Haul-Out Best Practices?

[Ralph Hewitt]

I'm in Flamingo headed to Quepos tomorrow. I'll be at Pez Vela. Where are you? 1986 38-200

San Juan del Sur Nicaragua

 

[Ralph Hewitt]

San Juan del Sur Nicaragua

What do they charge for haul-out & splash? Travel lift or crane?? Nightly yard fee?
Do they have stands?
Can you do your own work?
Might follow you down if I can rebuild my steerage and get Rudder back on.
Big problems with Keel... leaks!
Will have to motor down.

 

[Ralph Hewitt]

What do they charge for haul-out & splash? Travel lift or crane?? Nightly yard fee?
Do they have stands?
Can you do your own work?
Might follow you down if I can rebuild my steerage and get Rudder back on.
Big problems with Keel... leaks!
Will have to motor down.

Let me know when you get there...thanks

 

[Pete the Cat]

We are hauled right now and replacing cutlass bearing and PSS while we are out. Our engine‘s rear main seal is leaking oil so we have to pull the engine forward and disconnect the shaft to get access to replace it. While it’s forward we are going to pull the prop and bring the shaft forward to replace the PSS. Mechanic told me it can be a bear to get the coupler off and back on straight so better to avoid it since we have access anyway.

Not sure of what kind of machine shop you have access to, but "getting the coupler straight" is terrifically important and is generally done by the machine shop (facing on the prop shaft) to make sure. I am not following your stated plan here. I am not sure how you "bring the prop shaft forward" to replace the PSS--my experience is that you have to move it aft, and it makes sense to remove it and the coupling at that point--if you do not have to drop the rudder to do so--while it is out; check the shaft for being true, check the keyways, check it for scoring, and have it faced with a new coupling (only a good machine shop can do this--most boatyards send this work out) that is is absolutely perpendicular to the shaft. My view is that the rear seals on engines and transmissions are generally compromised by poor alignment and shoddy facing of the coupling with the shaft. I realize this is expensive, but cutting corners at this point can create problems down the line. I am probably not understanding your plan.

 

[southofvictor]

Not sure of what kind of machine shop you have access to, but "getting the coupler straight" is terrifically important and is generally done by the machine shop (facing on the prop shaft) to make sure. I am not following your stated plan here. I am not sure how you "bring the prop shaft forward" to replace the PSS--my experience is that you have to move it aft, and it makes sense to remove it and the coupling at that point--if you do not have to drop the rudder to do so--while it is out; check the shaft for being true, check the keyways, check it for scoring, and have it faced with a new coupling (only a good machine shop can do this--most boatyards send this work out) that is is absolutely perpendicular to the shaft. My view is that the rear seals on engines and transmissions are generally compromised by poor alignment and shoddy facing of the coupling with the shaft. I realize this is expensive, but cutting corners at this point can create problems down the line. I am probably not understanding your plan.

Since we are disconnecting and bringing the engine forward to access the rear of it to service the rear seal, we should have room to bring the shaft forward to get it out. Anyhow we have access to a good machine shop. Yes the alignment was bad. Cutlass bearing worn and rear seal leaking. Bummer because the engine only had 175 miles on it when we took ownership but the damage was done.

 

[Nick J]

Chris,

by pulling it forward, are you talking about removing it and setting it on the cabin sole in the cabin? I'm not too familiar with the 38-200 configuration, but on my boat, it was easier to take it out through the companion way. Moving it forward far enough to get the shaft out would have required building some kind of beam or pully system and the engine would not have been easy to work on.

A few other notes, the original alignment allowed dropping the shaft without dropping the rudder. If you go this route, you may be able to cut the coupler off and have a new key slot made. This is essentially what we did, and it removed a few extra inches of shaft between the strut and propeller. Our surveyor noted the extra shaft can cause extra ware on the cutlass bearing.

Before:



After:

 

[Martyn]

What do they charge for haul-out & splash? Travel lift or crane?? Nightly yard fee?
Do they have stands?
Can you do your own work?
Might follow you down if I can rebuild my steerage and get Rudder back on.
Big problems with Keel... leaks!
Will have to motor down.

It’s expensive. There is a good machine shop next door. Knowledgeable guys. But they don’t have much experience on sailboats. Mostly all large sport fishing boats. You can work on your boat but they charge a fee of $60/ day I believe.

Watch out for the Papagayos on the trip down…

Getting down from San Juan del Sur to south of Tamarindo can be heads up.

 

[Martyn]

That's a big work list, so get as much help as you can.

The dripless shaft seal would be my priority.

I’m glad you said this. Indeed the PSS shaft seal is shot and I am scrambling to get a replacement.

Had a serious issue motoring into very strong current with 30 knots on the nose. Engine was very hot and then the prop shaft coming through the hull at the seal overheated and started smoking then squealing. Had to raise sails and idle immediately and burp the seal. Water was scalding hot. After an hour or so we fired her up and kept monitoring and burping the seal to check temp and cool it and it recovered okay.

Could have been a disaster.

 

[Alan Gomes]

I’m glad you said this. Indeed the PSS shaft seal is shot and I am scrambling to get a replacement.

Had a serious issue motoring into very strong current with 30 knots on the nose. Engine was very hot and then the prop shaft coming through the hull at the seal overheated and started smoking then squealing. Had to raise sails and idle immediately and burp the seal. Water was scalding hot. After an hour or so we fired her up and kept monitoring and burping the seal to check temp and cool it and it recovered okay.

Could have been a disaster.

From the looks of those pictures you would have very good access to a conventional, bullet proof stuffing box. Maybe this is a good time to consider ditching the PSS, especially since you are cruising where sourcing parts and finding boatyards can be challenging.

 

[Pete the Cat]

I think the advice on shortening the shaft is good, but I you might consider putting a shark's tooth cutter between the prop and the strut if you are sailing where there are crabpots or lobster pots. I picked up a poly line in Miami that tore my coupling apart and ripped out the cutless bearing--all this would have been prevented if I had had a cutter. I have one on my Tartan in Maine. I am probably going to add one to the Ericson at haulout. No one should think of cruising Maine without a cutter. I pick up one or two lobster pots every season even with the best effort to avoid them.

 

[Martyn]

Also, it is not uncommon to discover the keyway in the shaft coupling ruined after 30-plus years, which will mean a new prop shaft and coupler.

Resist boatyard recommendations to install thru-hull for irrigation of dripless shaft seals, I think for our boats the vent option is adequate.

PSS has good videos:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLEB5848273C2647B4

Right again on both accounts! The key was bound into the key way on the coupler. Had to remove it all. Shop is working on releasing it. Doesn’t seem like a new prop shaft is necessary.

Will be installing the vent for the drip less. Previously this was closed off by a nut.