Summer of prop problems.

Tbird64

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
26
So third time out this summer at the beginning of Augusts. On a unfamiliar lake with higher than normal water levels I blew a brand new prop apart on a rock.
Got to a local marina a half hour before closing time had them install a new prop
Took the boat out the next morning put it in gear to bad noises. Pulled it back out of the water to find the brand new prop hitting the trim tab. (Wrong prop).
Marina closed for long weekend and not opening again till the day after we were heading home.

Get another prop installed from my local marina double check it myself. Everything good. Enjoy a bit of fishing and tubing trouble free.

Busy so boat sits for the last couple weeks.

Take the boat out on Sunday. BEAUTIFUL day sun shining water calm. Possibly one of the last really nice days of the summer. (I live in Ontario)

Drove about a min out of the marina. All good boat running fantastic. But my youngest is having issues with his life jacket. So I stop and get him sorted out.
Put the boat back in gear and nothing happens. Motor revs up but boat dosnt move. Try reverse and nothing. Check the linkage and it looks okay. Lift the out drive and the prop is gone. No hub. No prop. Nothing just a bare shaft
I know there was a lock washer on it. I know the lock tabs were engaged.

Some how it loosened off???!???!!???

Was a long trek back to the dock on the trolling motor.

Looks like my season is over.
Cuz finding another hub for the old mercruiser 120 could prove difficult.
 

Sea Rider

Supreme Mariner
Joined
Sep 20, 2008
Messages
12,345
So this prop didn't use a split pin to lock nut prop onto prop shaft. Although lock tabs were engaged were not fully bended, whatever needed to be done to lock right in place ? Luckily your trolling motor got you guys back safely to port.

Happy Boating
 

Fed

Commander
Joined
Apr 1, 2010
Messages
2,457
Got to a local marina a half hour before closing time had them install a new prop
Get another prop installed from my local marina
double check it myself

There's three people never to trust again.
 

QBhoy

Fleet Admiral
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
8,286
Embarrassed to tell you that I've made a bit of a **** up hat almost caused a similar issue. Caught it in time though.
What had happened was that when fitting a new propeller (at the same time as having a conversation about soccer with someone) I had not paid enough attention and actually tightened up the nut not being inserted into the hex shaped locking tab washer (black max prop). I had just tightened and torqued against the edges of the hex and not allowed it to insert into the hex, through lack of concentration.
Unusually I didn't check for axial movement on the prop before firing her back in the water.
Luckily I noticed the vibration and a bit of an unusual clunk into gear. Hate to think of the result if I had wound her up to WOT.
Probably a result similar to yours or worse.
 

Tbird64

Cadet
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
26
Makes sense but I'm fairly confident that it was fully seated.

Turns out in my town two days before we hit the water a hole slew of garages and cars got broken into.

Thinking possibly somone tried to swipe it and got interrupted.

Not sure and probably will never know.
 

biggjimm

Chief Petty Officer
Joined
Jul 15, 2015
Messages
403
Tbird, that exact thing happened to my buddy. He came home from work 3rd shift to find thugs in the process of removing his prop. Said thugs ran off, he noticed the prop nut was halfway removed. Too tired to fool with it he put the dog out in the side yard area with the boat & went to bed.

He woke up around noon to his son calling him for help. Son & his friend take boat out & the prop fell off while they were cruising across the lake. It was a Mercruiser SS 4 blade prop @ a hefty $550.
Now he runs the McGard prop lock on his prop.

Good luck.
Jim
 

Scott Danforth

Grumpy Vintage Moderator still playing with boats
Staff member
Joined
Jul 23, 2011
Messages
47,297
could have been worse. in one weekend I shredded two sets of volvo penta props for my duo prop drive. that was $1200

its boating......ship happens
 
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