Victoria Shadow Association Members' Forum

Don_Smith

Member

From: Chester

Registered: 2017-06-25

Posts: 60

CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Hello,

I received a photo of my cutlass bearing carrier this afternoon. It's in rag order, suffering from electrolysis and needs replacing. Has anyone else had that problem? I anticipate it will be an obsolete part but are there any suitable parts out there from your experience?

Don Smith
Triptych
V34, Conwy

Jonathan_Hopper

Member

Registered: 2004-03-23

Posts: 160

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Ouch.

Hard to see the damage from the outside in situ!     What year is it?    Do you know what caused it?   Looks like it was along the line of a rope cutter?    Stainless bolts and/or bracket?   What was the other side like?

Don't know where the originals came from, but worth trying https://www.lakesterngear.co.uk/ or Norris.

Is the stern tube ok?   Mine isn't bonded to the anode but wonder if it wouldn't be a bad idea.

Don_Smith

Member

From: Chester

Registered: 2017-06-25

Posts: 60

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Thank you, Jonathan,

The metal is friable and pink, seemingly well de-zinced. Replaceing the cutlass bearing would easy but this bit is past it's best. To complicate matters, I am in hospital at present so it's in the hands of the marina contractors. Yes, there was a rope cutter bolted in with it's own anode. We may have to rethink that one. She's a 1988 build and when drawn in 2017 the sterngear was fine. If they are not, I'm sure I will be hearing from the contractors.

Don

Simon_Dewing

Member

From: Torquay / Texas

Registered: 2022-08-04

Posts: 63

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Technical manuals say "All Victorias built up until 1990 by Victoria Marine were fitted at birth with the same stern gland and cutless bearing design, manufactured by Power Propellers Ltd of Rampart Road Southampton. More recent yachts have been fitted with a Deep Seas Seal stern gland and the original cutless bearing and housing.

I can't find any record of the company so I guess they are long gone.
Company I knew who machined their own to order has just gone into administration but there have to be others out there.
Solid unmachined castings seem to be available in the US so could be bored and threaded to suit, however likely the stern tube has similar corrosion issues so best to replace the entire assembly.

Seems likely that the electrical connection to the anode was absent or had a poor connection, otherwise the anode would have corroded instead of the bearing carrier.

Anode on the spurs rope cutters are if I remember correctly just connected to the floating part and will not protect the bearing housing. In any case the anode is very small and would rapidly disappear if it was connected.

Simon

Charles_Grossie

Committee Member

Registered: 2017-08-10

Posts: 160

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Hi Don,
Out of interest, what's your propeller's condition? Assuming that it is a fixed 3-bladed bronze propeller. Also, where is Trptych normally moored? Swing mooring or in a marina? Just wondering if stray current could be the main cause if moored in a marina.
I hope that you get the matter resolved in a timely manner.

Best regards,
Charlie.

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Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Anitra'

Duncan_Hill

Committee Member

From: Dun Laoghaire, Ireland

Registered: 2017-03-14

Posts: 153

Website

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Blue Opal came from Conwy, and had similar issues. I ended up with open-hull surgery for a complete replacement of the shaft housing, outrigger, and internal gland. In my case, the outrigger had been brazed on to the tube...

A net search for

stern gear site:cricalix.net

will find my blog notes on the topic.

Last edited by Duncan_Hill (2023-05-14 13:12:08)

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Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Blue Opal' (the non-bowsprit edition)

Don_Smith

Member

From: Chester

Registered: 2017-06-25

Posts: 60

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Good morning, Duncan,

I heard from the contractor this morning that they are going to get a replacement cast from the old piece after making good various screw holes and chips, etc. Cost; don't know yet, nor time.

Don

Jonathan_Hopper

Member

Registered: 2004-03-23

Posts: 160

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

That sounds promising.

Presumably this is the half size cutless carrier and not the full length?   I wonder if it is worth asking whoever does it if they can either keep the molds (or is it destructive?), or pod a couple more out to put in stock.   There are plenty of these carriers around and somebody else is bound to have the same issue sooner or later.  What metal will they re-cast with?

Thanks for posting this, and hope you get to go out sailing soon.

Don_Smith

Member

From: Chester

Registered: 2017-06-25

Posts: 60

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Thank you everyone for your input. I still have the original three bladed prop but Triptych now has a SS Darglow prop. She's normally in Conwy Marina (since 2017) but probably suffered elsewhere before that. I've had to leave things in local hands as I've been in hospital over a month, now at a specialist unit at the Royal Free London. Things are improving but I'll not be getting down and dirty with this issue personally for a whole yet. Hence deligation. I'll bug the contractors to see what's happening.
Don

Charles_Grossie

Committee Member

Registered: 2017-08-10

Posts: 160

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Wishing you a speedy recovery Don! Take care.

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Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Anitra'

Don_Smith

Member

From: Chester

Registered: 2017-06-25

Posts: 60

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

The contractors at Conwy found they could get a new unit cast by T. Norris Marine Ltd. Email sales@tnorrismarine.co.uk ; Tel: 020 8560 3453. So it was packed off to them where they filled and faired various screw holes prior to casting and then drilled and threaded the necessary ones after casting. They did a good job and it will see me out. Cost? ~£400 including new cutlass bearing. It will see me out.

Don Smith

Charles_Grossie

Committee Member

Registered: 2017-08-10

Posts: 160

Re: CUTLASS BEARING CARRIER V34

Looks to be a great job Don.
Well done!

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Victoria 34 Cutter - 'Anitra'