Being a sailing boat Malua was not always under power and so a large 18 inch propeller draging under the hull was just one option. Many Bluewater designs had folding propellers but I did the research and found that the a feathering prop from Bruntons in the UK. Like most yacht items in Australia it was a pain to get the prop and get service so when one blade fell off after the long trip accros the Pacific I did not hesitate to contact the supplier who were very helpful but it cost a fortune. I removed the damaged prop replaced it with my back-up then put it in a box to airfreight to the UK. There they replaced the missing blade and all the bearings and seals and rebalanced the prop. They sent it back at their expense and I now have a brand "new" Autoprop.
I noticed that the shaft was bent when I put the fixed blade prop on so I relized that the shaft must have been bent and damaged when the Autoprop came off and when I steamed to the dock to be lifted out it finally given up. So back to D H Porters for a new shaft. I gave then the invoice and receipt from David, the builder and they traced it back to the workshop specifications but like most things with David did what was written was not what was delivered. I removed the old shaft and placed it alongside the new shaft and WOW it was too long. So call a friend Stuart and he put it into his lathe and we turned a new thread onto the shaft along with the correct taper and removed the excess. Back onto the boat and replace the skeg bearing and the shaft and slip the new Autoprop on and Bob is your uncle. Yes good planning, ingenuity and great skill got everything fixed.
The Autoprop sage continues. I have been in contact with Bruntons and we will see the result.
Now sand the
anti-fouling and repaint the botton but the Micron Extra from USA was
dark blue and Australia only has light blue so again we had to make a
plan. Antifoul to one and a half meters below the water line in
dark blue and the balance in light blue. 12 hour later splach into the water. No
here is a real world experement. Which would give Malua the
greatest protection? You guest it the USA
antifouling.
The Autoprop sage continues. After the cruise to New Caledonia and Fiji I returned to Bermagui and left the boat for a few months to adjust to life back at home. Just prior to Christmas Iain and I deceided to go for a short day sail. All prepared and we motored out of the channel to the open sea when there was a loud bang and a knock on the hull of the boat. We lost way immediatly and I knew that for a second time a blade on the Autoprop had come adrift. The engine was shaking and shuddering. Reduce the revs and head for home. Luckely the entrance was calm and I slowly edged Malua back into her berth.
I was in the water in a flash to find. as I thought that a blade was missing. For the second time a blade had come adrift. That indicated a design flaw or a manufacturing defect. How to get the prop off without putting Malua on a slip. No slips available so on with the scuba and into the water. Now I know the routine well and am very confident to use the tools and pullers I had developed over the years to pull the prop off the shaft under water and not loose a single piece. Quite a quick and easy job and there before my eyes for a second time in the props life the retaing mechanism had unscrewed and the locking nut had come undone and the blade with all ball bearing etc had flown off the rotating shaft. On this occasion the blade had hit the hull below the waterline. That could have made a hole in the hull and Malua could have taken on water. Not a good outcome.
Email again to Bruntons. What must I do? Will you replace this defective prop?
I will not go into the back and forth sage with the manufacturer who initially acused me of hitting a log and the tried to show the danage but as I pointed out the images were not of my prop! The MD then did not return emails with question and did not take phone calls.
The outcome the sent a dismatled prop
back to me in a box at their cost with no option to replace the prop
with one from their offerings. I now like many many other
Autoprop owners have a three bladed prop with only two blades and I
join a long list of very disatisfied customers.
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