CD30 CUTLASS BEARING PROBLEM

[Pat Ed Carlson]

Our set-screw type cutlass bearing will not stay tight. The set screws keep backing out. We've had the boat hauled twice to repair the problem. The "repair" seems to work for awhile, but after a couple of months the problem is back. Anyone have a solution? Is there another type of cutlass bearing we should be using? (The engine is a Westerbeke, 23HP, V-drive - installed about 3 years ago).



SkywindMCM@aol.com

[Tom]

</LI>

Our set-screw type cutlass bearing will not stay tight. The set screws keep backing out. We've had the boat hauled twice to repair the problem. The "repair" seems to work for awhile, but after a couple of months the problem is back. Anyone have a solution? Is there another type of cutlass bearing we should be using? (The engine is a Westerbeke, 23HP, V-drive - installed about 3 years ago).

I don't know if Cape Dory did it this way or someone since then, but when I replaced my cutlass bearing after 20 years I discovered that the set screws were kept from turning with some monel seizing wire. CD or whoever took a hacksaw or dremel tool and cut a slot all the way around right over the set screw holes. When the set screws were put in, the slots were lined up with this groove in the fiberglass. The groove is deep enough that the wire fits down into the slot on the set screws. The monel wire is then twisted together with a pair of pliers and pushed down into the slot as well. Marine Tex or bondo over the wire and groove and sand it fair. The yard that did this work had never seen this done before and said it was the best system they had ever seen for locking set screws into fiberglass. There may be better ways and they will show up on this board shortly, but this has worked for me. Isn't this board great?



TomCambria@mindspring.com

[Larry DeMers]

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Hey, great idea! What a great way to lock that set screw down. I'll use this idea this spring when I pull the bearing..

thanks for the great idea.

Cheers!

Larry DeMers
s/v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 ~~~~Sailing Lake Superior~~~~~~~

Our set-screw type cutlass bearing will not stay tight. The set screws keep backing out. We've had the boat hauled twice to repair the problem. The "repair" seems to work for awhile, but after a couple of months the problem is back. Anyone have a solution? Is there another type of cutlass bearing we should be using? (The engine is a Westerbeke, 23HP, V-drive - installed about 3 years ago).

I don't know if Cape Dory did it this way or someone since then, but when I replaced my cutlass bearing after 20 years I discovered that the set screws were kept from turning with some monel seizing wire. CD or whoever took a hacksaw or dremel tool and cut a slot all the way around right over the set screw holes. When the set screws were put in, the slots were lined up with this groove in the fiberglass. The groove is deep enough that the wire fits down into the slot on the set screws. The monel wire is then twisted together with a pair of pliers and pushed down into the slot as well. Marine Tex or bondo over the wire and groove and sand it fair. The yard that did this work had never seen this done before and said it was the best system they had ever seen for locking set screws into fiberglass. There may be better ways and they will show up on this board shortly, but this has worked for me. Isn't this board great?

ldemers@win.bright.net