If a shaft breaks what usually happens?

Something as simple as installing a hose clamp on the shaft can prevent a shaft from coming out and we have actually saved a customers boat by doing just that. I now use two piece shaft collars on all prop and rudder shafts. as Par has pointed out a lot of water can enter pretty quickly so you had better know exactly the location of the gland and have good access to it without having to be crawling into a spot you can get trapped in, some of these things are difficult to get to. As for bilge pumps keeping up, good luck, the gph rating on a pump is greatly diminished by using the common corrugated hose, elbos, long runs, and a host of other conditions and of course if the batteries are down low they may be drowned before you've even got everyone in their lifejackets and have located the leak. Even with calm heads, unless you have an indication such as feeling the prop hit something you may waste a lot of time checking out a host of other equally large potential holes such as any one of the many thru hulls which can sink you just as fast. Perhaps one of those very high volume shaft mounted pumps would solve most of the problems including preventing the shaft from leaving the boat.

Steve.

 

I got to admit that some people die in circumstances that are hardly dangerous. Last year a group of fishermen left Chicago and their motor wouldn't restart. After drifting for three days the Coast Guard found them almost dead from dehydration. They were floating in a lake that is part of the system holding 20% of the world's fresh water!

 

I can hear them now, "I ain't drinking that . . ."

 

I've been up the coast for a bit,and ran across someone who could have used something like this, 17,000GPH

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/PORTABLE-7HP.../311002699998?pt=BI_Pumps&hash=item48693498de

I have one about 24k GPH mounted in the engine room along with the usual factory pumps,and start it up every couple months.
The places I hang out-the water comes off the glaciers,you don't last long in the water, and is little help for hours-if at all.

Also have Spot
http://international.findmespot.com/

 

'holes' can happen quickly and I have had a few 'experiences'. The USCG has guide/chart. I will see if I can find one and load it.

 

Tag 4 Reference, & later self-education.