New Shaft Log Tube and Parts

[CharlieO.]

Here is my new fiberglass log with an additional cutlass bearing on the transmission side. New stern cutlass bearing and housing. New packing assembly. Machined existing inner support, it previously had the stainless tube

threaded into the backside. Now it serves as a support with two set screws machined into it to lock in the log.
3 boat bucks.

 

[douggairns]

Hi Charlie! Ok, i found this one, now i'll try to find how you got the original one out!
I'm thinking the shaft has to come out first, then get a borescope and check out the inside of the tube for damage? if it's similar, how much did the new parts total up to for yours? is it really expensive or just expensive? lol
I saw one done for a sailboat, but it was only maybe 2 ft in length, but he had to grind away the side of the keel to get at it because of the way it was mounted. Hopefully i can find how yours came out, Thanks!!!

 

[CharlieO.]

I put the sawzall on the backside of that bronze support and cut the through there and the shaft. Then removed the support and hammered on the end of the shaft to get it to poke out the aft end of the keel. Then drilled a hole in the end of the tube to put a bolt through and slide hammered the tube the rest of the way out.
Yes I had to pull the shaft and stern cutlass bearing housing first.
I would recommend trying to get a pipe wrench that expands inside the tube to grip the tube to try to unscrew it first to see if that works.
I paid $3000 for all my parts and machine work. The new fiberglass tube and stuffing box assembly are top notch though.

 

[douggairns]

I put the sawzall on the backside of that bronze support and cut the through there and the shaft. Then removed the support and hammered on the end of the shaft to get it to poke out the aft end of the keel. Then drilled a hole in the end of the tube to put a bolt through and slide hammered the tube the rest of the way out.
Yes I had to pull the shaft and stern cutlass bearing housing first.
I would recommend trying to get a pipe wrench that expands inside the tube to grip the tube to try to unscrew it first to see if that works.
I paid $3000 for all my parts and machine work. The new fiberglass tube and stuffing box assembly are top notch though.

Wow! and you just started on it in April, i was having nightmares about having to cut a trench all along the keel to get at it, now after looking at some of your posts it looks do-able and cause i'm across the border it should only cost about 10K! lol
I thank you Sir, I think you may have saved me from an emotional breakdown!!! lol
I'm probably feeling the same way you were when you first started on yours, after you found out it was more than replacing the seals and bearings, but you have given me hope that is going to be better than I thought.
I'll go through all your posts when i have a chance, and try not to bother you too much unless I get stuck, or confused!
An internal pipe wrench, hmm, I wonder if an exhaust pipe expander would work to grip it, but if it expanded too much, it might jam it into the keel even more, interesting, my son and grandson work with stainless tubing, they'll probably have ideas as well, I'll let you know when i can actually see it, doug.

 

[CharlieO.]

I don’t mind answering any questions, I am by far no expert though, but happy to share my experience. If you get lucky you could have success unscrewing it and only need to replace the tube.
Trust me, I felt a bit overwhelmed at times but it wasn’t too horrible of a job. We launched last week and are happy to be back on the water.

 

[Comodave]

Neat project. Keep us informed as to your progress.

 

[CharlieO.]

I have gotten all it back together and in the water. When I unbolted the couple from the transmission the shaft dropped about an inch lower than the transmission. After putting the new tube in the shaft coupler was about an inch high so I had to move the engine up a bit. Still need to double check the alignment now that we are floating. But so far so good. No water entering the bilge from the keel now. Still have to do a couple other things but will be out for a short cruise next weekend.

 

[douggairns]

Charlie! when i figure out how to get pics from my phone to my computer, i'll send you some pics, towed the boat from the other side of the lake over and up the river, probably close to 40 miles, took about 6 hrs, they wouldnt pull it last night, they finally pulled it at 3pm today, had it sitting on the stands at 4, I got a ride back around the lake to get my car, got back about 7pmgot my kid to take me to where i got the ride from and picked up my truck and went back to the marina. I got lucky, there were 3 bolts and nuts hold the rudder to the shaft, unbolted them, went back inside, and i could unbolt the collar lock under the rudder control arm and pried up the shaft. I got it up far enough i got the rudder off! at 8:15 , i closed everything up and went to get something to eat. the prop moves a bit when you turn it. it maybe 1/8th in it moves back and forth, you can see it move a bit with the locknut before the shaft turns, i think its maybe a bad key or way, ill find out later. Hopefully the shaft will be out shortly in the AM when I get back at it, but i'm hopeful i'll be able to unscrew where it comes out of the hull to the coupler, as the mount has lots of room to try to unscrew the front part of the tube! That's if it's stainless i guess. I think I'll find out tomorrow, hopefully that will go as well as the rest so far! long way to go, but because of you and a few other posts i saw , it's almost like I knew what I was doing! lol How was your cruise? mine was great Lake Simcoe was great! a bit foggy in the am, but it was like glass almost all the 30 some odd miles across it. I'll start on the coupling in the morning. Thanks to you guys I accomplished a lot today, where before I'd still be trying to figure where to start!

