Wakeboarding - June 01, 2018

40 | BOATINGMAG.COM | JUNE 2018

BOAT DOCTOR ///

Removing an inboard-powered boat’s propeller

is a straightforward boating DIY task.

Sometimes, though, a prop will cling to its shaft

with the tenacity of a barnacle to a piling. The

following tips may prove helpful to all those

who need to remove a propeller. —Kevin Falvey

LEAVE THE NUT ON

With a block of wood

preventing the prop

from spinning, remove

the cotter pin and

loosen both nuts. Re-

move the half-height

nut completely and

leave the full-height

nut on the tail of the

shaft, with all of its

threads engaged. Since

there’s usually at least

some force required in

removing a prop, this

prevents the prop from

falling and becoming

damaged (or landing

on your head, hands or

feet) as it pops loose.

TRY A GRAB

Grasp the propeller

fi rmly by the root of

two blades. Give an

even pull. If it slides of

the taper, sing praises

to the deity of your

choice. Watch out for

the shaft key, which

often falls out at this

point. Box up the old

prop and send it of for

reconditioning, then in-

stall the new prop. Prop

removal is rarely this

easy, so check out some

more removal tips.

PROP KNOCKER Yo u

may need to turn the

rudder slightly to pro-

vide clearance. Remove

the nut and screw the

prop knocker, aka har-

monic puller, onto the

shaft. Hand-tighten,

then rap — don’t bang

— on the prop knocker

four or fi ve times with

a hammer. (Oh yeah,

don’t miss and hit the

prop.) Hopefully, the

vibration loosened the

prop from the shaft

taper. Grasp the prop,

remove the knocker,

and remove the prop.

If several knocking

attempts fail, move on

to another method.

PROP PULLER The

Algonac prop puller

(mindermanmarine

.com) is probably the

most common style of

prop puller in service

shops, but there are

many variations on

the theme. All use the

simple machine known

as the inclined plane

— here in the form of

screw threads — to

exert inexorable force

in a controlled manner

between the forward

side of the prop hub and

the tail end of the prop

shaft. The prop will

jump loose, so do have

the big nut threaded

onto the end of the

shaft. Watch for that

pesky key!

QUICK TIP

Any time you strike something with your inboard-pow-

ered boat, you should have the shaft checked to make

sure it is true and won’t damage the engine or drivetrain.

PHOTOS: (FROM TOP) CAPT. VINCENT DANIELLO (3), COURTESY HYDRASEARCH/BUCK ALGONQUIN (SHAFT HARDWARE KIT, PROP KNOCKER), COURTESY ACME MARINE

INBOARD

PROPELLER

REMOVAL

How to get a tough prop off the shaft

Acme Marine, maker of high-performance propellers, offers

Weekend Saver kits, which include either a clamp type or harmonic

prop puller, the tools needed to change a prop and replacement

nuts, a cotter pin and key. The case is sized to hold all the gear plus

a spare prop. $139 to $199 (prop not included); acmemarine.com

ACME

WEEKEND

SAVER

KITS

WHEN PUSH

COMES TO SHOVE

There are numerous

ways to remove a propel-

ler, including harmonic

knockers, screw-type

pullers and more. Some-

times a smoke wrench,

aka a torch, applied to

the hub is needed to

make a stuck prop yield.