Drivetrain Basics from: Maxum Owners Group

Marine drivetrains are defined as all components from the Engine to the bitter end of the Propeller Shaft. I have also included include ancillary items such as the, Rudders, Engine Motor Mounts and the support beds to which the Engines Motor Mounts are attached.

As an owner, you need to know how these systems are designed to work properly together. A failure due to improper design, or installation, or component selection can cause thousands of dollars in damage, uncomfortable and unsafe operation. Vibration from misalignment or harmonics can cause broken engine beds, cracked transmission housings, broken engine mounts and cause your boat to take in water through the propeller shafts penetration into the hull. Let's start with the boats rudders, which many boaters would consider out of the drivetrain.

Rudders:
The Rudders on twin engine boats, should be towed in, just like the front wheels of your car and for similar reasons. Rudders on twin screw boats should be towed in so that the rear of the rudder blade is about 1" further apart than the front. This will put the needed pressure on the rudder blades to prevent them from vibrating sympathetically and shaking your steering tie bar and in turn your whole boat. Some builders will toe their Rudder out, which has the same effect. How far away should your rudder be from your propeller? For a standard rudder 3 to 4 inches is a good distance, and for a high efficiency rudder, (smaller rudder blade) 2 to 3 inches. The closer the rudder is to the propeller the more intense the pressure placed on it. The further away the rudder from the propeller the less effective it will be. As your boat is hauled next time take your own measurement, and when down there look for any "burning" on the propeller blades and/or on the rudder. Burning would be an indication that the propeller is too close to the rudder. Rudders need to either be electrically tied into the boats bonding systems or have independent zincs attached to each of them.

Engine Beds:
These are the stringers coming off the bottom of your boats hull to which your Transmission and Engine are attached to via your Motor Mounts. Many boaters have the misconception that the engine beds simply support the weight of the Engine and Transmission and distribute it across the hulls surface. While they do perform this function, they also must take the propellers thrust, which is pushing to the stern and give it a place to push against. That's right, that huge force you are pushing astern has an equal force pressing against the engine beds, via the Motor Mounts. Just for those who need a bit more, there is also a torsional force applied here due to the direction rotation of the engine. In an airplane it would be defined as the "P factor".
Engine beds need to be strong, without cracks or rot. If they are not, no alignment or gimmickry will compensate. The will need to be reworked, period.

Motor Mounts:
They can be hard, normal, soft, made by the engine manufacturer or a specialty house. Hard mounts hold the alignment better but transfers more vibration to the hull, soft mounts transfer less vibration into the boat but allows excessive movement of the engine and transmission. Which in turn can cause tremendous alignment problems, excessive wear and vibrations. A compromise therefore is typically employed here in the proper selection of the boats motor/transmission mounts.

Transmissions:
Here's where the conventional drivetrain begins. The physical, "spinning" drive attachment between the transmission and the engine is typically done with a non rigid drive contact which differs quite a bit from an automobile transmission which would typically provide a spline.

Another major difference is that a Marine Transmission has a thrust bearing built into it to take the thrust developed at the propeller and transmit that force up the shaft to the thrust bearing and then into the transmissions housing. Automobile transmissions have no thrust bearing, so they cannot be used in standard marine applications. Transmission cases are typically cast. Here's a hint, if you have a transmission that is forever dripping oil and you can't find it, the transmission case many be porous and the oil many be weeping through the case. I've had two of these porous transmissions and the manufacturer replaced them both at no cost to us. Directional transmissions are made so that they can only be used as either a port or a starboard transmission. When directional transmissions are used, the engines driving them both rotate in the same direction. Directional transmissions are specifically made for either port or starboard use, and are generally rated for shorter durations of use in reverse, and are also a bit noisy in the reverse mode. Directional transmissions usually have an extra gear installed inside the port transmission to cause the transmissions output shaft to counter rotate. When filling a counter rotating transmission with oil, I have always had to fill them to the low limit on the dipstick. Filling them to the high limit would allow the extra gear to spray the gear oil up and out of the vent plug, causing the transmission to look as though there was a leak when there was not. Universal Unidirectional Transmissions are now being manufactured so that they can be used as either a port, or a starboard configuration. But since the gears inside these unidirectional transmissions are "cut" and mated to each other for the unidirectional transmission of power, they tend to be noisier. This is very similar to the noise you hear in a manual transmission automobile when going in reverse at a fast speed, the transmissions gears will "whine". Not all transmissions use the same lubricant, check your manufacturers recommendations on type of lubricant and how long it should be between replacements. Some transmissions have an actual filter, some a wire screen, some a magnetic drain plug and some nothing at all. Check with your manufacturer. Transmissions have input and output shaft seals, leaks at these seals are common. Their common cause are excessive vibration in the drive train, age, and to a lesser extent interior bearing failure. Depending on your make and model of transmission, up to about 450 hp engines, it is not uncommon to find that a buying a new transmission is 20% more money than the cost of having your transmission rebuilt. And, if you do buy the new transmission, you can usually get one hundred or so dollars for the old failed transmission in trade.