 

[CharlieO.]

Thanks for the update and I look forward to the pictures, I agree that this forum is a great and valuable resource for us. We haven't cruised her yet, planning on a short ride this weekend after I install the box of parts I just received yesterday. Having a job really interferes with my boating schedule

 

[douggairns]

got this far yesterday, need a puller i guess lol This is how it looks so far! Towing it 40 miles Monday to get it here! my shaft is 1.75" dia, and my bulkhead fitting looked different than yours, i think, I'll get it out today, Nothing I've worked on so far has been difficult, it's hard trying to get the shaft moved because of all the silicon stuffed in the back, but all the nuts bolts and set screws are undoing, not breaking off like normal!

 

[douggairns]

I have no idea if the shaft log screws into the housing that the seal goes on, or if it's only threaded into the stern bearing shaft housing, whatever it's proper name is. I might have a better idea after the coupler is off and the shafts all the way out?

 

[CharlieO.]

Mine was only threaded into the stern bearing housing, and it was just set inside/ recessed a bit into the cutless bearing house. I was able to remove the shaft and then I removed the stern cutless bearing housing.

 

[douggairns]

Does that mean i don't have to remove the part on the bulkhead the shaft goes through?
The bracket behind the coupler that im trying to find a big enough puller for?

 

[douggairns]

I hope not, but that's what i was going to do when i got the shaft out!
I thought i had to get in front of it to drive the shaft log back enough to get it out from the back?
should it just slide in and out? epoxied in? Glassed? I have no idea, you guys are my gods lol

 

[douggairns]

I do know that that's where the packing is, but it seems like a lot are going to that ceramic and stainless seal
type. My shaft's 1 3/4" dia. I have no idea the log dia. I'm wondering if there might be enough gap to drive a thin stainless steel tube inside the old one and just let it plug the leak? May be possible, may not, but im thinking about it. I guess there's no Chiltons books for different trawler keels

 

[CharlieO.]

I think you need to get the shaft out and remove the stern cutless bearing/housing then evaluate. I definitely considered sleeving the existing tube. I also think you will probably need to remove the inner/forward support that is bolted to the bulkhead. Once you get the shaft out, packing assembly removed and stern bearing/housing removed you may come up with a reasonable plan.
I believe I mentioned this before, but I am no expert and am only commenting with the experience I have of doing this once on my boat. My tube was encased in the concrete filled keel so it was a tight fit to remove.

 

[douggairns]

Whew. 3 days trying to get shaft out. Mine looked different. Finally figured out the 4 7/8ths bolt heads you see, unscrew from the rest of the coupler. I unbolted the whole thing and finally got the shaft back far enough to get a puller on it. took a while to find a Big puller. no go. It almost seems like you could just undo the 4 big bolts and slide the coupling apart without having to undo it at the back of the tranny. Maybe not, i'll check later. finally got everything apart, not sure what i'm looking for, it looks like a bearing about 6 in up the keel, there's a bearing in the back housing, but I dont see the part thats supposed to come out to be replaced?
I also noticed some of the studs that hold the tailstock to the keel have lost a lot of material, I wonder if they are just screw in ones with maybe a wood screw type on the other end or if they're embedded in someting . At least the shafts out! it's long and heavy!

 

[douggairns]

Wrote a long story after downloading to my phone, thought i could add pics easy. nope, lost it all lolQuickie, got most of the parts back, i took pics, cuttin the end of the tube tomorrow then installing the shaft and putting it back togeter, hoping to get it wet on Tuesday. Got a neat windlass from a guy from Barrie, He and his wife have done the loop with their Bayliner 3888 i think, His wife wanted a 2 way winch . I think they're going to do it again, and they said they liked Bermuda.

 

[douggairns]

I aske twice how your boat was running, and lost them both and forgot on the last one, I'm tired, sorry lol