I give up...can anyone identify this?

[boomerang]

So... we've had this boat ('78 Mainship M1) for about a year now & we've gone through every hatch, drawer, nook & cranny finding items accrued from it's 40 years of existence. We've discarded the things that weren't useful & kept those that were. This one darned thing (tool?) has me baffled. It was stored under the cockpit with a basin wrench that was used for adjusting the shaft stuffing gland.
It seems to me it's not really a "wrench" per say, because the inside is cut rounded & not hexed but that's just my observation. It's galvanized & long (24") to be able to reach or gain leverage & has a peculiar tab welded on one side. I can see where there was once another tab that was either ground off & removed or relocated.
It fits nothing in the area that I can see; too small for the rudder or prop shaft logs & too large for the shaft log through-bolt nuts on the inside of the keel.
I hate to chunk it, only to find out somewhere down the road that we could've used it but I don't want to keep toting it around if we don't need it.
Maybe I'm concentrating to much on the aft end of the boat because that's where it was stored. We do have a Seawolf anchor windlass but it's not for that; I already have the lever thing that it uses.
Any wisdom would be appreciated!
Thanks

 

[menzies]

Could be an emergency windlass lever.

 

[psneeld]

Did you say the cut out would or would not fit on you prop shaft? My guess is your boat has a 1 1/2 inch shaft or close......

If it does, can it be fit up near the shaft coupling to applly twist and pull or push to slide the prop shaft forward or aft for clearance while doing alignment, tranny work? The tab being somehow engaged or tied/clamped to the coupler?

 

[menzies]

I think you have two windlass levers then!

Wonder if that is for a previous windlass that the PO swapped out?

Simpson Lawrence Seawolf windlass, manual operation - Cruisers & Sailing Forums

 

[Donna]

My boat came complete with every tool you could possibly think of. It was an estate sale and the family took nothing off of it. There are things I can't even guess at what they would be used for. Since the boat is a 1986, I'm sure some of the tools are obsolete from prior old equipment. None the less, I keep them. You never know.

 

[Ski in NC]

Maybe an emergency rudder tiller arm? Does it fit on top of rudder shaft?

Maybe a sea cock lever?

 

[psneeld]

Based on the picture in the link, definitely looks like a windlass manual lever.

 

[bayview]

Does it fit any strainer or deck fills?

 

[boomerang]

Whew! I guess with all of these good suggestions I should take the thing everywhere on the boat & see what it fits. I never was good with puzzles.
I'm not to sure how it would be applied for use with any of my seacocks, strainers, deck fills or as an emergency tiller.
psneeld, you're right, it does look like it's cut for an 1 1/2" shaft ,which I do have but can't imaging how it we be used there, either. Again, I'll have another looksee armed with these new ideas.
I'm leaning towards an obsolete windlass lever that was never chunked.
If I can't figure out what it for I'll send it you you, Donna, to keep your other misfit tools company!

 

[boomerang]

Menzies, I just looked at your link. I do believe you figured it out. In like what? 30 seconds of me posting??!! And I thought I was an experienced boater...Geez! I'm a lightweight compared to you guys!
Thanks!

 

[Robin]

Easy. Just throw it off the boat and you will soon find what is was for.

 

[McGillicuddy]

I have the SL Seawolf windlass and that is indeed the clutch/brake lever for the windlass. I have one just like it. BTW, Simpson Lawrence out of Glasgow, Scotland went out of business over 10 years ago but Lewmar supports their products and has spare parts for that windlass.

 

[High Wire]

easy. Just throw it off the boat and you will soon find what is was for.

x2 100 %

 

[hmason]

Could it possible be used for tightening the stuffing box? Will the tab somehow engage the lock nut on the stuffing box and the open end over the shaft for leverage?

 

[Gmarr]

It's been solved!