Reshafting Missouri - Updated 5&8 July

So, picking up where my U-joints were when last I posted (see previous blog post, Building a U-Joint)...
I determined that the motors which have driven Missouri since she was built were too damaged by the cat urine to still be usable. Fortunately, I have enough motors for about six ships, so I set aside the old pair, and wired together a new pair, and proceeded to attempt to mount them in the boat. That is when I discovered that my existing Prop Shafts wouldn't work well with the U-joint without extensive modification (I knew it would take some, but not this level). So, I changed course, and replaced them with new shafts. Installing them, however broke the bushings on the port side prop shaft tube. I wound up having to remove the C-Turret mounting to access the tube to repair the mounting. Once I was able to connect up the U-joints and props and motors, I discovered that the mounting removal had seriously compromised the stability of the inner-end of the prop shaft tube (under power, it makes one hell of a racket). So, I had to extensively modify the internal mountings of the prop shafts. Now, at last, with the adhesives curing, I think I have securely mounted the shaft tubes so that they will no longer vibrate significantly under power. It doesn't LOOK like so much work has been done, but the only more extensive refit to the shafts would have also involved removing the external skegs and totally replacing the prop shaft tube assemblies. My next tasks are to complete the motor mounting changes, make more permanent hull patches (or replace whole window panels in at least two instances), and reassemble the electrical and CO2 systems.

UPDATE 5 July:

It appears that the Starboard Propshaft is done. Due to a poor design choice 12 years ago, I'm going to have to completely cut out the shaft, and skeg and replace the whole assembly. This is a very lengthy process, and will likely see Missouri not see the water again unti 2011. I'm going to try a few more tricks to see if I can get something working, but the real answer involves a wholesale replacement of the whole Starboard Propshaft assembly, and skeg - and requires the wholesale removal of C-turret. If I'm going that far, I'm going to wind up redesigning the prop and motor system to a more efficent, and easier to maintain system, but that will leave Missouri deadlined until I can complete it.

UPDATE 8 July:

I may have fixed it - it appeared to be working properly as the batteries wore out (I hadn't charged them from when the motors were essentially seized, forcing a great amount of current drain). As I was going to plug in the charger, I realized that half of the batteries had lost one or more connectors during all the moving around (not mounted in the hull during the refit, just lose next to the boat) - so I figured best to let all the batteries return to full charge, THEN do a full proper test. Update to follow tomorrow evening.