[C320-list] Kiwi Feathering Prop

[Warren Updike]

Kirk, I too was pitched the HB-100 to replace the HB-50 on my Perkins engine.  While I do believe this is a good recommendation, it is about one inch longer, fore&aft, than the 50.  Technically, this means the shaft should be removed and shortened, someting I was not interested in doing at the time.  The space between the propeller and the shaft strut should not exceed 1.5 X shaft dia.; or, 1-1/2 inch.  Should you exceed this, more vibration and greater bearing wear may result.  One would need the services of a good machine shop to shorten the shaft and realign the facing plate with the shaft.  

I have a bronze shaft.  It has a grove worn in it from overtightening the packing nut and failure to renew the packing material (credit the PO.)  Therefore, were I to pull the shaft I would want to replace it with a SS shaft and flexible coupling adding another 5 to 6 boat units to the job, on top of the approx. 1,500BU(??) for a new HB-100.  I stuck with my bronze shaft and rebuilt the HB-50 for about half the cost of a new trans.

Warren & Pattie Updike
C320, #62, 1994, "Warr De Mar"
Frog Mortar Creek, Middle River
Chesapeake Bay