Its been eight years living on Prodigal. The entire time I was unaware that my
transmission was running backwards. The
Propeller was, wrong sized, wrong pitched, and also – by default – running
backwards. So I have been merrily going
along unconsciously burning up the old transmission and slowly slogging through
the high seas with the wrong size and pitch propeller. (pitch is the angle of the blades and how
much they are tilted.) to understand the
propeller pitch, imagine a little old lady waving a tiny paper fan in her face
like the ones you saw as a kid on a large Popsicle stick.
VS. 
That fan is the propeller they HAD on the
boat. The propeller I now have is like a
huge thing taken off an old B52 bomber.
Large and pitched to move us…
So, get the large correct propeller and a new transmission AND run the
transmission in the correct direction and It just might make a difference in
how the boat moves? Now to pay for
it? Jason left yesterday, “going
straight to Don’s boat for us to figure your bill.”
So I’m up early today worrying my little self. How long will I have to eat nothing but baked
beans to balance my budget? Oh well, at
least I’m not still “backing up!”
*NEW THOUGHT: any other Pirates, I welcome your input on
this. The mechanic told me
yesterday that, “Perkins engines like to run fast and not be bogged down. Taker her out and run her – WIDE OPEN – at
top end, to see how many maximum RPM’s she will do. Then when you motor, use 75% of that top end
number.” (it’s not the speed of
Prodigal, it’s how many revolutions the Perkins engine turns per minute. Always motor the engine at 75% of maximum
RPM’s.) Pirate COMMENTS?
So, I’m waiting for a calm day to take her out and ‘open her
up’… it certainly makes one
curious. If Prodigal went 5 knots
before, will she do 7 knots now? I have
been running the engine at 1,800 RPM.
I’ve never tried to run the engine up to maximum RPM and see how many
that is.
YESTERDAY was final engine work day. Finish all the little things that had not
been buttoned up. Cutlass bearing test
and grease that zirt, drip-less seal shut off valve install, Helicoil the oil
dip stick, new shift cable and lastly replace the generator exhaust hose coupling that was
rusted and leaking. After all this we
started the Perkins and put the new tranny into gear to listen to everything
hum… hmm hmm hmm like an angel singing. (its funny now to realize all that noise from
the shaft shimmy and old cutlass bearing was not supposed to be there. With the out of aligned engine and the
bouncing shaft, the old cutlass bearing sounded like a coffee grinder when it
turned. I didn’t know how quiet it could
be! Even with the engine off, the sails
cause the propeller to turn and you would get that coffee grinder noise.)
Old Transmission shift cable
Cutlass Bearing
Jason and Lynne celebrate the finish
Don with Helicoil
Don Grinding
New Drip-less Seal
Dip Stick drilled out
Helicoil
Jason and Don discuss plans
Transmission cable attachment
Skip and Jason celebrate
**SECOND NEW THOUGHT: other Pirates, do you
leave the transmission in neutral for the prop to spin? Or put it in reverse so the prop is locked
when sailing? COMMENTS?
Now I will take Prodigal out and do some testing. Check the new stuff, the old stuff and all
the other stuff. But first I have to
wait for this blue norther to finish blowing through. Perhaps another cup of coffee and try to
finish more boat chores? (*Call your dad and check in, ssb antenna
tuner, clean boat bottom and zincs, fix water leaks, paint bright-work, empty v
berth, empty car trunk, laundry, groceries, taxes, update blog, pay bills, pick
up and put away tools & parts) It’s
time to chart my next anchorage!
Maybe more pie and a nap? 😊
