Sterndrive position when parked and towing.

[642mx]

Re: Sterndrive position when parked and towing.

I always caution swimmers to keep cear clear of the prop. I'm so paranoid one of the kids is going to get their foot sliced wide open, my stainless prop blades are knife sharp at the tips.
Your post gave me an instant idea for a simple homemade protector, not to protect the prop as much as to protect the kids playing around the boat.

You can use them in the water too.... just don't forget to take it off after your done swimming!

 

[45Auto]

Re: Sterndrive position when parked and towing.

Still a bit of learning to go- the bellows doesn't so much contain grease and oil, but exclude water.

You're almost there with the learning, just a little more to go. If you're bellows isn't containing the grease that slings off the gimbal bearing and u-joints, and any oil that seeps past the outdrive input shaft seal, then it isn't excluding the water either .....

The point was that there are small amounts of oil and grease in contact with your bellows that are degrading it from the inside.

 

[smokeonthewater]

Re: Sterndrive position when parked and towing.

many years ago I was in my first i/o boat which was close to 20 years old.... I have no idea if the bellows were original or not but I know that the driveshaft bellows started leaking on me in the missippi river..... before I knew it I had water almost up to my carberator and distributor as I held wide open throttle praying that it would get up on plane..... I learned a lesson that day about how much more important "little things" like rubber bellows were on boats than other vehicles..... I also learned that bilge pumps were not just for removing water that finds it's way into the boat but rather they are a lifeline and they need to be BIG and well backed with BIG batteries