Cotter Pin for My Prop

[rpmerrill]

OK, just got my prop back from the shop. All clean and pretty, balanced and straight. (As a side note, the guy at the shop said it was a very high quality prop and I should be very happy with it.) Per several recommendations I painted it with Petit Prop Coat Barnacle Barrier. Still looks good, but not quite as pretty. When we took the prop off, the cotter pin was in rough shape and (of course) as dictated by RAGAGEP *, a new pin is in order. The original pin was bronze/brass I think. My mechanic had already pulled it and chucked it before I could get a close look.

Question: Do I need to replace it with a bronze cotter pin or can I use the more easily obtained stainless steel.

I know that stainless is down near the bronzes on the galvanic series and zinc is about as far away as possible. The zinc sacrifices to the bronze and stainless. The cotter pin is actually underneath and surrounded by the big prop zinc. The bronze and stainless shouldn't be influenced by each other in either direction. (Depends which bronze and which stainless we're dealing with.)

Bottom line is, most importantly, that I definitely wouldn't want the cotter pin to "disappear".

What is everyone else doing?
Any other recommendations... maybe torque?
Thanks,
* Recognized And Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices

 

[Red Raven]

My cotter pin just recently supplied by Ranger Tugs is stainless. So was the old one.

Curt

 

[rpmerrill]

Good news.
Come to think of it.... the zincs are bolted on with stainless steel bolts.

 

[SGIDAVE]

Good news.
Come to think of it.... the zincs are bolted on with stainless steel bolts.

Yes, and your nice propeller is mounted on a mostly stainless steel (alloy) shaft...SS cotter pin is fine. Get a few extras for your kit.

What happened to the prop which necessitated it going to the 'shop'?

/dave

 

[rpmerrill]

Well, it was really grungy, had lots of peeling paint, lots of barnacle remnants, the outer edges were worn - indicating some contact. Since I bought the boat last spring and a lot of the history is unknown I thought it would be a good idea to pull it and take it to a prop shop just a couple miles from home. (for $85 tune up) AND to top it off It had over 7000 miles on it - down the Intracoastal and back, twice. I'll stick a before and after in my album.