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Engine Pod question

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 6:14 am
by cbavier
Just have a Brain storm question. Would there be any harm in making a new rear platform. Rear deck extension and covering over the Engine pod as long as I didn't obstruct the cables or wires? Of course I would leave it open enough to access the motor mounting bolts if it was ever necessary to remove the motor. It was suggested to me last year by a fellow pontooner . Right now to reach the gas tanks and anything else on the rear there is only about four inches of the deck extending behind the rear fence. So in order to retrieve the gas tanks for filling one foot goes on the deck and the other has to go on the Engine pod.

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2011 10:49 am
by GregF
My pod has wide enough edges to walk on and I do it all the time. No sweat as far as I see. If you bolt your pod deck on, it would be trivial to remove if you are taking the engine off.

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 10:20 am
by GXPWeasel
I don't see a problem with it. I think most boat manufactureres set the motor pod, or 3rd log so far back to get away from water turbulance and to help in aiding the toon to plane out. I say go for it, just make sure you have enough support on the outer corners of the extension. The support around the pod would be easy.

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 11:05 am
by JonCBrand
Here is a pic of the back end of my toon, where I build a sundeck covering the motor, the fuel tank is on the port side under the sun deck. Batteries are starbord.

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Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:17 pm
by GregF
It sure looks safer for swimmers without that pesky propeller.
What kind of speed are you getting that way? ;)

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 12:55 pm
by JonCBrand
That's a sore subject. I hit a concrete wing wall the river inlet to Lake Koshkonong here in Wisconsin. The water depth was 6 foot and there were no markings or bouys for the wall. Destroyed my SS prop and bent the prop shaft.

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Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Wed Mar 23, 2011 8:07 pm
by cbavier
The stainless steel prop may be able to be repaired. The skeg can be repaired with a bolt on skeg. They come in chrome and aluminum both. You say you bent the prop shaft. I don't follow you for sure. Are you talking about the spline shaft the prop slides onto and nut holds prop to with a cotter key? How can you tell it's bent?

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 6:09 am
by JonCBrand
When I hit this wing wall the whole back end of the boat jumped up 4-6" It was the last run of the season and I was just on my way into the lake so I said screw it and ran the boat for easily 6hrs with the prop damaged. Im sure that could have contributed to the bent prop shaft.

I have already repaired the lower unit ended up finding a matching motor with a junk powerhead.

The prop shaft (the shaft that the propeller splines onto and held onto with a nut) was bent for sure. I could spin it and see at least 1/8" out of round. The local prop guy in my area said it wasnt worth repairing the prop and he recomended changing pitch anyway.

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 9:49 am
by GregF
I have a friend who did the same thing hitting a coral head in Marathon Fla. He ended up limping all the way home to Pine Island (145 miles or so) with a bent prop shaft and a banged up prop. It was a $1500 learning experience for him.
He had the prop shaft on his desk at work until he retired.

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 10:16 am
by cbavier
JonCBrand wrote:When I hit this wing wall the whole back end of the boat jumped up 4-6" It was the last run of the season and I was just on my way into the lake so I said screw it and ran the boat for easily 6hrs with the prop damaged. Im sure that could have contributed to the bent prop shaft.

I have already repaired the lower unit ended up finding a matching motor with a junk powerhead.

The prop shaft (the shaft that the propeller splines onto and held onto with a nut) was bent for sure. I could spin it and see at least 1/8" out of round. The local prop guy in my area said it wasnt worth repairing the prop and he recomended changing pitch anyway.

You must have really wacked the wall hard to do that much damage. I guess that's why SS props aren't my favorite. Aluminum $125 and your on your way with a brand new one or about $75 to repair and they don't need very much left of a prop to still be able to repair one. Oh $125 for my Four Winns . I don't know about a prop for my 50 HP Johnson. How much they run. My pontoon came with a brand new spare and I haven't had to use it yet. I hope I never do have to use it .

Re: Engine Pod question

Posted: Thu Mar 24, 2011 11:46 am
by jimrs
"You must have really wacked the wall hard to do that much damage. I guess that's why SS props aren't my favorite. Aluminum $125 and your on your way with a brand new one or about $75 to repair and they don't need very much left of a prop to still be able to repair one. Oh $125 for my Four Winns . I don't know about a prop for my 50 HP Johnson. How much they run. My pontoon came with a brand new spare and I haven't had to use it yet. I hope I never do have to use it ."

If he had hit that wall that hard with an aluminum prop he would not have enough prop to get it back to the ramp to load it. The prop did not do the damage the wall did the damage. SS props have a rubber mounting inside. you hit anything that hard you will break it. I hit a submerged tree once and sheered the whole lower unit off the boat.