Transmission Coupling to Shaft Coupling and Alignment:
Here is where the alignment of the shaft coupling to the Transmission coupling takes place. After checking the cutless bearings, shaft log and packing seal are properly positioned; And here is the thing people forget about with regard to alignments is that you first have to have the motor setting correctly in front of the shaft. THIS IS CRITICAL! The shaft must be separated from the gear and dropped out of the pilot flange or all you get is lies. If that looks good dropping straight down a slight amount and looking good side to side, and then pulls up correctly into the gear, then you're "Jake." This is a lot more critical on multiple strut application and much more speculative on single strut boats, but must not be overlooked or you have all the classic problems that XXXXX's lamebrain engineers have created. After you have done this you can check coupling alignment. ABYC standard P-6.5.5.3 refers to the alignment tolerance between the parallel flange of the coupling with the connection the bolts loose. That tolerance is defined as 4 thousandths of an inch. The alignment is specified by the ABYC to be done with "the boat floating". This allows the boat to obtain its normal flex so that an accurate alignment can be done. The measurement should be made by feeler gauge with the bolts loose, four times, 90 degrees out each time. Coupling ends are sized, "machined" to a maximum clearance of 1 thousandths of an inch. This is why you usually buy a spare shaft with the coupling already mated to it, and you ALWAYS send a shaft to be straightened WITH the coupling.

Vibration Dampeners, and Alignment Systems:
(Drivesavers, Aquadrive):
Drivesaver can be contacted at: http://www.globerubberworks.com/marine/marine_frames.html
Aquadrive can be contacted at: http://www.aquadrive.net
A "Drivesaver" is used to absorb shock such as a Propeller strike and prevent it from reaching into the and destroying the Engine or Transmission. It also takes away a bit of vibration noise. Drivesavers usually add about one inch to the length of the drivetrain and electrically isolate the Transmission from the shaft, unless you add a bonding wire across the Drivesaver. If you have a Transmission which operates with a high pressure pump and a "clutch pack" this clutch will also absorb some shock from strikes.
Aquadrive also makes an isolation and alignment system which provides a thrust bearing and twin constant velocity joints. The Aquadrive system allows for extreme misalignment of the Transmission and propeller shaft, it also allows the engine to sit level in the boat. ABYC P-6.5.5.2 states that if a non conductive coupling is used, an alternative method of grounding the shaft must be employed.
Drive Savers according to Charlie; These things are a double-edged sword that we are just beginning to see the problems. Here's the deal. The flax type shaft packing counts as shaft support. When you have the dripless type you loose shaft support. When you add a drive saver you loose some more support. If you are prone to getting a whip from a long unsupported shaft of marginal diameter, this is a pretty good recipe to make it worse. I got turned off on these things by Jim Cornell of Cornell Balancing in Ft. Meyer. This guy is definitely the king of the drivetrain. I have traveled with him to solve some real tough problems.

Propeller Shaft Diameter:
A propeller shaft must be properly sized and supported, it is the conductor that pushes your boat. Too small of a diameter will cause shaft whip, vibrate and possibly shear, while an excessive diameter is waste of money and weight. The simplest rule is that the shaft should be at least 1/14 the propeller diameter. If more detailed calculations are required, an excellent book on the subject is, The Propeller Handbook, by Dave Gerr. Or propeller shaft sizing graphs can be found in ABYC section P-6. Dimensional Standards and Tolerances for Propeller Shaft ends, Propeller Hubs, Keyways and Shaft Couplings are in accordance to SAE, (Society of Automobile Engineers) Standard J755, and J756.
A note on propeller shaft straightness tolerances is in order here. From ABYC P-6 table III, for shafts over 15/16" to 8" in diameter, and with a length of over 4' to less than 8' you are allowed three thousandths of an inch tolerance. Table II calls out that for shafts supported at 42" where the shaft diameter is over 15/16' and under 1 15/16" the permissible variation is .006". Shafts 1 15/16 to 2 1/2" the variation is .007" these should be good numbers for most inboard boats out there today.

