Carrying a spare shaft

[madhatter1]

Just realized that our 46 has spare shaft carrying tubes mounted over the exhaust. Prepped for future use. Does anyone have and use this? Wondering what kind of access plate is best to install. Boat came with 2 spare props mounted underneath the cockpit and I was handed a spare shaft by Capt Dave. It only does me any good if I have it with me. Any advice?

 

[Pascal]

The MYs had long two piece shafts so carrying the aft section made sense as it could be replaced on the water.

With one piece shafts, you will to haul out to replace the shaft anyway plus the odds of wrecking a shaft bad enough that you can’t limp home at pretty much nil. Not sure it s worth carrying a shaft

The only time in all these years I had a running gear problem was a few years ago when a shaft snapped underway in the Exumas with an 84. Finished the week long trip on one screw, searched for the wheel after the weather had settled, retrieved it and then came back to miami and hauled out. A spare shaft wouldn’t have helped

 

[jim rosenthal]

Didn't you post some photos of finding the wheel? This story sounds familiar.

 

[Pascal]

Didn't you post some photos of finding the wheel? This story sounds familiar.

Yeah, that was back in 2018 I think. Took us 2 days to find it in 24’ of water without scuba. I kept the piece of shaft as a souvenir

 

[Briankinley2004]

My 46 has them as well. It also has a round brass access plate on the port transom at same height which is above the water line. I will see if I can find and post a photo. If not I will take one this week. I heard they had issues with the 92's breaking shafts until they went to 2.5" and put the spare storage in there because of that

 

[Briankinley2004]

Here is a photo. It is before I painted the boat so it looks better now. The center plate screws out and the exterior perimeter ring stays fixed to the boat. Looks like it uses a wrench similar to a deck plate to remove as it has two holes in it. I have never unscrewed it as I don't have a need to and would probably drop it in the canal.

 

[madhatter1]

Brian, do you carry a spare shaft? I am going to add an access plate to starboard side and put it there. Seems like the best side since main generator is behind port engine.

 

[Captain Ralph]

We have a tube and transom access plate. It is empty.
Having handled our shaft once before, it will stay empty.

THAT IS A LOT OF DEAD WEIGHT.
Be prepared for a new list.

 

[madhatter1]

I gotta say I’m a bit baffled by the responses. If you own the spare shaft, have the ability to carry it, and weight is much less than 1% of overall vessel weight, then why not?

Anyway, decision made. Going to carry it. IMO it mak s more sense than it laying on the garage floor.

 

[rsmith]

I carried spare props and shafts around for 20 years 6’ stubs. 20 rounds trips cape May NJ to north Palm beach. Never needed them. When I finally hit something (a manatee 11 miles off FtPierce it broke the muff coupling but did nothing to the shaft or prop. Couldn’t get a muff coupling ended up replacing the shafts with one piece. Best thing I’ve done to the boat.

 

[Pascal]

I gotta say I’m a bit baffled by the responses. If you own the spare shaft, have the ability to carry it, and weight is much less than 1% of overall vessel weight, then why not?

Anyway, decision made. Going to carry it. IMO it mak s more sense than it laying on the garage floor.

But what are you going to do with the spare? If you hit something hard enough to damage the shaft, you prop is going to be wrecked anyway and you will want to check the strut as well. None of this can be done in the water. When I repowered it took the local prop shop 10 days to machine my new shafts. Same thing when I had to replace the broken shaft on that 84, along with his cracked twin. I got them made in under two weeks.

The only scenario carrying a spare shaft makes sense would be if you damage the aft sections of both shafts far from civilization. Otherwise, just limp home.

 

[brettportzer]

I have a 1972 43DC and I found a set of short shafts in the bottom of the storage area to the right of the helm.

They are 4 or 5' long and would need a coupler to use them.

No coupler, and also, my shafts are one piece.

I guess they were for a real emergency!

Anyway, they are in my garage now.

 

[doc g]

Another reason to not bother carrying the "spare" shaft is that it is worthless unless you have a new coupling to join the two shaft pieces together. If you hit something hard enough to need that shaft you will a new muff coupling as they are bronze and twist and distort under stress. I was told I got the last 2.5 inch coupling about 15 years ago. The foundry that made them for Hatteras closed decades ago......Pat .

 

[SeaEric]

Last Summer I needed a pair of shaft couplers. They don't seem to be "off the shelf" items. We had to have them fabricated. 6 weeks.

 

[Briankinley2004]

Brian, do you carry a spare shaft? I am going to add an access plate to starboard side and put it there. Seems like the best side since main generator is behind port engine.

I don't have one to carry. Seems they run about $5K for a 12' x 2.5" one if I recall. I have plenty other things to spend money on and if I hit something that damages the shaft I will be calling the insurance folks. Seems like a good idea to have one but from what I am reading above you would want a spare coupling machined to said shaft as well. I think they are upwards of a grand for 2.5" Allison pattern.