Propeller

Being a sailing boat Malua was not always under power and so a large 18 inch propeller draging under the hull was not an 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 goods in Australia it was a pain to get the item 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.  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 brank "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 some where in the USA or Pacific and the Autoprop had been compensating for this damage but finally given up.  So back to D H Porters for a new shaft.  I gave then the invoice and receipt from David and they traced it back to the workshop specifications but like most things with David wat 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.

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.    

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