Packing Glands, Stuffing Boxes, and Dripless Shaft Seals:
Here's where we keep the water out of the boat.

Packing Glands keep the water out with concentric wraps of packing material around the shaft, compacted and spread with the packing nut. Sizing of the packing material, the simplest way to size the material is to match or slightly exceed the wall thickness of the Gland Wall's plunger. The plunger is typically 70 thousandths larger than the shaft to allow the material to be compressed into this space causing the shaft to seal. Material selection can be done via the chart below. It is important to remember that the Packing Nut must thread onto the Gland at least 4 full threads to reliably hold. Many packing nut styles and smaller propeller shafts 1" to 1 1/8" will only have room for 2 wraps of packing material, when 2 wraps are used place their cut ends placed 180 degrees apart. For shafts 1 1/4" and larger, I usually cut the packing material so that I have three single wraps that are the diameter of the Propeller Shaft. I cut the ends of the material on 30 degrees angles so they can splice into each other as they are pushed back. As I'm ready to push the three wraps material packing material back into the Packing Gland, I makes sure that the cuts are offset 120 degrees from each other and then push them back with the packing nut hand tight. Hand tight and a bit is about what you are looking for, too tight and you will burn out the packing material and you could score the shaft. If you try three wraps and cannot get four full turns on the Packing nut, you have to try again using only two wraps. The packing material could be as high tech as a FEP Flurocarbon-impregnated asbestos braid, non asbestos composite fiber with PTFE or as simple as a wax-impregnated flax. The packing material is pre packaged in lenghts of about two feet and sold in different diameters.

After usually guessing at your packing material diameter, and buying a size on each side of your guess, you back off your jam nut and release your packing gland nut, if your still floating, and I strongly suggest that you do this on shore, the water will now come in, quickly. You have to pick out any old packing before you install your wraps of packing around the shaft and seat it back with the packing nut, and then lock down the packing gland nut with the jam nut. Here views vary as to how much should it drip, and when? I set my shaft seal so that it does not drip when the shaft is not moving, I allow about 1-3 or so drops a minute while the shaft is turning. This has always worked fine for me, the dripping lubricates and to a degree cools the packing material, other individuals have different theories. So be it. If you insist on doing this in the water, please don't, but if you must, don't do it alone, and have a backup plan if everything fails and you start to take on water. Remember you were advised against it. Re check the drip ratio after running the boat for a while, the material is bound to seat itself and a "tweaking" will be in order.

Stuffing Boxes work about the same way except you have two bolts with lock nuts on them. The trick here is to keep the nuts equal so the pressure applied to the packing material is constant through out the seal.

Rudders: You have packing glands on your Rudders too. Never, never attempt to re-pack them while in the water, after pulling the tiller arm and cotter pin the Rudder could drop right out of the boat, can everyone say oh s--t.

Dripless Shaft Seals hold out the water by pressure loading, usually by a rubber bellows, a graphite collar against a stainless steel collar. High speed shafts will usually have a water injection hose here from the engines cooling systems to push water through the shaft log and remove some heat from the contact surfaces, water injection is also required on all boats having a stern tube as called out in ABYC P-6.7.6 . Nylon fittings are used in the graphite, the use of metal fitting in the graphite may cause the graphite to crack with disastrous results.

Shaft Hose and Clamps:
The shaft log to shaft packing system typically employs a flexible 5-ply rubber, marine rated exhaust hose as a connection media. This hose is made of very stiff materials and is specially rated to take the service in this VERY important location. Due to the hoses rigidity, the clamping system used here must also be SPECIAL. The use of standard, stainless steel hose clamps won't do. They simply won't compress the hose tight enough to hold effectively, and this location is a very severe corrosion environment. The use of multiple opposing 316 stainless hose clamps or cadmium plated malleable iron clamps similar to those used on the boats exhaust systems are in order here.

