Double Taper Shaft

I had a jet boat suddenly cut directly in front of my bow when I was going about 35 MPH in our first boat a 78 Nautique. I had no room to go left or right due to other traffic so I slammed the boat into reverse as hard as I could, a shear panic move, I think going to neutral would have had as much stopping power. This blew the reverse right out of the tranny but guess what.
The prop was still tight, did not shear a key.
We were headed back to the boat launch on the river that day, running with a couple other boats going the same direction.   We came around a corner of the narrow river and found two boats heading directly at us, now 5 boats in the same place.   A jet boat was passing me at the exact same time we came around the corner facing the oncoming traffic.
The jet turned a 90 degree turn directly off my bow to avoid a head on collision and cutting in front of me.   I had no time to do anything other than try and slow enough not to run the jet over.   Prior to my Nautique I had driven most in a Jet boat and you could use reverse as a brake so I am sure this experience made me hit reverse as I did. This was 25 years ago and looking back I think all 5 drivers were partially at fault with the Jet being most guilty. Passing into a blind turn at high speed. We were at 35 he must have been at 45+. I missed the jet by no more than 1-2 feet, it would have been a T bone hit. Forward gear still functioned so I drove it back to the dock, talked with the other drivers we were all a little shook up. We got off easy it could have been a real mess.

Hollywood wrote: I don't doubt going forward you'll have no issues. What about reverse? Isn't that what the key and nut are really for? PSA: be easy on your reverse people!

If the prop is lapped properly, it will not come off even without the prop nut!

8122pbrainard wrote: Think about why a puller is needed to get a prop off!!

Here in St. Louis, we are learning more than we ever wanted to know about the subject:



BTW, when we get MacSkier back in the water. (It's been a GREAT summer!) -- we'll get the NEW TOY in the water.

(Thanks, Duane -- for all the phone time.)



MacSkier

Success!





It took about two hours of fussing with 4 bolts as pictured above (in previous post) - - - and 3 different length spacers between transmission and prop shaft.

Duane,
I tried to respond -- then lost post with 2 photos and two links.
Maybe I'll try again, but not this evening.
-=Grant=-