There is a third alignment point: the shaft also has to be aligned with the bore or opening in the stuffing box or shaft alley as shown in the above right photo. boats typically have only one strut per shaft, while larger ones end. See all those boats sitting in boat yards with one block under the bow and the other under the stern? Dial Indicating Shafts Recently a number If a gap existed at the 6:00 oclock position, the front of the engine would have to be lowered. Most boaters prefer to do it whenever it is needed, but once every year during season end or beginning will give your boat a fresh and clean look. Thus, a 1/16" misalignment at the strut can translate into being 1" off at the engine, or vice versa. why vee drives have more problems than straight shafted boats. Good engine alignment is not difficult to achieve depending on the type of engine mounts on your boat. We replaced the drive-line bearings and rebuilt the dripless seal however suspected the engine alignment may be off. And generally, waxing is required once every 1 3 years, not every year, though. 14 Examples (Various models). That means your engine life expectancy should be somewhere close to ten years, maybe a little longer. But that's not all. and then accelerate hard, up to about 1/2 throttle for several seconds. Detailing is not a must, but it would be good to do and makes your boat look good and clean. Cruising in locales like Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland, and Alaska is, therefore, a sort of refresher course, enabling me to continue to provide the greatest possible value to my readers and clients, especially when it comes to cruising vessel systems and operation, based on real-world experience, rather than from the safety and comfort of my home waters, the comparatively benign Chesapeake Bay. Many factors influence the boat engine cost, from its type to horsepower. And since the weight of the shaft sitting on There is no doubt that this strut will hold the shaft They start around 200 HP up to over 250 HP. Alternatively, the free hanging weight of the shaft and the coupling can be calculated and accounted for with upward force, using a conventional or hanging scale. It should be free of dents, dings and corrosion and it must snugly engage the female recess on the transmission output coupling. problem develops. first thought is usually the propellers when, in fact, unless the alignment than single bearing shafts. A boat with a weak bottom usually the same size propeller. Again, that's because rotating They also make regular cleaning easier and can make it harder for dirt to stick to waxed surfaces. It can be carried out with common hand tools; any skilled marine mechanic should be intimately familiar with the process. However, it varies drastically from as small as $700 or less per year (if you DIY) to $5,000 or more per year (if you hire a professional to do it). A hard mount is made up of a foot attached to the engine, hard rubber and metal shims and a plate or angle iron attached to the engine bed stringer. . Aug 26, 2017. It is also used for OMC Cobra stern drives. The situation is analogous They don't spend all that money There is As a familiar and trusted member of Fort Lauderdale's marine industry since the 1980's, including his experience at . This essay discusses the basic principles involved, Overall, however, considering the conditions and grueling pace, the vessel performed as Id hoped she would, carrying her crew and me to some of the worlds most remote locations. As noted above, boat hulls can and do change shape over time, next time you have a vibration problem, before you automatically not need to replace it. to perform as it should. The bad news is that a lack of general understanding of these systems often translates into more abuse than the systems can withstand. link to How Much Does a Houseboat cost? All these and other things combined, you may have to spend roughly $100 per year to treat them, which counts as boat maintenance. particularly when it is hauled. If the strut is slightly twisted to It can't be done. Its best to have one person doing the hitting How to Choose A Trolling Motor for Your Canoe? 2:1. alignment, check out the entire system so you don't end up fixing If the bottom of the flange displays a gap, use the same procedure as before, this time making adjustment to the rear mounts. Four-strokes are quieter, more durable, and more fuel-efficient than two-strokes. large outboard engines (100+ hp): $10,000+. It assumes that the shaft is immovable (its position can be changed, but not easily), and thus the engine is moved to accommodate its position. a bit of time, but is simple enough for just about anyone to do. This can usually be accomplished by using a rigid As an optional final measure of proper engine alignment, and more specifically the interface between the shaft and coupling, and coupling faces and pilot bushing, a dial indicator can be used to measure shaft irregularity or run out. If there is water squirting out of the base, then you can be sure that you have a loose strut. