J/30 Class Association Forums J/30 Forum The Boat, Sails and Equipment Folding Prop Alignment Question:

For racing, does anyone have a cool trick for aligning the shaft so that the propeller blade does not drag in the water, with out taking the stairs out every time? Anyone tried installing an access hatch to help for alignment purposes. Trying to sail smarter and not harder.

Wildcat is 1986 vintage (new style)cocpit and cabin. The starboard sided quarter berth (we have no port quarterberth) is separated from the engine compartment by a wooden panel that runs the length of the quarter berth. All screws are removed from the panel. It sits in a small ledge and is held in place at the back by a small lip and is wedged in place in the front. In 25 years of sailing it has never come out on its own
The panel pops out for easy access to the prop shaft. It easily slides back in place when done.
I'm told some have put an access hole in that panel

On Rhapsody the two bolts on the shaft coupling are 180 degrees apart. If they are horizontal the shaft is positioned so the blades are side by side. I can unlatch the engine cover/steps and rotate it forward with one hand, while rotating the shaft with the other hand.

The steps do not need to be removed if you rotate them aft from the top about 12 " while they rest on the bottom lip. It is enough room to get your arm in to position the shaft. I do this by resting on my right side reaching in from the port side so the left arm rotates the steps and right arm turns the shaft.

i put the biggest inspection port in on the wood panel (12" i think) then just rotate the shaft to align. coupling bolts face east-west or side to side.

I put an inpection port on the side of the engine cover. I aligned the prop and put a stripe of white paint on the shaft coupling. The paint makes it easy to see day or night for whoever has to set the alignment.

Thanks to all for the feedback. Sounds like I will install an inspection port to make things a bit easier. I had a feeling that would be the answer.

Before you start cutting and installing an inspection port, think about this option. On "Mmmmm" I centered the prop while the boat was out of the water. I then took a piece of white electrical tape and wrapped about the shaft. On the top of the shaft tape, I marked an arrow with a felt-tipped pen. When we center the prop before a race, we simply slide the steps forward a bit, turn the prop shaft by hand until the arrow is on top of the shaft, and yell up to the skipper "LOCK." We engage the throttle in the forward position and we're good to go. A simple solution that never fails and it's cheap...unless you're paying a lot for about three inches of white electrical tape!

Bob Rude
Mmmmm
#352

The solution Mmmmm uses is the same as Rhapsody, except we don't have the expense of the electrical tape!

Last year (my first w/ 255 Radiant) we left the starboard panel off, but that was kind of loud. This year so far, I painted the shaft coupler white and added two red nail polish marks 180° apart for the closed prop. Since it is dark down there, I velcroed one of those push to turn on battery operated LEDs on the overhead. My next step is to cut a 10x12" hole in the panel and hinge and latch a piece of existing finished plywood which is heaper than an access port. Foam inslolation tape should add to the sound deadening.