Autoprop 101

With the current state of the $/lb working on your autoprop has become a lot more desirable. Last year I shipped the prop back to Bruntons (England) to have the outer races re machined. They had become dimpled over time and the prop was not working reliably (slight understatement). When the prop returned I installed a new set of bearings and races and went sailing or motoring as it were.

This year I disassembled the prop and sandblasted the old finish off to start paint anew. I have pretty good luck with an etchant primer, coat of epoxy, and two coats of Trinidad with the first coat applied before the epoxy is completely cured. I and the US importer have become convinced that Bruntons set these props up with too much play in the blades and it is this play that allows the blades to rock back and forth leading to dimpling of the races. The hub/ blade races can only be machined once so I am trying to get as much life out of this as possible, have to take out a mortgage on the boat to replace it.