Flexible propeller shaft couplung
On the 8th morning i sailed from Yesilkoy Liman in rain and light airs. After 2 hours the sun was shining and i could dry the rain suit. Suddenly i heard a strange noise, continuous knocks from the shaft aft. Hell i said to myself, the cutlass bearing and the shaft are brand new, alignment was made in a very precise way before and after lift off, using also a caliper beside the feeler gauge . What could have happened? Upon checking the connection between the engine and the shaft i found a broken piece of the flexible couplung on the floor of the engine bed . However, the whole element was still working. Taking the engine out of gear i found that it was a piece from the after couplung plate. I have a simple Volvo couplung comprised of 2 flanges, 2 plates and 4 rubber cushions with studs in between. One cushion was torn off with the broken piece. To dismantle the whole thing i had to be in a marina or a very safe anchorage , not on anchor, for safety. In open sea it can be done in calm weather only (thinking of alignment). Luckily i had a nice S,ly wind and i headed for Karacaoren anchorge south of Gemiler island where fixed moorings are laid. Well the couplung was dismantled and amazingly i saw that the plate was sheared to a few pieces leaving only 2 cushions intact. The intermediate solution was to connect the shaft with it's rigid couplung to the engine flange . The elignment made in the docking was so precise that the 2 flanges came together, (after checking the alignment, "like butter" and no further alignment was necessary. After a phone consultation with Mancho i'll continue that way until coming home and than the question will be flexible? or rigiod? I'll be delighted to here from you. Again Flexible? or Rigid? Shabat Shalom
On the 8th morning i sailed from Yesilkoy Liman in rain and light airs. After 2 hours the sun was shining and i could dry the rain suit. Suddenly i heard a strange noise, continuous knocks from the shaft aft. Hell i said to myself, the cutlass bearing and the shaft are brand new, alignment was made in a very precise way before and after lift off, using also a caliper beside the feeler gauge . What could have happened? Upon checking the connection between the engine and the shaft i found a broken piece of the flexible couplung on the floor of the engine bed . However, the whole element was still working. Taking the engine out of gear i found that it was a piece from the after couplung plate. I have a simple Volvo couplung comprised of 2 flanges, 2 plates and 4 rubber cushions with studs in between. One cushion was torn off with the broken piece. To dismantle the whole thing i had to be in a marina or a very safe anchorage , not on anchor, for safety. In open sea it can be done in calm weather only (thinking of alignment). Luckily i had a nice S,ly wind and i headed for Karacaoren anchorge south of Gemiler island where fixed moorings are laid. Well the couplung was dismantled and amazingly i saw that the plate was sheared to a few pieces leaving only 2 cushions intact. The intermediate solution was to connect the shaft with it's rigid couplung to the engine flange . The elignment made in the docking was so precise that the 2 flanges came together, (after checking the alignment, "like butter" and no further alignment was necessary. After a phone consultation with Mancho i'll continue that way until coming home and than the question will be flexible? or rigiod? I'll be delighted to here from you. Again Flexible? or Rigid? Shabat Shalom
