World`s First Trimable Shaft Drive.

[tom kane]

Does anybody know of any early patents for a trimable shaft drive earlier than 1973.Not including early packet steamers that dis-connected their propeller for sailing.A half hour opperation.

Good question.

I don't know of any, but that don't mean there weren't any, (coz I don't know jack shyte, and thats on a good day!).

I thought Arnesson (Sp?) was the first to commercialise such and likely had a patent, and believe he may have been messing with it well before the early 70's...but again could be wrong. I can't be sure - but believe he's still around...maybe he will chime in!

NZ makers of the Sea Fury surface piercing drive may know the answer (although theirs in not trimable like the Arnesson) (Sp?), so whether their patent was dependant upon that factor seems ulikely.

Having seen the Sea Fury and Arnesson drive systems on two otherwise basically identical boats in a commercial situation - both have their shortcommings...the Sea Fury perhaps a little moreso than the Arnesson (In My Humble Opinion).

The "weakness" in handling detected with the Sea fury - is in ability to hold a boats head into the wind at low speed (e.g. when working lines of traps upwind,) - and it's possibly more of a rudder issue, really than anything else... (The rudders narrow in width {extending backwards} and works in aerated water...meaning that windage above a certain speed has more push on the boats bow - than the rudders have a hold on the water - and around she goes - unless you constantly work the throttles pretty hard...in which case, you travel the trapline faster than deckhands can grapple haul and stack traps...)

Lets just say - a very frustrating handling characteristic at low speed.

Great drives for getting to work fast - but at the end of a day - making for a longer working day overall because you spend all day going in circles working the traps..(and use more fuel than really necessary).

On a boat that spends MOST of it's time over long distances at high speed - the Sea Furys are pretty darn good...but if you do any sort of low speed maneouvering...then they MAY come up short.

Anyway - thats aside from your question about early patents...just a 1st hand observation on the new Sea Fury surface drives.

Cheers!

[tom kane]

Is this the first trimable drive?Arneson 1979.

[cyclops]

Are you asking about any type of shaft drive in any country? Or only ones with patents? The Chinese and Japanese have had solid shaft drives from deck mounted engines for ever. They run the a** off of any modern drives.

[SamSam]

Originally Posted by tom kane

Does anybody know of any early patents for a trimable shaft drive earlier than 1973.Not including early packet steamers that dis-connected their propeller for sailing.A half hour opperation.

How about this? Sam

[tom kane]

cyclops,I am interested in pics and info on any trimable and or steerable shaft drive from any country.Preferably with authenticated history.The disappearing propeller history I have thanks SamSam.The universal joints of the disappearing propeller run under water I believe.

[cyclops]

The antique Boat Museum has 2 complete dissapearing propellors I believe. I can check tomorrow. Remind me if I forget. May be able to fax or scan to you.

[tom kane]

From the Patent Office London No 1,114,794 1968.Improvements in and relating to motor boats.

[cyclops]

Tom do you remember the post you wrote in about the-------10 meter Thai long tail boats?? Now who had the first surface drives???

[marshmat]

I'm not sure if one would call a Dippy (owner's slang for the DisPro boats) a "trimmable" drive, since it essentially operated in the full-down position unless you hit something. It was definitely an innovative system, though; it's just that I'm assuming by "trimmable" you refer to something that can be fixed and operated at any point in its effective range of travel.

[tom kane]

Originally Posted by cyclops

Tom do you remember the post you wrote in about the-------10 meter Thai long tail boats?? Now who had the first surface drives???

The Thai long tail boat drive passed through the French colonies from an exhibition in Paris circa,1900.French Canadians also have a Beaver Tail drive from the same stable of the paris Exhibition.The propulsion was not then termed a surface drive,but the first attempt at a racing outboard propulsion made available to the public. Surface propellers are credited to Hickman and his sea sled.I have read that surface propellers were tried on a Mississippi paddel boat but I have no positive info other than that.Racing boats early 1950 at speed started running on the prop hubs,creating great interest in surface piercing propellers and that technology.

[tom kane]

Originally Posted by marshmat

I'm not sure if one would call a Dippy (owner's slang for the DisPro boats) a "trimmable" drive, since it essentially operated in the full-down position unless you hit something. It was definitely an innovative system, though; it's just that I'm assuming by "trimmable" you refer to something that can be fixed and operated at any point in its effective range of travel.

A trimable shaft drive would give an option to run the shaft and propeller at a choice of operating depth,and in some cases give 40 degrees of steering too while running connected to a motor.There are many these drives on the market now using mainly surface piercing propellers.The early trimable drives like the Thai propulsion require the motor to be tilted with the shaft.Running a trimable shaft connected to a fixed motor is much more acceptable.

[cyclops]

And a lot less reliable than a" long tail ". Admit it. They can run submerged, semi or surface pierce. And if needed, super cavitating. Just change the prop and go. That is the most efficient and reliable system around. It beats any stern drive to death on reliabilty. Cost comparison is: how much excess money do you like to pay for the same end result.

[tom kane]

World`s First Trimable Shaft Drive,the first practical one.A New Zealand Patent six years before most others.Takes boating to new dimensions go anywhere.

[cyclops]

It makes a Merc I/O look beautiful.