Well, I've owned my first boat for 3 days and already screwed up!

 

Motor is a Merc XR6 150. 

 

I was in shallow water today... being careful. I was going really slow. 

 

Not careful enough apparently. 

 

I hit a submerged log.  

 

Oops. 

 

The motor kicks I'm to gear and the prop seems to barely spin. 

 

If it's anything like a trolling motor, I suspect it has some sort of shear pin. 

 

Is that correct?

 

I haven't had time to take the prop off and inspect it yet. Just looking for any input that may save me time. 

From a little research.. it looks like it isn't that simple. Am I looking at needing to replace the prop?  . Just replacing the hub?

Sounds like you might have spun a hub. If you can put it in gear and still move at idle, but can't put any throttle into it without it going nowhere, that's probably what happened. That would be a good thing, relatively speaking. Pretty common. If that doesn't match up with what's happening, then it might be something worse.

2 minutes ago, Team9nine said:

Sounds like you might have spun a hub. If you can put it in gear and still move at idle, but can't put any throttle into it without it going nowhere, that's probably what happened. That would be a good thing, relatively speaking. Pretty common. If that doesn't match up with what's happening, then it might be something worse.

Thanks for the input. 

 

I just ran out and checked... in neutral I can spin the prop freely with my hand. In gear, I can still spin it, but it's a little harder. Not a lot harder, but a little. 

 

Sounds like it may be what you're describing. I'll pull it tonight and check with the local marine shop in the morning. 

Take the prop off and inspect it. With the prop off try turning the prop shaft out of gear, should turn easily, then in gear shouldn't turn at all. If the prop shaft turns in gear you broke something in the drive shaft or hub gears. Repacking a spun hub requires taking the prop to a prop shop.

Tom

3 minutes ago, WRB said:

Take the prop off and inspect it. With the prop off try turning the prop shaft out of gear, should turn easily, then in gear shouldn't turn at all. If the prop shaft turns in gear you broke something in the drive shaft or hub gears. Repacking a spun hub requires taking the prop to a prop shop.

Tom

Thanks!  Will try in a couple hours. 

Update...

 Got the prop off. Shaft spins when in neutral, but not when I'm gear. That's a positive. 

 

Hub definitely appears to be stripped. 

 

Unfortunately, the prop is also a little bent.

 

How serious does that look?  Am I looking at a new prop?  Is a competent marine shop able to shape it up?

 

Easy fix for a good prop shop. Roadwarrior, Kent, may be able to recommend a good TN prop shop.

Tom

18 minutes ago, WRB said:

Easy fix for a good prop shop. Roadwarrior, Kent, may be able to recommend a good TN prop shop.

Tom

Thanks. Performance Propeller is only about 20 min from me and seems to have positive reviews. Will touch base with them in the morning. 

Sounds a lot like a Spun hub. A good prop guy will clean that ding up And balance it. There’s a good chance your prop shaft on the lower unit might be bent as well. Might have got lucky though. A bent shaft, down the road, will cause you a lot of issues.

If that's only a prop issue its an easy fix for a prop guy.  Typically the rework that area and then balance the prop.  If he is a good prop guy the prop will usually come back better then new.

Thanks for the input, everyone.  I love this place!

This is where I had mine done:

http://www.marksprops.com/

 

You have an awesome prop shop down near Chicamagua Lake. look near the town of Dalton/Soddy Daisy. The address is 11238 Dayton pike  It is off HWY 27  Dan is the man and the shop is called Dan's Prop Shop.  423-332-9002

He shares a parking lot with a very nice tackle shop too.

 

 

As others have said Mark is an awesome prop man and it will come back better than new, but Dan does nice work and is close to you.  Another benefit is while you are around Dan's you can check out some spots on Chicamagua Lake fo r future info.

16 hours ago, TNReb said:

Update...

 Got the prop off. Shaft spins when in neutral, but not when I'm gear. That's a positive. 

 

Hub definitely appears to be stripped. 

 

Unfortunately, the prop is also a little bent.

 

How serious does that look?  Am I looking at a new prop?  Is a competent marine shop able to shape it up?

 

^^^^^that picture looks worse than "going really slow, and hit a log"!!!!!

7 hours ago, iabass8 said:

Sounds a lot like a Spun hub. A good prop guy will clean that ding up And balance it. There’s a good chance your prop shaft on the lower unit might be bent as well. Might have got lucky though. A bent shaft, down the road, will cause you a lot of issues.

Great point .... happened to me.

Make certain that the prop shaft is still straight and true.

1 hour ago, PolarKraft195Pro said:

^^^^^that picture looks worse than "going really slow, and hit a log"!!!!!

I didn't know the prop was bent when I posted that. We never saw the log, even after I hit it. I'm convinced it was a rock now. We weren't going fast though, no lying about that part.  It was a little bitty area, it wouldn't even be possible to be going fast in there.