Ok today was the day. Another bloody French national holiday and yet more rain but at least the flood waters have receded back to the river. Picking up Mum tomorrow so with the gearbox leak apparently repaired, it should be a straightforward case of pushing the shaft through and tighten a few nuts and bolts.
The shaft is slipped through the cutlass bearing.... bang, it smacks against the side of the stern tube. Surely it should go straight through the middle?
Off to seek guidance. Woe is me is the desperate news. May need to heat up the P bracket which has clearly been bent in the fouling incident. "You really are not having much luck with that Andy" laments Big chief Si. "I am off to Sens for a day in a minute but will drop over on my way out, this would probably have been an insurance claim had you realised the extent of the damage caused by the fouling incident, We may have to remove the bracket to heat it or we may be able to insert shims, go and see if you can get access to the bolts"
I drag myself back to Doucette to give the crew the desperate news when I hear those dulcet tones. "Andy, come and give me a hand" Simon is putting the old shaft through the cutlass bearing. "ok, if you are happy to try this, its not exactly good engineering practise but we may be able to twist the bracket back using the old shaft" "lets give it a go big boy", I retorted.
With him heaving on one end and me pushing on the other and me pondering Mike of Lancing`s words "to a thou" we centralised the shaft into the stern tube and Simon departed scarily telling me to check for any hull damage around the bracket and fill with silicon if necessary. I used a tube full even if there was no sign of any damage!
The shaft was pushed through and clamp fitted with grub screw aligned. Engine alignment check without the flexi coupling showed a tad of misalignment but that would need to be checked after a few days in the water. I had to remove the stuffing box studs to allow for the fitting of the coupling and happily despite the mis alignment, the coupling bolts lined up ok. Being a tad pessimistic I naturally assumed a distorted coupling was the reason.
I had to cut down the studs and remove a bolt and nut from the shaft clamp and with much patience and force I got the studs back in and the job was finally done. All the FT torque was applied and I had a cup of tea.
the half hour job had taken 5 hours. I just had to drill the shaft for the prop split pin. Easy!
Big Si is back thankfully and has a tungsten bit in 4mm. Plenty of oil and slow speeds he says. 2 hours and a can of oil later I am just a mm short of getting through but hit a wall. Just cannot break through. Simon says it has probably hardened with the tapping of the thread as it is this that is stubbornly refusing me.
He has a dewalt drill and will sort it Friday.
Early night with a 6am start for Le Havre to collect Mum with mind full of frustrating thoughts re the boat still in the yard, ladder only access and a half flooded shower and toilet. Happy Holidays Mother!
Ange calls at 11 to say they are just leaving. I cannot bring myself to describe the issues mum is heading for, that can wait til we see them tomorrow.
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