Prop stuck on shaft

[delmarrey]

Dave Gerr in his Boat Mechanical Systems Handbook spells it cutless

And I spell it which ever way suits me at the time. As long as it's in context, does it really matter?
Check & harbor in the USA, is cheque & harbour in Canada. This is a multinational forum. It's a good thing we can't hear accents.

[SkiprJohn]

Are you assuming someone who wrote the book knows better than folks here on the forum? Blasphemy!!

I remember pulling one prop with a gear puller and a butane torch. I worked on it most of an afternoon. Heating, tightening, tapping and in the middle of the night while I was in my bunk I heard a loud bang that woke me. Yes, it finally gave way. Surprised me. The yard birds told me I should have used a welding torch instead of my butane torch.

[captain58sailin]

A rosebud, on a torch, works good to spread an even heat.

[DivingOtter]

I usually to all my wheel swaps underwater but have removed stubborn ones on the hard. 90% of the time marinas will heat press them on making them damn near impossible to get off. If you have a NiBro wheel DO NOT USE HEAT! It will only braze it on the shaft making it that much more difficult. DON NOT use hammers or anything besides a puller, IF you must use impacting force only hit the puller itself. Ive changed up to a 72 inch wheel and know they can be a nightmare. To SWW who mentioned needing a haulout, thats why marinas hate me, I change wheels and shafts in water for alot less that a haulout..

[DivingOtter]

Cant tell you how many people blow me off because im too expensive, hire a guy they know with a scuba tank then call back asking if i can locate a wheel. The last wheel recovery was about an 8,000 dollar go fast wheel. It took 3 hours to locate because his awesome "guy" didnt replace the new one right and went flying off as soon as it was got hard throttle. Ive never lost a wheel simply because I lash it off to port and starboard. Not that Im complaining, Idiocy paid for a new Kirby Morgan..