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Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Sat May 07, 2016 7:50 pm
by kaidepuu
My problem is that the lamination of the metal strut outside of the boat has been starting to rotten.

My first thought was, that the strut goes through the floor - but inside the boat you cannot see any sign of the strut, or lamination.

Now it is clear, that in my Ballad the strut doesn´t go through the floor and is laminated only outside.

Is this really the original structure in Ballad, I wonder?

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 4:16 pm
by prjacobs
My strut had been reinforced at some time in the past, I don't know why. Maybe it was re-aligned for the Yanmar engine, or maybe damaged in a grounding. There was nothing visible on the inside of the hull, it seems to be quite strong so I faired it a bit, installed a new bearing, and left it alone.
Image

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Sun May 08, 2016 8:11 pm
by kaidepuu
Anyway - have you the idea that the metall strut by no means doesn´t go through the floor? So that it is laminated only from outside.

Kai

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 3:53 pm
by prjacobs
My guess is that it has a bit of a shoe that cups the bottom of the hull, and maybe a couple of bolts going through that have been glassed over during construction. As I say ... it's a guess, but looking at pictures on the net that seems the way they are built.
Image

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 7:47 pm
by kaidepuu
This is what dropped down when I took away the rotten laminate.

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Mon May 09, 2016 8:03 pm
by MarkRyan1981
Interesting - wonder why the laminate was failing? Possible grounding? Bad cutlass bearing replacement? Misaligned engine putting forces through it incorrectly? Or manufacturing defect? Let us know what you find

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Wed May 11, 2016 6:23 pm
by kaidepuu
No answer to this result. There can be many possibilities.

Anyway, there were signs of earlier repair - not during the last 15 years, according to 3 earlier owners.

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Sat Jun 25, 2016 8:10 pm
by kaidepuu
Finally: all the earlier reparation was not made professionally. The metal strut was plain, with no rough to help the laminate to be attached.

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Wed Mar 15, 2017 8:42 pm
by PhilippZ
Kaidepuu,

After catching a rope with the propellor I will have to face fixing the shaft strut as well. From the first looks if the cracked fiberglass it is the same as in your pictures, just a simple metal plate where the bearing is bolted to. so you ended up replacing the old strut with the V-shaped part. Have you tried to just laminate the simple strut back on in the beginning? I am tempted to go that way, but worried that it will be a painful process trying to align the strut and keeping it in place until the epoxy is hard enough.
I am happy for any advise :)

Cheers,
Philipp

Re: Propeller axle strut - Ballad

Posted: Tue Jun 13, 2017 6:43 pm
by Diane
Hi Phillip,

Did you manage to repair your trust? Did you laminated it back? We have the same problem with our Albin Ballad and are seeking for a fast and economic solution.. Any advices?