Shear Pins! What The Heck Is A Shear Pin?

SHIP'S LOG:

Today was the day of the "shear pin." Shear pins are these little brass(?) rods, perhaps an inch in length which fit through the drive shaft of the outboard motor and fit into a slot in the back of the prop. They transmit the "drive" from the shaft to the prop. They are made to brake or shear when the prop hits something or becomes entangled or whatever so that the prop will spin freely and not damage the shaft and/or the transmission of the engine. It is a very simple and sensible arrangement.

I was planning to go marketing today in South Beach(Miami Beach) and take a tour of the place, so I loaded the motor on the dinghy, attached the fuel line and the fuel tank, put in my shopping bags and took off. I went perhaps a quarter of a mile when the shear pin broke. I didn't think I hit anything, at least nothing I could see in the water or feel, but it sheared nonetheless. So it was a 1/4 mile row back to the boat. I hauled the engine up onto the boat, undid the nub, removed the prop and out fell the shear pin in three parts. (Perhaps I hit a manatee!) As luck would have it, there was a spare shear pin in a little rubber grommet inside the engine cover and it took just minutes to change it out. I lowered the engine back onto the dinghy and headed off to Miami(South) Beach.

If Miami is a 10 foot town, Miami Beach (South) is a 5 foot town. I couldn't help but notice that all the "beautiful people" looked wrong. They all were too perfect. Teeth too white, tans to even, make- up abit over done - everyone looked plastic. And the town was pretty much a reflection of the people. A little too perfect, a little too too, if you know what I mean. It was a nice bus ride, a mere 25 cents, and I got to see it all. It isn't a place that I would go back to though, except perhaps to find the proper "dives" that I am sure exist there somewhere. But I haven't the time or the inclination or the energy to seek them out. No loss, the world is full of "dives!"

Hit the Publix and loaded up the dinghy and motored back to ABISHAG. I of loaded the food stuffs with the engine in neutral and the throttle at idle. After the unloading, I shifted into reverse and the shear pin went. I could see if perhaps the engine was reving or I shifted hard from forward into reverse, but no! it was just at idle and the then reverse and pop, another shear pin. I was not happy!

After I had stored everything and secured the dinghy and the engine and was enjoying pre-pranduals, I guy came by who had been a live aboard at Fort Rachel in Mystic. we shot the breeze for awhile and I mentioned the shear pin problem. He said he was going to River Marine the next day and would pick me up a bunch. It would sure save me a lot of walking.

The weather today was the same boring weather. The swimming was the same as was the tanning. Well, such is life.