I have a Hunter 34 and I recently found that the cutlass bearing had somehow come loose, slid forward, and come completely out of the strut. I had a diver check it out and he was able to slide it back in part of the way, but he couldn't see if there were set screws. Can I simply dive back under and put the bearing back into the strut and hopefully replace or secure the set screws instead of having to haulout the boat?
Sue & Larry respond:
By all means, dive down and take a look yourself. Take a small scraper and some bronze wool or a scotch brite pad with you to clean any growth off of the outside of the strut.
According to the Customer Service department at Hunter Marine, your strut should have two allen-head set screws holding the cutlass bearing in place. Their recollection is that the set screws are on the starboard side of the bearing and approximately three inches apart. Your diver probably couldn’t find them because the allen heads were flush with the strut. Remember to back out the set screws before you try to reinsert the bearing.
For any future boat-specific questions you may have, you might want to contact Hunter Marine Customer Service directly yourself. Their knowledgeable staff is set up to answer questions like yours either on the phone or online. They can be reached at 800-771-5556 or via e-mail at customerservice@huntermarine.com.
Best of luck with your dive.
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