall my shaft zincs came of a hit the props, both had to be removed and sent off. I removed the props and I placed them back on. I had a tech check my work as well as another friend that knows what he is doing. I did the same this time as well

Haul outs and in's I am there with the boat at all times.
 
Woody I will try to explain.

My shafts have alignment spacers in the bilge, great things but they extend the shaft out about a inch or two. Making the shaft end closer to the rudders. The prop can not clear the end of the shaft before it hits the back of the rudder.

Last Fall my shaft zincs came of a hit the props, both had to be removed and sent off. I removed the props and I placed them back on. I had a tech check my work as well as another friend that knows what he is doing. I did the same this time as well

Haul outs and in's I am there with the boat at all times.
Were you prop shafts short? or do you mean a shear/vibration dampner? How much space do you have between your prop hub and strut/cutless brg? It's recommended you not have more than one shaft diameters distance between the two.
 
It's a red neophyte disk, I was told it is for alignment. It was there before I bought the boat. I do believe that there is about a 1 1/4" space between the hub and the strut.
 
It's a red neophyte disk, I was told it is for alignment. It was there before I bought the boat. I do believe that there is about a 1 1/4" space between the hub and the strut.
I'm thinking you have these. They are intended to 'shear'. They say they also can dampen vibration but I'd guess that's because they can't be aligned with the same accuracy as machined metal coupling halfs. It's too bad you have to drop your rudders.
drivesaver exploded view with labels.png
 
Just a couple of thoughts:

1) I like the idea of Drivesavers but they do break the electrical connection to the boats bonding system leaving corrosion management up to the zinc on the shaft. (It also is suspicious that you lost a zinc on the one of the shafts)

2) The other issue is increasing shaft length. Installing and removing props is a common maintenance activity. Having to drop the rudder automatically puts it into the haul out category. I would consider shortening the shafts if you plan of keeping the Drivesavers.
 
I have drivesavers on my 390. I installed grounding brushes to maintain the bonding connection on the shafts. The drivesaver bolts need to be checked annually to make sure the bolts have not loosened.
 
I have drivesavers on my 390. I installed grounding brushes to maintain the bonding connection on the shafts. The drivesaver bolts need to be checked annually to make sure the bolts have not loosened.

I've done the same thing and it is a six month maintenance thing for me to check the bolts.

Last Fall the zinc on both shafts came loose. On this pull we found a issue with the zincs on the shafts. As the zinc does its job it seems to act faster in the area of the screw nuts that hold them on. Once those areas are eaten away the zincs fall away, mine just hit the props when they did.
 
Before you ask, yes the shaft zincs were installed correctly.
And no I won't say who I got them from.

The shop advised me to use Camp zinc. He has had this issue in the past on his own boat.
 
Steve, I hadn't heard of that maybe some of the other members might.

As the shafts are not grounded in any way I have always used zinc. Now that I installed the brushes I may try to go out with them.
 
Last edited:
Steve, I hadn't heard of that maybe some of the other members might.

As the shafts are not grounded in any way I have always used zinc. Now that I installed the brushes I may try to go out with them.

I haven't used shaft zincs in 10 years. The bonding brushes make them obsolete.
 
I've done the same thing and it is a six month maintenance thing for me to check the bolts.

Last Fall the zinc on both shafts came loose. On this pull we found a issue with the zincs on the shafts. As the zinc does its job it seems to act faster in the area of the screw nuts that hold them on. Once those areas are eaten away the zincs fall away, mine just hit the props when they did.

A trick Ive seen used is a small strip of paint (nail polish in this case) where the bolt is - This keeps the zinc from corroding in that area and they stay on a lot longer.....its a really small area so the zinc still does its job just fine....
 
I may buy a shaft zinc and tie it to a wire to ground it out just to try that trick
 

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