Spare Prop

J

jimicliff

New member
Don't know where I came up with this idea but for the money I'm pretty happy. I went to Ace in the stainless section and got a 6" carriage bolt two fender washers and a wing nut. You may have another spot in mind but I chose the V berth on the passenger side at their feet. I lifted the mattress and drilled a hole about 5" from the edge for the carriage bolt then I slid the bolt thru the hole with the fender washer. On the bottom side with 5 1/2 inches of bolt I placed my spare prop with the other fender washer and wing nut. I also added a drop of removable lock tight. I've been saved by the spare prop once already, I was one day into a two week trip when I spun my prop out, after a 6hr Seatow we discovered the problem and I had my spare prop and tools with me and I was on my way. I've always just had the spare loose under the V berth wedged up against something else, It just bothered me knowing when I was banging over some waves that the spare prop was banging around too. :thup
 
I like that idea! I used to keep mine under the port forward cabin seat, wrapped in a towel and then in a duffel bag. That worked great, but gee, it took up SO MUCH space! Then I made the area under the V-berth into stowage so now it rides up under there in a similar fashion (and it's an area where I don't want much weight, so bulky things are fine). BUT, your idea sounds super tidy and solid - I like it.
 
I have kept my spare props on the 22 and 25 in the area under the dinette floor. Lines, and other times there cushion it. All boats should carry a spare prop!
 
Speaking of spare prop (sorry for butting into the thread) I picked up a lower pitch aluminum prop for Powell and am trying to decide whether to bring the SS main prop or a composite ProPulse that came with the boat.
I would rather not take the space and weight of both if the redundancy of having both is not necessary.
Would just the ProPulse as back up be enough?
 
(All boaters should have a spare prop) Yes!! I do now. Two weeks ago my wife and I were on a trip from Mobile to Destin Florida for 5 days. The trip was going great until my boat started to vibrate. After diagnosis I had hit something and broken a blade off of my port engine prop. We limped into Pensacola, two days later the prop arrived. We ordered the prop from a local dealer "The Prop Shop". (Very nice man, he even delivered it to me). I also know now that a 10.5, 13 inch 4 blade prop is not easy to find. I borrowed tools from a local jet ski rental and was able to salvage a vacation. We did not make it to our original destination but we had a great vacation in Pensacola.
 
I've been spinning props a long time in many places.

Never thought about getting a spare. Never bought
a spare. Never needed one.

Not sure why.

Maybe I'm a superb helmsman ;-)... Maybe just lucky.

I'd like to think it's my "power of positive thinking".
I know negative thinking works against you, believe
it or not.

So, if you think you're going to need a spare prop,
you'd best get one. Maybe, two.

Aye.

Grandma used to say, "Attitude is everything".
 
I've been spinning props a long time in many places.

Never thought about getting a spare. Never bought
a spare. Never needed one.

Not sure why.
Click to expand...

You have a far greater chance to need an extra prop, with outboards.

1. The hubs are pressed in, (may have some mild adhesive), to act as a shock absorber. With time, eventually these hubs will spin. I have had it happen when going onto a plane.

2. At places like Lake Powell, there are a lot of very large rocks. The channels change with every rise and fall of the lake. So that a rock which may have given your clearance a week ago, can be in a position to damage the prop. Good visual lookout and slow speeds decrease this potential damage.

3. There are many canyons where there are underwater trees, which may not show from the surface. Tangling with those, can damage a prop.

3. Most of us go stern to the beach. I will go bow in first, to check out the area, but I have seen boats which did not survey the beach first, loose a prop as they backed in.

4. Outboard (and sometimes inboard--(one reason I carried spare props on my large cruising boats) have the cotter pin, or indented washer for the Castle nut, let log, and off spins the prop! (Good reason to also have extra castle nuts, washers and pins aboard!)

If you run enough boats, enough hours, you are going to loose a prop. A lot better to have a spare where there is no defined "tow" services, and where often the VHF radio or phone is of no use.
 
I know. I know. It's a jungle out there.

I used to run motorcycles. At one time, I owned five of'em.
Both street and dirt bikes. I ran'em like nobody's business
for about eight years. And I got all the warnings: "It's not if,
it's when if you keep riding" or "It's only a matter of time before
your number comes up" even "You must have a death wish".

My cumulative morbidity amounted to a few bruises and scrapes.
That's when I decided to take what the nay sayers said with a grain
of salt.

Heck, I was just having a blast. Then I got married. Boy, did
things change.

Aye.

Grandma used to say, "Anything with a motor and wheels is
trouble." (A prop is a wheel) (This one I never took to heart,
sorry Grandma)

Grandpa used to say, "Think problems and you'll get problems."
(AKA The Law of Attraction)
 
Back
Top