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Problems With Sailboat Prop Struts

A sailboat's propeller, or prop, helps drive the boat. A prop strut on a sailboat provides auxiliary support to the boat's shaft. The prop strut is usually made of castings or stainless steel and is placed in front of the prop to hold the shaft in place. Prop struts are streamlined to help reduce the prop's drag. Sailors have to be alert for any problems with these sailboat prop struts to keep their craft operational.

Weak Struts
- One common problem with small and medium sailboats is weak struts. This may be because less engineering work has gone into the design of smaller sailboats and not enough attention has been paid to their drive support systems. Strong struts are important since a sailboat's drive support system must be strong. If a boat's struts are not strong enough to support their weight or become loose, they could let in water.
Strut Balance
- Another factor to watch for with prop struts is their balance. For one, look at the ratio of the strut's arm length to its base. Also look at the width of the strut and its thickness at a cross-section. If these ratios are not in balance, the arm may not be able to hold the base steady. The shaft is likely to deflect and cause the sailboat's prop and shaft to shake.
Weak Stringers
- One more factor that could lead to problems with sailboat prop struts is a weak stringer or a flexing hull bottom. This problem could come about if the boat's engine is mounted on a weak stringer. This causes the engine to bounce around, leading to damage along the sailboat's drive system. This problem also trickles down to impact the prop struts. If the sailboat's engine is mounted on a weak stringer, this also frequently leads to transmission failures. While sailors tend to blame the transmission, the problem is actually with the hull.

Nature