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); 31 Best Fishing Boat Names (Story & Meanings), 21 Popsicle Stick Boat Craft Ideas for Kids, Whats the Best Motor for Your Jon Boat? Estimating boat engine costs in advance is a challenging task. the engines steady is very simple, it is called the Back Down Test. The mount shown here has had a shim installed, the red block material, to raise the mount, and shorten the loadedstud length. are completely rigid (which they usually aren't) the shaft goes Check this article to know all the insights of when and how to clean (wash) a boat in a detailed way. Supported at only the ends, would you Note: many times the front mounts are bigger by design than the rear mounts. Vee drives need to have very solid engine mounts, allowing no engine movement. bearing, eliminating this meager 1/16" intolerance. Needless to say, they are also more expensive. Cracks,Finishes and Surface Defects, Marine Here are some things to keep in mind while browsing for a new engine: The modern market offers a wide selection of boat engines, and you can quickly find the one that suits both your boat and budget. This is because the angle in degrees is multiplied by the length of the shaft. While its possible to carry out a pre-alignment ashore, a final engine alignment must be carried out while a vessel is afloat, and in the case of fiberglass vessels and especially timber vessels, after its been floating for at least twelve hours. to structural hull weaknesses. Progressively the engine settles lower and lower until it is eventually bending the shaft. Mounts generally cost around $100 each and if you have a broken one you should replace all of them as a set. flex and hulls change shape. 15 Examples (Details included), boat that stays most of the time in the water. Lock washes or locking nuts must be used, and in all cases a minimum of two threads should protrude past the nut. the other under the stern? The next step involves loosening the engine mounting bolts in order to place shims between the engine mount and the stringer mount. can create a substantial lever if the engine is mounted up Then, carefully inspect all flange surfaces, including the pilot bushing and pilot receiver, a protrusion and indentation respectively, near the center of the couplings. The fact is that conventional shafting systems will tolerate a great engine mounts are expensive, hence the motivation by the builder talking here is the coupling fit, not the shaft alignment. Finally, sterndrive engine prices start at $5,000, while jet engines are the most expensive and are typically worth millions of dollars. as well as all the factors that can result in your boat failing If you are lucky enough, the mechanic will determine the problem in inexpensive engine parts. While its possible to achieve a close tolerance at the coupling, correct alignment here does not mean that the overall alignment is correct. Detailing a boat includes interior and exterior cleaning, and it makes your boat look clean. Progressively the engine settles lower and lower until it According to Sterling's Mike D'Anniballe, a pair of the Milford, Mich., company's new twin turbocharged 1,700-hp engines are headed for a Skater 388 catamaran. There's Dont forget to check the alignment again while the boat is in the water. On average, bottom painting a boat costs around $200. Most professionals, when discussing alignment, are referring to the first type, that which involves the engine. There are a few signs your boat engine is about to fail, but the most obvious is the change in smoke color. wider base. If the blade will not slip in at any location, the engine is in alignment with the shaft. See the illustration below. If the strut is correctly aligned, It took a little longer than I expected but the boat is finally back together. Marine Alignment, Inc. While underway, another thing to check is the shaft Moreover, to tackle various conditions well, they are also painted with varying biocide (mostly copper) levels, namely vinyl paints, copolymer ablative paints, copper-free paints, etc. is doing the same. your engines will never align properly because they constantly permit Fiberfly Alignment Tool Boat Alpha Bravo OMC Volvo Gimbal Bearing Installer Puller. not hard to see the futility of it all. Michael H. Bartlett has performed over 1,500 successful optical alignment procedures working at yacht and ship builders and repair yards since 1998. Factors That Affect the Price Regardless of the hull material or the type of engine mounts used, the alignment must be checked and adjusted in the water. Runout up to 1/8" is acceptable on shafts 1-1/2" and under not much point in attempting to perfectly align the shaft with the Vibration causes damage to other systems. One simply cannot dial a rotating rough water and measuring stringer deflection. Copyright 2016 Steve DAntonio Marine Consulting, Inc. Polar bear, walrus, reindeer, beluga whales, bearded seals, ivory gulls and guillemots, not the sort cross section of wildlife one expects to see during your average passage. Navigating the boat market for bass boats can be daunting with such an array of design features, models, and brands. the gap should be at the top at both ends. As she edged through, and pushed aside multi-ton iceberg growlers and bergy bits at glacier snouts, the thickness of her hull and stem guard, and deep protected propeller, were foremost in my mind. the entire weight of the boat and some beef is needed there to hold When water starts gathering inside, it reacts with the chemicals inside, which builds (osmotic) pressure and pulls more water due to that, resulting in blisters on a boat hull. On average, the cost of maintaining a boat is around $2,000 per year. The more hours you put on your meter, your engine will need more repairs. Even if the engine stringers This is because the shafts are very short and reverse direction. Observation of shaft runout will only If its loose, then the bolt holes need to be checked for wear and sounds like a lot, consider that that is 0.0625" which quite much as 1/2" !!! 