Question : Has anyone had a problem with or replaced their fiberglass shaft tube on a Cape Dory ? I own Rapport, a 1990 CD30MKII hull # 30. I am in the process of replacing the shaft tube. During the disassembly, it looks like the shaft tube hole may have been mis-drilled into the back of the boat ( favors the port side ) when she was being built. It also appears the tube was never sealed properly as it entered the engine space. There was no sign of 5200 or resin on the old tube. Only the fiberglass fairing around the shaft tube as it came out of the stern. The fairing covers the four set screws holding the cutlass bearing in place. We also found that we must re-drill the holes on the steel engine frame to re-located the motor mounts in an attempt to allign the Westerbeek 30B to the new tube. Question : does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations regarding the shaft tube and the best way to re-install it. I would appreciate any help I a can get, thanks.
Mark Van Walbeck
(800) 727-1900
mwalbeck@garlandmfg.com
replacing a fiberglass shaft tube in a 1990 CD30MKII
Moderator: Jim Walsh
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Boyd
Re: replacing a fiberglass shaft tube in a 1990 CD30MKII
Hi Mark...
Sounds like you are in the middle of a big job. Tern (CD30 MkII hull #1) has a westerbeke 21A. Your engine compartment must be really stuffed having a 30 in it.
I did a major hull redo a couple of years ago and ground off a lot of bad fibreglass work around the shaft tube. My tube was a premanufactured one (Spartan lists them in their catelogue) It was glassed into the hull with what looked like chopped glass and resin on the outside. Had a lot of voids I might add. Inside it looks like they set it in using a big gob of thickened resin. Not very elegant at on either side. I have no known problems with the tube now.
I suspect they did the following from observation of my hull.
1. drilled the hole
2. set the fiberglass tube in with thickened resin (hence the big gob of it on the inside of the hull.
3. filled and faired and created the shape to blend with the hull using chopped glass and resin on the outside.
The set screws and the wire thru them was glassed over. Also I have a large space under the tube on the inside of the hull which extends back to the stern. Its very narrow and impossible to reach or clean out.
There may be someone else on the board who knows more of the detail of the origional construction as I have seen discussion of such.
I added a couple of layers of cloth to the outside of my tube after filling in the voids with chopped glass and resin. Faired the whole thing out. So far its holding.
There is evidence on my motor mounting brackets that they redrilled some holes to get the alignment right.
Hope this helps...
Boyd
s/v Tern
Fort Lauderdale, Fla
Tern30@aol.com
Sounds like you are in the middle of a big job. Tern (CD30 MkII hull #1) has a westerbeke 21A. Your engine compartment must be really stuffed having a 30 in it.
I did a major hull redo a couple of years ago and ground off a lot of bad fibreglass work around the shaft tube. My tube was a premanufactured one (Spartan lists them in their catelogue) It was glassed into the hull with what looked like chopped glass and resin on the outside. Had a lot of voids I might add. Inside it looks like they set it in using a big gob of thickened resin. Not very elegant at on either side. I have no known problems with the tube now.
I suspect they did the following from observation of my hull.
1. drilled the hole
2. set the fiberglass tube in with thickened resin (hence the big gob of it on the inside of the hull.
3. filled and faired and created the shape to blend with the hull using chopped glass and resin on the outside.
The set screws and the wire thru them was glassed over. Also I have a large space under the tube on the inside of the hull which extends back to the stern. Its very narrow and impossible to reach or clean out.
There may be someone else on the board who knows more of the detail of the origional construction as I have seen discussion of such.
I added a couple of layers of cloth to the outside of my tube after filling in the voids with chopped glass and resin. Faired the whole thing out. So far its holding.
There is evidence on my motor mounting brackets that they redrilled some holes to get the alignment right.
Hope this helps...
Boyd
s/v Tern
Fort Lauderdale, Fla
Mark Van Walbeck wrote: Question : Has anyone had a problem with or replaced their fiberglass shaft tube on a Cape Dory ? I own Rapport, a 1990 CD30MKII hull # 30. I am in the process of replacing the shaft tube. During the disassembly, it looks like the shaft tube hole may have been mis-drilled into the back of the boat ( favors the port side ) when she was being built. It also appears the tube was never sealed properly as it entered the engine space. There was no sign of 5200 or resin on the old tube. Only the fiberglass fairing around the shaft tube as it came out of the stern. The fairing covers the four set screws holding the cutlass bearing in place. We also found that we must re-drill the holes on the steel engine frame to re-located the motor mounts in an attempt to allign the Westerbeek 30B to the new tube. Question : does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations regarding the shaft tube and the best way to re-install it. I would appreciate any help I a can get, thanks.
Mark Van Walbeck
(800) 727-1900
Tern30@aol.com
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Hobbster
Re: replacing a fiberglass shaft tube in a 1990 CD30MKII
There is a reason the tube is not installed along the centerline of the boat. The tube is offset so the shaft can be removed without removing the rudder. This will allow a shaft to be replaced while the boat is in the water if needed. It also prevents you from digging a very deep hole to remove the rudder when in dry storage so that the shaft can be replaced.
The shaft tube should be fiberglassed into the hull both inside and out. Gelcoat puddy may or maynot cover the set screws to hold the cutless in place. Alingment of the tube is very important.
Good luck with your project.
Glen
glen@hobbymarine.com
The shaft tube should be fiberglassed into the hull both inside and out. Gelcoat puddy may or maynot cover the set screws to hold the cutless in place. Alingment of the tube is very important.
Good luck with your project.
Glen
glen@hobbymarine.com