There’s nothing quite like enjoying a day on the water. Whether you want high powered engines that allow for tubing and water skiing, or just want the power to go through the waves to find a good fishing spot, there are many different types of boat propellers out there and the specific maintenance, servicing, and repairs required for each. What does this mean? This means that servicing a boat propeller can be a bit of challenge depending on what type of boat or engine needs work. Before jumping into the work, make sure to consider the following points.
Understanding The Type Of Service Needed
One of the first things to try to figure out is exactly what type of service is needed. Is this a basic bit of seasonal maintenance that shouldn’t be any issue at all to get taken care of? Is it due to some recent damage or more serious maintenance issue that may require replacement parts? Is the propeller relatively new, or is it an old model that might be past due for some serious work and renovation?
These questions can tell you a lot about what type of work will be needed while servicing a boat propeller and also how long that work will take. If the problem is something that’s really basic or seasonal, or even just getting the engine propeller up to full par as opposed to where it is now them might be a simple job it takes a few hours and some really basic work. These also tend to be the least expensive types of repair work to get done.
On the other hand, if some serious work is necessary on the propeller to get your engine back in tip top shape, then you will most likely be looking at a longer job that will also cost a lot more to get done properly. Every single individual situation is going to be different which means there is no easy way to create a one size fits all type of estimate.
Understanding The Boat Propellers Being Serviced
There are many different types of boat engines out there, and the materials and designs used on their propellers can be very different from one model to another. While the basic concept is the same, since all of them will revolve around the same relatively efficient design, this can still lead to wildly different expectations when it comes to time and cost for servicing.
Generally speaking the more expensive and powerful the engine, the longer repair times will be in the more likely the bill is to become expensive. Specialized propellers from high-end engines, after all, require the properly experienced specialists to get fixed properly. Servicing a boat propeller is never an easy task, and you are definitely going to be happier with the results if you go in with realistic expectations of what to expect.
Looking For Common Propeller Issues
While you never know what might be wrong, there are some issues that tend to be more common than others and can often account for the majority of potential problems that usually pop up when it comes to keeping your propellers functioning.
The first is to look for beat up blades. You should know with the general shape of your propeller blades look like or at least what they are supposed to look like. The obvious spent, folded, shared, or otherwise damage metal or plastic then you know that a replacement propeller is going to be in order. This usually comes from hitting rocks, stumps, or other hard surfaces the results in the propeller blades themselves being damaged.
Another thing to look for are tiny cracks in the blades. These often start out is very small issues, but when left untreated small cracks often become larger ones that can cause severe damage or even shatter the individual blade of a boat propeller. This is one of the most important signs that many specialist look at when servicing a boat propeller so as not only to repair the damage that the boat currently has but also what is more likely to become an issue in the future.
There is also the simple effect of time and the type of water. Propellers it’s been a long time in saltwater, water of heavy chemicals in it, with certain types of algae, or other conditions are simply going to get worn over time. Rust can be a major issue for aged propellers, especially for those individuals who haven’t bothered with the yearly maintenance but just wait for something to go wrong before calling in the repair specialists. In these cases a full replacement is often the only solution to get you back on the water.
Tying It All Together
You don’t want to spend more time in the repair shop than you have to, but if you want to enjoy your time out on the open water or hunting down a new favorite fishing hole on the local river, you need to make sure that taking care of your boat propellers is a frequent concern that you address whenever possible.
Maintenance is always preferable to repair, and the more you do with the previous the less you’ll have to do with the latter. This not only saves you money, but keeps your motor and your propellers in better shape and will allow you more time on the water.