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I don't usually take my prop off unless I have reason but I have dicovered why regularly removing the prop is needed.
Yesterday I took my prop off and discovered a large bunch of fishing line had been wound around the shaft out of sight and only visable when you remove the prop.
I have seen this about every couple of years where I get someone else's fishing line around my prop and don't even know it's there. It gets down onto the shaft and out-of-sight.
So add this to your maintenance schedule it could save you some $$ in the future.
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[#ff0000][size 3]LUNDMAN:[/size][/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000][size 3]I HAVE SPENT THE LAST 5 YEARS AT FISHLAKE WORKING AT ONE OF THE MARINAS.. THAT IS THE MAIN REASON WE WOULD NOT LET PEOPLE FISH IN THE MARINAS. THE LINE GETS CAUGHT IN BEHIND THE PROP ON THE SHAFT AND WILL ACTUALLY RUIN THE SEAL. CAUSING WATER TO GET IN OR LOWER END OIL TO LEAK.. IT IS GOOD IDEA TO CHECK THAT WHEN CHANGING THE LOWER END FLUID IN YOUR MOTOR. [/size][/#ff0000]
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[#ff0000][size 3]H.F.H.[/size][/#ff0000]
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Hey Lundman,
Thanks for the post. I have seen this before, But never thought much of it until now. Never know when it could be just lying the water and get wrapped around there and not even know it. I will check mine this week.
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Great idea Craig, thanks for making this post. Not only will it keep from damaging the seal behind the prop but also keep the prop from seizing on the shaft.
The last two boats I have bought, had props that were hard to remove, one was seized, because they had rarely if ever been removed. Pulling them off once a year to check for line and adding some anti-seize compound is something I have added to my maintenance routine. The anti-seize lube might not be needed with newer boats that have had their props removed on a regular basis but older boats with their older motors could really benefit from this procedure.
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Heh Lund- Good post and advice here. I have three different props which I change fairly regularly depending on where I'm fishing, I like to run the engine within the RPM range stated by Merc. Anyway, every 4th or 5th time I change there is some line around there. I don't know where I pick it up, but it can damage the seal and cause a lot of grief. I picked up a tube of the Merc lube recommended for the prop shaft and make sure that stays well maintained. This is a good thing to do a couple times a year even if you aren't changing props. It's a whole lot easier to do a few preventative type things while the boat is sitting in the garage than to have trouble on the water.
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