[C320-list] Strut is wiggling

[Jeffrey Brown via C320-list]

Has anyone had the strut that holds the shaft come lose and start wiggling a little bit and if so, what does the repair job look like. Thanks

We have hull 74 I believe. It’s a 1994 model.

Jeff Brown
949-350-5123

[Dave Hupe via C320-list]

Jeff-
I had slight movement and detected some wetness seeping from cracks  after haulout. I dug out the cracks around the strut with my dremel (you probably see a rectangular crack  pattern), filled with thickened epoxy, then glassed over a couple coats and faired it. Your strut bolts are likely glassed over like mine inside your hull (a bulged area) so you can't  check bolt tightness without digging into the sealed area. My repair has held. 
Dave Hupe 
1994 C320 #32

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

On Sun, Jul 20, 2025 at 10:37 AM, Jeffrey Brown via C320-list<c320...@lists.catalina320.com> wrote: Has anyone had the strut that holds the shaft come lose and start wiggling a little bit and if so, what does the repair job look like. Thanks

[Bob Borelli via C320-list]

Based on assistance from Dave Hupe, after my no. 209 hauled last November, I had cracking in the fiberglass emenating from the struts.
Also the rectangular pattern in the glass around the strut.
Follow Daves fix, I purchased a Dremel, couple of sanders, Dremeled opened the cracks. Blow, vacuum, acetone wipe area clean.
Practiced with West System epoxy on plywood with Dremeled lines to simulate the cracks, laying on my back working the epoxy overhead on the plywood.
Filled the enlarged cracks with West System Six10 thickened epoxy and while in 'green' stage
covered the area on both sides of the skeg with 10oz. epoxy & several coats of 105/205 epoxy with 404 & 422 additives.
UW hull painted over the area.

Inside my 4 skeg bolts are accessable & I ensured they where tight.
I have the Catalina sketch that shows overlaying the bolts with fiberglass mat. I won't.
The skeg has no movement.

So what caused this cracking? Unbalanced prop, out of align shaft, out of tolerance coupling, motor mounts?
I plan to disconnect shaft coupling & replace motor mounts once again based on Dave Hupe's procedure & pics.
Set new mounts to existing heights, align shaft coupling.

Find out when I haul in November. Bob Borelli 1995 no.209
________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Dave Hupe via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Sunday, July 20, 2025 10:46 AM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com <C320...@Catalina320.com>
Cc: Dave Hupe <hoop...@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Strut is wiggling

[Dennis Cookson via C320-list]

Jeffrey, if your prop strut is an original bronze model I recommend you examine it closely before you do this repair job. I was tackling a cutlass bearing replacement over the winter months and discovered that my strut was suffering from dezincification. The metal becomes brittle and turns a bright pink colour. Even a small chip can indicate that the strut is weakening and the best advice is to replace it. My new one is made of stainless steel.

Dennis Cookson
‘Catalina’ 0577, 1999

[Andrew Burkland via C320-list]

Hello all,

I am going to be attempting to repair my "wiggling" strut as previously described on this list. Regarding using a Dremel tool during this repair, can anyone recommend which tool bit for the Dremel is best for this propose?

Andrew Burkland
1994 Hull 34

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Bob Borelli via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, July 21, 2025 12:04 PM
To: C320...@Catalina320.com <C320...@Catalina320.com>
Cc: Bob Borelli <cassa...@hotmail.com>

[Dave Hupe via C320-list]

Andrew .... No specific bit. Just be pretty aggressive to create grooves big enough to fill back in (after cleaning very well) with thickened epoxy and reestablish strength along with several cover layers of fiberglass.

Dave Hupe
1994 C320 #32 

[Bob Borelli via C320-list]

This time last year I discovered several cracks in the underwater hull emenating from my strut.
Strut was no loose, no wiggle..
With Dave Hupes encouragement, he had a similar issue, I vee'd out the cracks, cleaned, vacuumed, cleaned & fill with thickened West System Epoxy, covered with fiberglass cloth, sanded & painted.
My boat just lifted today, on my way to look, boat yard sent pics, no cracks around strut, my effort paid off?

To vee out I purchased from Amazon Prime:
Dremel 4300-5/40 rotary tool kit LED 1/8" shank.
And FOTYBEI 10 pc tungsten carbide cutters for Dremel 1/8" shank use on fiberglass.
I used the vee shape bit to open the cracks. I can take a pic & send.

Plus lots of other stuff, mix sticks, cups, protective clothing, 6 mil gloves, etc.
I can send you my Excel file of what I purchased if you request.
Also I practiced on dremeled grooves in plywood upside down in garage during winter months.

________________________________
From: C320-list <c320-lis...@lists.catalina320.com> on behalf of Dave Hupe via C320-list <c320...@lists.catalina320.com>

Sent: Monday, November 3, 2025 8:51 PM
To: c320...@catalina320.com <c320...@catalina320.com>