37.99 Also, it is highly recommended to clean the boat after every ride to prevent corrosion and other damages later. (4) Engine mounts are too weak and permit too much engine movement. Does an Overhaul Entail?" On one occasion, as a demonstration, I had a shaft, complete with coupling, clamped to a sturdy workbench, extended past the end of the bench the same distance as that found on an example vessel, two or three feet perhaps. a few thousandths of an inch is a waste of time. You can access it at. Check those articles to have a clear sight of all those things in a detailed way and when to replace them. In fact, if you I've had my alignment tool in two different couplers while the engines were on a stand. They also have slots on the aft side of the mounts where the mounts attach to the engine bed; these allow for minor movement side to side. After all, they are plastic and they're is made. However, it varies based on size and condition. Such a bow may lead to excessive vibration, premature cutless bearing wear and in extreme cases, shaft failure. Transmission failure caused by increased stress on the rear after getting the boat back in May 2011, the new rebuilt engine would bog down when given full throttle from idle and . drive system problems. be used for the rear engine mounts. a favorable position while overall it is still badly out of alignment. If they are loose, they must be tightened or the readings you will obtain using the feeler gauge will be inaccurate. Please also view our Upcoming Events webpage. A one-time executive editor at Sailing World magazine, he writes about his passion for racing and boating. from Buying a Boat, Stress coupling needs to fit within several thousandths, but what were Note: many times the front mounts are bigger by design than the rear mounts. #10. Another It is a common belief that engines and shaft couplings If shaft wobble is visible at Weak engine mounts mean that The main problem is with the boats that have motors; it can cause many problems for the next season if you didnt winterize it. During a recent survey of our clients charter vessel, it was noted that the cutlass bearings were worn and the dripless seal was leaking under the engine. What Are Blisters On A Boat? and under shafts can tolerate quite a bit of misalignment so long An engine is a vital part of any boat that typically lasts for several seasons without significant repairs if you maintain it well. On the other hand, a badly wobbling shaft means something's wrong. with double struts. I'll explain When making these adjustment, sometimes the shaft may shift slightly aft and create an erroneous feeler gauge reading. The Important Factors Smaller boats typically have only one strut per shaft, while larger ones will have two. length. The bad news is Here the laser has been positioned in the aft-most shaft bearing, and aimed at the transmission output coupling. Mercruiser and Caterpillar engines. in degrees is multiplied by the length of the shaft. This is the opening where the shaft exits the hull. If they are all tight, you can continue with loosening the flange as described. Of course, the replacement and installation costs grow accordingly. Of course, when someone is trying to align the If the shaft is touching, Keep in mind this process is costly, and the final bill depends on the same factors that influence engine replacement costs. 14 Examples (Various models), link to How Much Does a Bass Boat Cost? First, check the engine mounts to make sure the rubber is still attached to the metal and also that there are not breaks in the metal. Once all the products required are added up, the total cost to DIY washing your boat will be around $200per year for all the washes throughout the year. before they develop. Vessel shaft, strut, engine, and bearing aligment. Short of a massive job of strengthening compressed, then the bearing is either worn or the rubber is very That is the moment when the question about boat engine replacement cost will come to your mind. of the last things to be considered when some kind of drive system Besides the engine type, the period of using your boat before the motor fails primarily depends on the fuel type. There are a fairly large number of Use caution and consult the manufacturer's manual before. Here the laser has been positioned in the aft-most shaft bearing, and aimed at the transmission output coupling. 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Not slip in at any location, the replacement and installation costs grow accordingly to! Is finally Back together finally, sterndrive engine prices start at $ 5,000 while... Permit too much engine movement the laser has been positioned in the aft-most shaft bearing and. Translates into more abuse than the systems can withstand most professionals, when discussing alignment, are referring to first... Your meter, your engine life expectancy should be grade 8 mild steel denoted... Are quieter, more durable, and brands took a little longer than I expected but most... Out of the shaft be tightened or the readings you will obtain using the feeler gauge will be.. 14 Examples ( Various models ), link to How much does a bass boat?. A waste of time, but is simple enough for just about to! Shift slightly aft and create an erroneous feeler gauge trying to make an alignment recess., in fact, unless the alignment than single bearing shafts Sailing World magazine, he writes about his for... 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