Lost my SS prop in the worst way

[AirForce]

Down in Louisiana, 1st day of fishing of 5 days. (3rd trip). Only caught 3 trout by noon, it was slow. Decided to try one more spot near the main channel and got about 2 miles from it when suddenly the motor raced and I lost propulsion. I figured opps, lost a prop. TM into a head wind ain't fun. 2 hrs later I finally get towed in after getting NOBODY on the radio. Get boat on the trailer and discovered, no only is the prop gone, but the prop shaft appears to have twisted right off. No damage on the front of the lower unit other than a very tiny chip but no markings on the paint from anything else to indicate I hit anything. Didn't even feel I hit anything, just pop, no go no more. I might be coming home sooner than I thought, and the room is prepaid with no refund - that sucks. But did meet some great people and made a friend who follows me on the Louisiana Sportsman forum. (not many from TN on it) LOL.

 

[THOMMO59]

Wow, that sucks! Any vibrations before it snapped off or previous history of big hits? It takes a lot to snap off a propshaft. What model and type of motor etc?

 

[AirForce]

2013 Mercury 60hp 4 stroke.

Nope, was running 25mph at 4000 rpm when it suddenly just let go. Didn't feel anything but the lose of momentum and high engine rev. I thought at first I picked up trash until I put it in reverse and nothing. Only when I got it on the trailer did I notice the prop shaft was gone. There's one really tiny nick or a small hole about the size of a safety pin head that I thought looked like a chipped paint until I felt it, but the tiny hole is almost perfect. Had a Johnson that had that same kind of hole. When I get home I'll check my other motor (except its a big foot model on my pontoon) to see if that same hole is there. Going by a mercury place in the morning to see what they think. But I would have expected a big dent or something major to cause a prop shaft to break.

 

[Okuma]

That sounds like a factory defect to me, hopefully they see it the same way and you can get it fixed on their dime.

 

[AirForce]

Sure hope so, I'd like to be able to salvage some of my fishing trip as the hotel room is prepaid with no refund until Monday. Buddy says Evolution Marine in Houma area great people to deal with - hope so cause I sure don't have any confidence where I bought the motors from in Hendersonville TN (2 motors through BPS in Nashville)

 

[THOMMO59]

The tiny hole that you're referring too is the speedo hole so thats' normal. To me from the pics, that is a faulty prop shaft as the break appears to show some metalurgic anomolies in the centre of the shaft and if it was cause by hitting something, the prop hub would firstly fail, followed by more than likely a gear or clutch dog. The fact it has also broken in past the bearing and seal makes me also tend towards a faulty prop shaft.

This to me IMHO, is definitely warranty.

Good luck, please let us know how it goes.

 

[Barry Dufour]

Sorry to hear about your prop problem. Hopefully it's a warranty problem. Maybe you can find a guide around there. I wish I cold have met you but I have a very busy week. Maybe next year if you decide to come back.
Barry

 

[Dan J.]

Like Thommo, I'm leaning towards a faulty prop shaft. I've seen similar results in the past. Good luck!

 

[AirForce]

Those people at Evolution Marine are the greatest. I was at their door at 7:30 am. My buddy Brian told me to get with Derek as he's always got great service with them. 7:50 am Derek is the one opening up and I explained what happened. He mentioned the slightly bent skeg, said yep, when I first bought the boat, I backed in the yard and didn't see my small tree and I had the motor fully tilted up, skeg bumped it. But he took care of me, saying he had seen several and could tell this was a faulty prop shaft but did caution me that Mercury could always reject the warranty claim but he had seen a lot of broke shafts in abuse cases and it was to him, not the same and he told Mercury that. He had first told me it would be ready Monday but I explained my situation and non-refundable hotel prepaid room and wanting to salvage my fishing trip rather than sit in a hotel room during that time. So he gets on a computer and says we have to replace the lower unit since the shaft broke inside it, it let water get in the gearcase. Said there was one in Atlanta if I wanted to pay between 60-120 for overnight - said no problem.

Then he said, let me check with our place in Morgan City, yep they got one that was damaged in shipping. Guy messages him a pic of it, bad scuff but said they would warranty it for the 5 yr coverage I have now. I said no problem, he says do you mind going to Morgan City and picking it up and bring it back, it would get me out the door this afternoon, I said HECK YEAH. Had that lower unit to them by 11am. They had it painted AND with a brand new 11 pitch SS Performance Prop. Said try that out, and if its not close enough to 6000 rpm we'd go with 13 (which would actually lower rpm's). I never could get more than 5300 out of either prop anyways and this new prop has a LOT of cup to the blades so that outta get me good hole shot I bet . Pics of my new lower unit and prop

Fishing Trip is SAVED woooohooo

 

[mobilehomer]

Now, go catch some fish!!!

 

[THOMMO59]

Awsome result, nice to hear a good news story once in a while .

 

[Scott Hammer TOXIC]

Gents, that right there is what a GOOD Dealer can do for you!!.