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Fearful of Spinning Your Prop? You Can Now Get Back to Port Safely with Hank Parker's Prop-Aid.
| Date: |
6/11/08 |
| Tackle type: |
Watercraft |
| Manufacturer: |
Prop-Aid |
| Reviewer: |
Cal |
Introduction: Preventative maintenance and safety planning can be areas of great neglect for even the most dedicated tackle enthusiast. Anything that takes away from our tackle funds is difficult to prioritize especially when it is seen as not immediately necessary. For those who own boats, this can be an even more difficult dilemma as it seems boats are an endless drain on ones' finances and patience. Of course, most also know, neglect something on your boat, and it will come back to bite you sooner than you might expect.
Hank Parker's Prop-Aid is machined from bar stock aluminum.
Enter Hank Parker's Prop-Aid, a safety device built to help you get back to dock should you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of having spun prop hub. What is a spun prop hub you ask? It's a situation usually resulting from your prop hitting an object while under operation and having the protective rubber sleeve break loose from the inner splined bushing resulting in little to no transfer of power from your motor's driveshaft to the propeller. Prop-Aid was developed to address this situation by providing a temporary link between the driveshaft and propeller so you can get back to port albeit, at a slow speed.
Prop-Aid is built to temporarily restore the connection between your motor's drive shaft and the propeller that's broken down when the shock absorbing rubber sleeve (B) is destroyed on impact by your prop with an underwater obstruction.
About Hank Parker's Prop-Aid: Prop-Aid is a machined aluminum device installed in place of your propeller's retainer washer. Installation is quick and easy and only takes a few minutes with sizes available to fit most outboard and inboard/outboard motors. Cost of this device is only forty dollars ($40).
The device (P) fits into the exhaust port of your prop and over the splines of the driveshaft.
Installation: When you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, try working yourself to an area where you can work on your motor, bring your boat to a stop, and turn off the motor. You'll need to gain access to your prop one way or another either by raising the motor up, or getting in the water or both. This is the trickiest part, but once you can get to your prop, carefully remove the cotter pin, prop nut, and retainer washer, but keep your propeller in place.
Installation (clockwise from upper left) is a simple process. Just remember, you need to carry all the necessary tools along with the Prop-Aid device in order to complete on the water installation.
Fit the Prop-Aid device over the driveshaft, through the back of the propeller (basically into the exhaust ports) making sure that it fits snuggly over the drive shaft splines. Replace the the prop nut and cotter pin, but do not replace the retainer washer and that's it. If applicable, lower the motor back into the water and start your engine proceeding to port at not more than 2500 rpm.
Hank Parker with the device bearing his namesake.
Conclusion: A pretty simple, seemingly invaluable piece of safety equipment provided you remember to bring with you, all the tools necessary to remove your prop and install this device. Yet a few more items to add to the list! Can you put off purchasing something like this for your boat if you're careful with the way you drive? Certainly, but remember, Murphy likes to strike when you least suspect it. The costs are minimal, installation might not be as easy as depicted, but what's worse? Getting wet to restore power to your big motor, or finding yourself stuck in a remote location out on the water with no way to power yourself to a safe location?
To find out more
about this device,
including how or where
to purchase one to fit
your motor, visit the
company's
website.
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