Replacing the Cutless Bearing

[Zeida Cecilia-Mendez]

Need to replace the cutless bearing on my 1982 CD-33 "Bandolera"... I called Spartan to inquire and they asked me to give them measurements of the outside diameter of my current bearing!!!!... Needless to say, the boat is in the water and the cutless is still in place, so no way! Does anyone know what is the outside diameter of this part? I have a one inch prop shaft, Hurth 100 tranny, Universal Diesel Model 30 #5424.
Alternative is to wait until I take the boat out of the water for service, THEN remove the bearing, take measurements and place the order which they can ship overnight. Maybe that's the way to go. Any comments will be welcomed! Thanks.
Zeida



zcecil@attglobal.net

[Russ Campbell]

Zeida, I just pulled the cutlass bearing out of my CD 28 this afternoon. I have a 1" shaft and the outside of the bearing is 1 1/4". This makes it a thin walled bearing. The bearing is available in almost any size you may need from West Marine or any other marine supplier. The fiberglass stern tube has a step into which the cutlass bearing fits. By the way removing these bearings is not a trivial job and may take some time and effort. I know mine did. Good luck

Russ

Need to replace the cutless bearing on my 1982 CD-33 "Bandolera"... I called Spartan to inquire and they asked me to give them measurements of the outside diameter of my current bearing!!!!... Needless to say, the boat is in the water and the cutless is still in place, so no way! Does anyone know what is the outside diameter of this part? I have a one inch prop shaft, Hurth 100 tranny, Universal Diesel Model 30 #5424.
Alternative is to wait until I take the boat out of the water for service, THEN remove the bearing, take measurements and place the order which they can ship overnight. Maybe that's the way to go. Any comments will be welcomed! Thanks.
Zeida

russ@claybycampbell.com

[Chris Cram]

"By the way removing these bearings is not a trivial job and may take some time and effort."

This is absolutely right!!! I had the bearing on my 25D done some years ago and had the oportunity to watch the yard do most of the work. It is tough to get out and putting a new one in required fiberglass work as the set screws that hold it in place are embedded. Just make two martinis and call the yard guy on this job. Another point to note is this is a good time to replace that bronze shaft with stainless steel(the bronze shaft is probably scored anyway).

Chris



cccobx@prodigy.net

[Zeida Cecilia-Mendez]

Chris and Russ... it will be the yard doing the work of replacing the cutless bearing... and as per your suggestion, I will have the bronze prop shaft replaced by stainless. It IS somewhat pitted right now. Thanks for the quick reply.
Zeida



zcecil@attglobal.net

[D. Stump, Hanalei]

Captain,

I think you are aware, that pitting of the shaft by the cutlass bearing is NOT a concern. It WOULD be a problem at the shaft seal however. If the seal is not leaking excessively, save yourself some money and stay with the bronze shaft, it IS far superior to stainless!

D. Stump, Hanalei

[Chris Cram]

Mr. Stump et al

Sir you are right the pitting is not a problem. It is the scoring caused by a worn cutless bearing that will ruin your new cutless bearing. Or so I am told I am by no means the expert on such things

Chris



cccobx@prodigy.net

[Leo MacDonald]

CD'ers,

I subscribe to belief that Bronze is the superior mental to use an saltwater GRP and wood sailboats, specifically in stagnate underwater applications. SS is susceptible to 'chloride crevice' and 'chloride pitting' corrosion. Bronze (though current availability is 'softer') can stay underwater without corroding until long after we’re gone. Read some back posts and talk with Bristol Bronze

That said the ‘Heather Ann’ had a Shaft Seal, Cutlass Bearing, Stern Tube and Shaft fiasco late spring 2001. If I had any hope of launching, doing Sea Trials, participating in the NE Fleet summer sail events, etc., etc., I would have to, and I did, install a 'AQ22' stainless shaft. (Along with a new cutlass, PSS dripless seal and reglassed shaft log.)

If I have the time a BRONZE shaft will be installed J (Read; you have to order ahead of time - not all shops carry bronze)

Fair Winds,
Leo
‘Evening Light’



macdore@aol.com

[Don Carr]

Leo;
If were affordable..Monel would be the best. However..bronze is the most cost effective alloy and as you mention will probably outlive us.
And at this stage in most CD life cycles..will probably not have to be replaced until..god forbid..the useful life of the boat is done.

FWIW



carrds@us.ibm.com

[James Jones]

My CD 33 1980 model requires a 4 inch cutlass bearing with an outside diameter of 1 1/4 inches for my 1 inch shaft. Yours is probably the same as mine. Good Luck.



jimjoif@hotmail.com

[James Jones]

My 1980 Cape dory 33 requires a 1 1/4 inch outside diameter by 4 inch
long cutlass bearing for a 1 inch shaft. Yours is probably the same.



jimjoif@hotmail.com

[BobM]

Hold on to your horses there, the bronze shaft, in good condition, is the superior metal of choice for this application. Frankly I don't like the idea of using a stainless shaft as the stainless available today is not what it use to be. Stainless is not close enough on the galvanic scale to your other bronze through hull fittings and your propeller, which I take will still be bronze? For this reason if at all possible use a bronze shaft as a replacement. I love reading the specs on used Cape Dory's and when they advertise that the shaft has been replaced with a stainless shaft with a bronze propeller, I cringe. Rule Number One, stay with like metals at and below the water line when at all possible. Sorry my 2 cent based on 40 years experience with sailboats and power boats.

Bob
Ranger #144
CD25D 1984
------------------------------

"By the way removing these bearings is not a trivial job and may take some time and effort."

This is absolutely right!!! I had the bearing on my 25D done some years ago and had the oportunity to watch the yard do most of the work. It is tough to get out and putting a new one in required fiberglass work as the set screws that hold it in place are embedded. Just make two martinis and call the yard guy on this job. Another point to note is this is a good time to replace that bronze shaft with stainless steel(the bronze shaft is probably scored anyway).

Chris

Ranger1442@hotmail.com

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi Don,

Concur, the Submarine force uses Monel for all their hull / back-up valves, unsure of what skimmers use. I have to believe getting a shaft made of one would take a while and $$$.

Fair Winds,
Leo



macdore@aol.com

[Mystic Marine]

Don/Leo:

Would you like a price on a Monel shaft? I would need diameter (I assume 1") and overall length (to the nearest foot, for pricing).

Duncan Maio
Mystic Marine



mail@mysticmarine.net

[Leo MacDonald]

Hi Duncan,

1" OD is correct, about 3' long.

At some point 'Evening Light' has had the bronze shaft replaced with one of SS - and with a 3 blade bronze prop attached. How would a Monel shaft compare with a Bronze prop on the galvanic corrosion scale?

Fair Winds,
Leo




macdore@aol.com

[Duncan Maio]

Monel, being nickel and copper, is closer to bronze than stainless steel. It also costs more than twice as much as silicon bronze.

Let me know if you are interested.

Duncan Maio

Hi Duncan,

1" OD is correct, about 3' long.

At some point 'Evening Light' has had the bronze shaft replaced with one of SS - and with a 3 blade bronze prop attached. How would a Monel shaft compare with a Bronze prop on the galvanic corrosion scale?

Fair Winds,
Leo