[Alberg30] RE: Prop Shaft Lock

[William J. Burke]

The critical consideration in whether you can safely let the shaft freewheel
is actually the design of your gearbox.  If it is splash-lubricated, as are
most small marine gears, then you will not damage the gear by letting the
prop freewheel.  It's more a question if whether the noise and vibration
(shouldn't be too much of this) are an annoyance.  However, in the case of a
larger marine gear that is lubricated by a pump, you want to lock the shaft
as this pump will not be operating when the engine is not running.

If you do put your engine in reverse to stop the freewheeling, be sure to
head up and take most of your way off before engaging the gear.  Dropping it
into reverse while the shaft is spinning rapidly ahead will do more damage
than years of freewheeling!

Bill Burke
Wild Elf #297

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