Messages

Pbyrne, that is the standard prop.  Don't try that diameter and pitch with the Campbell Sailor or you will overload the engine.  The shape of the CS blade makes a considerable difference and the 14x8 is the recommended size for Mk II with M35.

Pbyrne, one or two things to remember, if you are installing the prop. You will need to lap the prop taper to the shaft. Use fine valve grinding compound. Get a tube of Engineers Blue apply a very small amount to the shaft to check that the tapers are mating properly. When the tapers are close the prop will stick hard to the shaft and you might need a puller to separate them.  Do not let a boat yard beat your props off with a hammer. This can damage the transmission bearings, never mind other parts.  This is a common practice. My shaft is stainless, which replaced the standard bronze one, which the PO damaged when one wing of his folder stuck! The shaft was butchered to fit the Martec prop. This caused me to have to redrill the shaft to allow the cotter pin to be installed. Be prepared when you remove your prop in case similar issues have occurred.

Noah, I don't disagree with you. The points are purely related to the prop the PO of my boat installed. The Martec I had was about the most basic of its kind.

To be quite honest, I barely motor so my comparison is a bit meaningless.  I will say the Martec was lousy going astern and the CS is a considerable improvement on that.  Theoretically you will lose some speed under sail as the prop just isn't as hydraulically efficient as a folded one, however I consider the improvement in idle setting, the less hammering on the shaft and skeg shift from forward to astern and the improvement getting out of the slip is worth the slight loss in sailing performance.

I have the Campbell Sailer RH14x8 fitted to mine, as recommended by West by North.  Beats the nasty Martec folder hands down.  Mainly as I can raise the idle to a sensible point and stop the vibration at low idle. Talk to West by North before ordering, get the straight scoop from them.  I think mine is slightly over propped as it won't get to 3000rpm.  However, that said, I think my diesel is 10 years old and that is probably contributing more to the lower performance of the engine than the prop. 

I bought one from Walmart, a couple of years ago.  It fits above the stove/ice box on my MkII.  Its about the same height as yours but not as wide, so that needs to be accounted for.  I walked around the microwave section and found the smallest one I could, opened it up and measured it and got lucky.

Do what I do to winterize.  Pull off the intake from the engine cooling through hull and stuff it a bucket of RV anti freeze.  Keep a couple of extra gallons ready with the tops off and chuck them in, if needed to run a bit longer.  I wouldn't run without water or anti freeze running through the raw water side.

A simple question.  How have people cleaned the inside of the stern of the Mk II hull?  Through the aft port and starboard lockers, or by removing the aft water tank and "crawling in", I have zero chance of going through the lockers.

Second point regarding water in bilge.  When there is a heavy storm here I get water in my normally bone dry bilge.  Finally, I think I have found the answer.  The fridge compressor on my Mk II is located in the starboard aft locker, I believe by the factory. In an attempt to duct cool air to the fan they have added a "y" fitting, right above the compressor in the bilge fan exhaust duct (plastic dryer hose).  This Y fitting is open, an I believe in a heavy blow over the stern water gets into the rear of the boat and runs to the bilge.  If you have a similar issue open the starboard aft locker stand on your head and look upwards and you will see the duct, which terminates in the hooded vent on the transom.  See if there are water tracks evident.  This will cause water to puddle in the indentation towards the stern.

If you pull the woodwork from in front of the engine (step mountings etc), it is a lot easier to access the head side on the Mk II boats.  It is still a PITA but a reduction in pain.  It pays to get a mirror in there to look at the hose and oil pressure switch set up to see where the oil is coming from. 

Hi Patches
I have rigged mine with the ATN tacker and that works well.  However, I really want to rig another system from the stem fitting, where the forestay attaches using a downhaul, but I haven't figured out a good way yet.  The Mk II is a bit tight from a clearance perspective, as seen from the photo.  One thing I wouldn't do, on a permanent basis, is attach a block to the bail on the anchor guide.  There has been a lot of discussion about that, but my feeling is that system is meant to be under a compressive load, as with an anchor, not under tension as the spinnaker will apply, especially when it's in a blow.

Did the same job in 2020 on my MK II, I used the 1.5" dia.  Good tight fit over the stern tube, don't go big. As waughoo said, PYI are very helpful with phone advice.

I would replace the Windex (mechanical wind direction indicating arrow).  Because the red tail indicators fall off eventually and the thing looks like crap, and I am not going up the mast just for that.

Andre, I believe Noah is correct, the new units come with the vent hose.  I only replaced the bellows, clamps and locking screws using the service kit.  I "burp" mine on the rare occasions it is has been out of the water and returned, by separating the ceramic from the stainless collar by hand. 

Andre, I have the PSS shaft seal in my MkII and it has performed well.  I replaced it at more than double the life recommended by the manufacturer, which I'm not proud of.  My boat is in fresh water and after about 18 years the spring was weakened and water would bypass the ceramic seal when the boat was backing down with the transmission in reverse.  I replaced the bellows with the service kit, lapped the stainless steel collar and back it all went.  If you do the work yourself pay close attention to the locking grub screws.  Attached is a picture of mine showing the clearance with a standard coupling, if you have any other layout check the dimensions, (I do know the Buck Algonquin, split coupling will not fit on my boat).

Graham, welcome aboard.  You will find a wealth of knowledge in this owner group.  It has helped me countless times.  Mine is No. 1622, built in 2002, a few years difference, but in the MkII not much seems to have changed