Corpusfishing.com

t · Pony Mullet Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 70

Prop shaft seal failure while fishing. Noticed it sounded different on way back to ramp. Drained lower unit to find it was filled with water. It is a Merc Fleetmaster lower. I know about Waypoint and Chris

t · Pony Mullet Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 70

Got cut off. Other than Chris and Waypoint , any other recommendations? Thanks and have a blessed day.

fishinglady · Posted: Sun Jan 02, 2022 7:04 pm Post subject: boat mechanic

There is an excellent outboard engine boat mechanic who lives on the Island and will come to you to work on your boat. Kyle Walker-- 682-404-9015

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Sounds like you lost your main seal, after you drain the oil and water don't leave the lower unit dry. Refill the unit with some type of oil or things that are good will rust up and won't be good anymore. Things like needle bearings.

Almost any Mercury dealer can replace a seal and or rebuild a lower unit.

ST

Rebecca of Sunnybrookfarm · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 01 May 2008 Posts: 3973

t · Pony Mullet Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 70

Thanks for the info so far. The propshaft seal(s) failed on the outer sealing surface with the carrier. I know because I refilled with oil after I drained the water. Thanks for the tip though Captain ST. As for the cause, no, the shaft/splines are not bent. Time is the cause. And not enough PM. The outboard is almost 9 years old. I have changed the gear oil and water pumps as recommended. I also changed the upper driveshaft seal. But, I neglected to change the output seals. I always figured it would give me an indication by leaking a little oil when it started going it. I figured wrong.

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

Yes sir, the propshaft seals will fail in time. Nothing will last forever. Good luck with the repairs. Shouldn't be real bad unless you going to get the whole lower unit rebuilt. (I would)
How's fishing?

ST

t · Pony Mullet Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 70

Fishing has been excellent...with the exception of the lower unit issue. But, when you have had a boat in saltwater as long as I have, you come to expect these things. Fished 3 times over the last couple weeks. Good weather and safe trips with 3 different groups of friends. One one trip we found more than our share of upper slot to oversized reds on the SS of Baffin. Not one keeper trout though. In fact, not many trout at all. On the next trip, we started on the KRS just before daybreak. Water was too clear for our liking, so we went to Alazon. Fished all morning for a really big fish. No luck other than some big reds. Found a few fish on the SS of Baffin and up against Padre Island on the way back in. Mixed bag of trout and reds. Overall, it was grind. Last trip started on the North Shore of Baffin. Stars lined up with light wind and low tides. Found a lot of solid trout over deep (relative for wade fisherman) rocks. Then fished a couple spots on the SS. One spot was not working. Second spot produces some more solid reds. That was honestly the best trip I have had since February. All fish were caught on plastics or suspending baits while wading. Kept enough to eat. Let the rest grow.

How about you?

speckled.trout · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 30 Aug 2012 Posts: 1190

I don't fish as much as I did. Sold my boat, too much work for a old man by himself. Once we started getting cold fronts I started fishing a couple of cold water spots that I could drive to. Old school stuff.
Boy, anymore there are more and more boats on the Laguna. Lots of pressure.
I stay away from the water on weekends.
But to answer your question, I haven't been in a few weeks. So fishing for me has been slow. LOL!!

ST