The Captain Reported A Severe Vibration!

[jackieschmidt]

This can certainly ruin your day.

I took a good look at the prop on the Starbard side and it appears to be heading in the same direction.

Chinese propellers.

 

[ChrisNZ]

Man, that hull is fouled

 

[ogre1911]

Well, I scoured the interweb looking for Jack Lemmon exclaiming "THERE WAS A VIBRATION!...." from The China Syndrome but couldn't find any clips (or is it mags?) less than 3 minutes.

Those of you familiar with the movie can play it in your heads as this captain.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Jackie I know you’ll fix both side’s while it’s up, but curious what it does cost them to dry dock one of those vessels?

 

[Bob3700]

What is the lead time on USA replacement props? Cost per prop?

 

[steve210]

At least he noticed something wrong, the condition i've seen vehicles come in just for a service, and the wheels almost fall off when you lift it up and they claim never heard or felt a thing. makes you wonder how they find their way home at the end of the day!

 

[Evan]

Captain, there’s a bit of an imbalance in that propeller, missing one of the four blades and all! Are propellers usually sent with material certs, @jackieschmidt

 

[jds holler]

Obviously crystalized! jd

 

[JumboSammich]

Good Chineseium!

 

[jackieschmidt]

What is the lead time on USA replacement props? Cost per prop?

I’m not even sure if any of them are cast in the US anymore.

These Chinese Props started showing up about 15 years ago, this is not the first one I have seen with no damage other than a flute that fell off.

The majority of work boat Propellers are cast in 17-4 Stainless or Nickel/Aluminum Bronze.

But you never know. Work Boat props, shafts, and rudders lead a rough life.

 

[Dos XX]

Three blade gives you more top end!

 

[Evan]

I’m not even sure if any of them are cast in the US anymore.

These Chinese Props started showing up about 15 years ago, this is not the first one I have seen with no damage other than a flute that fell off.

The majority of work boat Propellers are cast in 17-4 Stainless or Nickel/Aluminum Bronze.

But you never know. Work Boat props, shafts, and rudders lead a rough life.

Do they provide material certs with them usually? I am assuming the Chinese ones do not.

 

[jackieschmidt]

Do they provide material certs with them usually? I am assuming the Chinese ones do not.

With full American Bureau of Shipping class vessels, you have to provide material certifications on everything.

Most Inland Pushboats are not full ABS class, but do come under “Sub Chapter M” of the Coast Guard Regulations concerning these types of vessels. But that has more to do with construction and repair procedures than actual materials.

For instance, if a small fracture is found in the hull, you cannot simply just weld it up. That requires you to cut out a substantial amount of plate on either side of the fracture and weld in an insert.

When we do a repair on a shaft, the first thing we have to do is a thorough inspection to insure that the parent material is free of fractures and viable for repair.

We keep a Sub Chapter M file on every vessel we work on, complete with everything we do.

 

[JB10]

At least he noticed something wrong, the condition i've seen vehicles come in just for a service, and the wheels almost fall off when you lift it up and they claim never heard or felt a thing. makes you wonder how they find their way home at the end of the day!

I cant count how many vehicles have came into my shop that we tell customers there are issues and we get blamed for causing the issues since they never noticed it.

 

[Tod Hendricks]

Don’t even need the dye check on the 2nd blade.

I’ve never seen a rudder configuration like that, must be an inland thing?

 

[DShortt]

I cant count how many vehicles have came into my shop that we tell customers there are issues and we get blamed for causing the issues since they never noticed it.

Reminds me of a daughter of mine.....

Lucky for her, she has a Dad who does regular oil changes and insists on driving it at highway speeds when I'm done. Found some bad things that way.
Funny story. Her car had a front end squeak in a hard turn. I was in A-Fib and it was late July. Couldn't get under it. Took it to one local shop. $800 and 3 days later, they claim it's fixed. Didn't make it 5 blocks, still squeaking. Took it back, a week later they still say they can't find it.
Took it to a second shop. Another $800 and they say it's fixed. Still squeaking.
By this time, I've had a heart procedure and I can look at it. Straight grease zerk on a ball joint blocked by the CV shift. Removed the straight zerk fitting, installed a 90° zerk. 22 pumps of grease later, the rubber boot finally swells a bit. Hadn't squeaked since, and I grease all fittings at every oil change now since they can't handle that at oil changes, apparently.
$1600 over idiots and a dry ball joint.

Yeah, I fix my own cars now.

Sorry for the thread drift.

 

[JB10]

Reminds me of a daughter of mine.....

Lucky for her, she has a Dad who does regular oil changes and insists on driving it at highway speeds when I'm done. Found some bad things that way.
Funny story. Her car had a front end squeak in a hard turn. I was in A-Fib and it was late July. Couldn't get under it. Took it to one local shop. $800 and 3 days later, they claim it's fixed. Didn't make it 5 blocks, still squeaking. Took it back, a week later they still say they can't find it.
Took it to a second shop. Another $800 and they say it's fixed. Still squeaking.
By this time, I've had a heart procedure and I can look at it. Straight grease zerk on a ball joint blocked by the CV shift. Removed the straight zerk fitting, installed a 90° zerk. 22 pumps of grease later, the rubber boot finally swells a bit. Hadn't squeaked since, and I grease all fittings at every oil change.
$1600 over idiots and a dry ball joint.

Yeah, I fix my own cars now.

Sorry for the thread drift.

Oh trust me ive worked with many techs over the years i swear can not fix a sandwich. To me my workmanship is my legacy. Its all ive got. So it bothers me too having to work with some guys out there.

 

[ALK]

Jackie-- Thanks for the pictures and a little of the back story. Not always right to bring work home with you but you sharing some of your experiences with us is greatly appreciated.

 

[ronsatspokane]

I'm guessing you don't just lift that off with one hand. What diameter is that prop?

 

[gdbleb]

Hey what else are they going to do with old tuna fish cans?
Reshoring the supply chain will take decades.