Minnkota - maintenance consideration, crap behind the prop

Took the broken prop off my Minnkota last night so can buy replacement today.

I was very surprised to see weed buildup and some thick fishing line wrapped around the shaft.

Very easy to remove the prop - however first time I've done so in the nearly three seasons have used the motor.

Moving forward - I'll be doing every fall . . .

You can usually tell when you have some wrapped like that, as the thrust of the motor usually decreases a good deal. Definitely a good thing to check regularly.

If your taking your boat to be winterized by a shop they should be checking that as well..... Line is not good for the seals it could cut them and cause water to get into the sealed areas.. Bad news!!!

Fishmagnet!!

That's a good thing to check every haul out, on your outboard or stern drive.

I always upgrade my thrust washers to the type with fishing line cutters and have never had a prop shaft seal failure.

Thanks for the heads up Bayliner.
Are these 'line cutting' thrust washers readily available?

Give Martin at Port Whitby Marine Supplies a call. If it's available for your model, he'll get it.

905-668-4077

Or call your local prop shop.

Mine was acting iffy , wasnt getting the power i had . Thought it was a terminal / battery issue . Turns out i had at least 50 feet of braid and some mono wrapped up


On another note shout out to whitby marine supplies. That guy has a answer for almost anything and is more than willing to help

Thanks Bayliner and others.

Now wondering - how to tell if seal is close to failing? With that much 'stuff' in there - the prop was being forced out - or wear or push in on the seal. Will see if increased performance on thrust / battery life. Will try and get boat this weekend.

For those not aware the props are sized to the thrust of the motor... so is not any prop that will fit the threaded shaft.

Stopped in a Sail for the replacement prop - non my type in stock and no idea when coming in. Hopped in car - Gagnon's had two on shelf. Bought one for now - will buy another later for a spare in boat.

Thanks

I always spin the prop to see if it is moving freely. Most times you can tell just by spinning it by hand.. MOST TIMES...!!!

Thanks Bayliner. I'll give Gord a call.
Plus, it would be nice to find a trusting, knowledgeable guy you can rely on for good advice.
A popular guy for sure.

Cheers,

Hey Fossy, his name is Martin, not Gord.

It has either a thrust/shear pin or thrust washer. That crap wont hurt since it takes the load but it can and will chew the seal up.

Look at the seal with a magnifying glass. If you see any marks on the seal or lubricant outside of the seal, replace it.