Prop Losing Grip On Water????

[cvlngineer]

Hello,<br /><br />I am not sure what was happening. I will describe it and maybe some of you "old" salts can diagnose it for me. Here goes:<br /><br />The bay was very rough, about 2-3 foot chop and 25 - 30 mph wind. ( I know, I should have stayed at home, right? (c: ) I went out for about 2 hrs just to pittle around and take my wife for a ride. We headed out against the chop/wind and took it real slow, about 7-8 mph and everything went fine. Coming back in with the chop the motor seemed to lose traction in the water or something. The rpm's came up fairly high. I, initially, thought that I had lost my prop, so I eased off of the throttle a little and looked back. I saw that I still had my propeller, so I gave it more gas and it went along just fine. We rode for a little while longer and it did it again. It seemed like when we were coming down the back side of some of the larger swells, that maybe the prop was not getting enough grip on the water or something. I don't know, it was a little wierd. Has this ever happened to anyone else? If any of you have any ideas, please let me know.<br /><br />Thanks,<br /><br />cvlngineer

 

[KeltonKrew]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

Check the bushing inside the prop. Sounds like it is slipping. This happened to me on my mother-in-law's pontoon boat. Took me all afternoon to get back to the other side of the lake!

 

[Hooty]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

You may have a worn prop bushing. This is a large rubber bushing between the prop shaft and the prop itself. Put a mark on the prop nut and one that aligns with it on the prop and go boating. If the bushing is slipping the marks will lose their alignment. Prop shop can fix it, no problem.<br /><br />c/6<br /><br />Hooty

 

[Solittle]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

Sounds like you need to get your prop rehubbed. To check, take a perminant majic marker and scribe a line across the hub and prop. Take it for a short run until you get the condition that you have described and then check the line you scribed. I bet the prop has spun on the hub. Not to worry as this is very common. Take the prop to any prop shop and they will fit a new hub and you will be back in business

 

[cvlngineer]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

Thanks for the info! Just out of curiousity, about how much, roughly, will it cost to fix it? Is it something that I can do myself if I buy the parts?<br /><br />cvlngineer

 

[Baja18]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

I'm a new boater and I'm sure the guru's are right on the money but if the swells were that big and you have a smaller boat your prop might be coming out of the water just enough to lose grip making you think it is slipping. If it runs fine on calm water that may be it.

 

[cvlngineer]

Re: Prop Losing Grip On Water????

Baja18,<br /><br />My boat is about average size, 18' center console job. It ran fine the last time I had it out, about a week ago, but I was by myself then. Less weight in the boat. You could be right though. I will have to do the scientific magic marker test. He He <br /><br />cvlngineer