20111025- DHW1166-Edit-EditI don't know how many season's the old prop had been on the boat but it was pretty well had it. We dealt with Arthur Smith from the Propeller Shop in Whangarei who organised a new 24 x 16 4 blade through Briski's.

The old all steel rudder was causing electrolysis and eating away the horn timber (see photos). So it came off to be replaced by a new hardwood one (purple heart) with bronze forks. We now get an extra knot at our normal cruising revs and the timber rudder means we've got some steerage both ways in reverse for the first time.

The horn timber repair was quite a job, grateful we've got someone of John's experience. The two cheeks and their rusty galv bolts were removed - prised upwards from their through hull fastenings. The rotten piece from around the top of stern tube removed and replaced. The two replacement cheeks were also made from purple heart. Where they bedded into the hull required a complex custom shaping job. John did this with an adze, pretty to watch, resulting in a beautiful fit. Everything was put back together with 1/2" copper bolts. The steering gear got a birthday, sandblasted, painted, repaired and reassembled. Finally, the bilge then got a couple of coats of primer then a top coat. Looking pretty sharp down there now!

Here's the before and after photos:

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