C&C 27 Association Forum

Hi Graham,

I worked with Jerry Gravesen at Airmarine Inc./Propulsion Engineering in Chicago - http://www.therightprop.com/.  I took him the strut, the shaft, the coupling, and the prop.  He researched it all and could not matchup the stut.  I found a casting shop (below) that could cast a new strut from the old one.  Jerry had the strut cast and then machined it to match the original and fitted the cutless bearing.  He made a new shaft (the old one was bent and scored) and sold me a used Martec folder really cheap which I had Martec rebuild.  Martec did a great job, it is like new when they get done and that is a great way to get into a "new" prop cheap.  As I recall the whole adventure was about $1,000 but when I was done everything was new from the back of the engine (coupling, shaft, strut, cutless, prop) and I have not had any issues since; smooth as can be.  I installed everything and aligned as best I could with feeler gauges and very limited access.

The casting was great, the quality of the work Jerry and his crew did was also great.

Hope that helps, good luck!

Bob Wooden
Rhapsody, C&C 27 Mk 3
Waiting for spring in Racine Wisconsin

Mystic River Foundery - http://www.mysticriverfoundry.com/marine2-05.html

I had riggin only (<a href="http://www.riggingonly.com">www.riggingonly.com</a>) build a new backstay and forestay this winter.  These were swage fittings and new turnbuckles; I think ths cost was about $225.  They worked from my measurements and were very helpful.  I also had them do a set of shrouds for a boat a few years ago.

Look to make sure that the support strut casting and the bolts that hold it (4 - 1/4 bolts with the nuts accessible from the port locker) are all solid with no movement between the strut and the hull.  The flange on my strut was broken and I had to weld the strut...  First warning was the cracked faring compound around the strut&hellip; 
If it is solid, then I think you might have a balance problem or a bent shaft.  There should not be much 9if any) movement between the strut and the hull.  After I welded the cracked strut it broke next season in the body of the strut, probably due to vibration.  I now have a new shaft, coupling, strut, cutlass bearing, and a factory rebuilt Martec prop...  Smooth as silk now and no more cracking.  I used standard fairing compound and then VC17 with the rest of the hull&hellip;

Bob Wooden - Rhapsody Mk 3 #466

Hello,
My older North 150 measures as follows:
luff - 34.5, leach - 33, foot - 19
I bought a sail for a Catalina 27 tall rig that measures: luff - 35.2, leach - 34.4, foot - 19.1 it just barely measures as a 155%.  I have been happy with the fit of the sail.
Hope that helps,
Bob Wooden
Rhapsody C&C 27 Mk 3

do you have the original traveller car by any chance?
Thanks,
Bob

On my Mark 3 with the direct drive atomic 4, I went from an 12 dia 5 pitch folding Michigan "blue dot" to an 11 dia 5 pitch Martec folding.  This is the older style Martec with "blunt ends"; the newer eleptic does not have the same area near the outer ends so a direct comparison is hard.  I am very happy with the smaller prop, the engine does not lug and I get 5.5+ Kt cruising with 7 kt possible if pushed.
See the "black arts" section for some more info on props as this is a common question.
Bob Wooden

erdana">Time for an update...</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">I started this thread, looking for a prop strut to replace the broken one.  Here is the run-down on what all has been done (I am ready to launch next week).</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">- New Prop strut was cast by Mystic River Foundry in CT, using the old one as a pattern.  Seems like a quality casting, but I should have done my own pattern work.</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">- Machining of strut and new shaft (old one was bent when checked) by Air Marine in Chicago.  Also fitted new coupling to shaft.n: yes">  </SPAN>Great work.</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">- 11X5 Martec prop fitted.  This was a used prop that I had rebuilt by Martec; it looks like new at 1/4 the cost of new.n: yes">  </SPAN>This is the older “flat tipped” Martec with more blade area near the tip than the newer elliptic.</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">- New shaft log hose, packing etc.</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">Basically everything is new from the back of the old A4.n: yes">  </SPAN>I’ll close this thread (since I started it) and report on how this prop works compared to the previous 12X5 Michigan "blue dot" folder".</SPAN>
erdana"></SPAN>erdana">Bob Wooden | </SPAN>erdana">Rhapsody – C&C 27 Mk 3</SPAN>

Hello,
I have a Mk III with the direct drive Atomic 4.  I had the original (as best I can tell) prop, a folding michigan blue dot 12X5.  The builders file shows that there was a 12X5 folding prop instead of the standard when built.  I always thought that this prop was a bit large, as the A4 seemed to "lug", unable to come up to decent RPMs (no tachometer, but I've spent a lot of time around old gas engines).  I have a factory rebuilt Martec 11X5 ready to go on, we'll see how it goes.
Just one opinion.
Bob Wooden - Rhapsody in Wisconsin

[As I noted in "List of Props", I've added a table of boats, engines and props to Black Arts. I'd appreciate it if all of you could follow up after you've got a bit of running time in and let us all know how the new props work out. - Admin]