Shaft Log, Cutless Bearing:
Improper alignment, weak engine beds, or loose couplings can cause incredible Cutless Bearing wear. A properly installed Cutless Bearings should last many years and should be checked yearly upon haul out by grabbing the propeller and attempting to shake it in order to judge the Cutless wear. When you grab the shaft or propeller and shake it you should feel virtually no play or motion. If you remove the shaft, the bearings interior should be smooth, without cracks, cross wear, low spots, tears or indents. Cross wear on the bearing indicates a major alignment problem. The shaft log or shaft tube is just that, a hollow round tube which penetrates the hull through which the propeller shaft goes with no bearing surface, hopefully. Ideally the propeller shaft should be perfectly centered.

Spacing between the Shaft Log and Shaft Strut:
The simplest rule for the boat owner to bearing spacing is that bearings should be no less than 20 times the shaft diameter apart, and no more than 40 times the shaft diameter apart. ABYC Standard P-6.6.2 has a formula you can use if you happen to have the modulus of elasticity of the shaft material and the weight of one cubic inch of shaft material in pounds, if not the simple rule should do.

Galvanic Corrosion Protection:
Rudders, Shafts, Struts, Rudder Glands, Trim Tabs, and all through hull fittings that are metallic need to either be electrically tied into the boats bonding systems or have independent zincs attached to each of them.

Shaft Struts:
Shaft struts need to be electrically tied into the boats bonding systems to prevent galvanic corrosion.

Spacing between the Last Shaft Strut and the Propeller Hub:
The minimum spacing you want is one half the shaft diameter, this assures the proper water flow through the Cutless Bearing. ABYC P-6.5.5.4 defines the maximum distance for setting the Propeller as, one shaft diameter back from the Shaft Strut. The further back you allow the Propeller, the more whipping around and vibration you will get. You should also be aware that the point where the taper is set from the rear of the hub may vary on propellers made by different manufacturers, although it is suppose to be the same. This can even be different when using the same manufacturers propellers, heres how it can happen, prop shops don't carry every size prop in stock, they may have your size prop but for an 1 1/2 " bore rather than a 2". They will re bore it to 2" and sell it to you, not always to SAE specs. Always check to see where a propeller sits on the shaft, never take it for granted it will be the same. When this is the case, the propellers will sit differently on the same shaft giving you different distances between the rear propeller hub and the shaft strut. Note: An additional distances are required for the installation of "Spurs".

Additional Items between the Shaft Strut and Propeller: (Spurs)

Spurs can be found @ http://www.spursmarine.com
Spurs are shaft mounted line and net cutters, typically they have their own zincs installed on them to prevent galvanic corrosion from effecting the Spurs cutting blades.

Let me start by saying that there will be contrary views with some of what I say here. The proper propeller will either make or break you boat. Getting the proper propeller is expensive, time consuming and frustrating. Most of us have reasonably well selected propellers on our boats. Here's how one of the worlds largest yacht manufacturers does this is in coordination with its prime propeller supplier. The yacht engineer has a good idea from years of experience what is going to work and will order in that set of those props, along with several different variations. By trial and error and by using data from each set of test props the ideal prop is achieved.
The number one rule when propping out a boat is to make sure that the engine at, "WOT" (Wide Open Throttle), operates at the maximum rated RPM by the engine manufacturer. If your engines WOT is 3000 RPM and you are doing 3200, you are hurting the engine by turning it at an excessive speed and you will destroy it, and you are not getting the maximum speed out of your boat, add some pitch. RPM does not always equal MPH. If it is 2700 RPM you are again hurting your engine by over loading it, loose some pitch.

Most boaters will describe their propellers as being 24" x 22" 4 blade NiBrAl with a 2" shaft. While this gives a great deal of information such as 24" in diameter, 22" the "pitch" of the blade, 4 the number of blades, NiBrAl (Nickel, Bronze, Aluminum) propeller material, and 2" shaft bore, it leaves something's out. One is the blade area ratio, Michigan Propeller calls it E.A.R. (Expanded area ratios). Too little blade area means the blades are going to be overloaded, even if diameter and the pitch are just right. In a perfect world, a 22" pitch, can be viewed as being able to move the boat forward 22'" after completing a full revolution. Overloading leads to cavitation (defined below), which can mean blade erosion, vibration, and loss in performance. Blade area is defined in terms of an absolute area of the propeller blades, typically in square inches. For propellers, it's usually more convenient to define it in terms of E.A.R. (expanded area ratios) but I have also see it described as D.A.R. (disc area ratio) and B.A.R. (blade area ratio) with and without the periods. They are all the same. This blade area is expressed as a percentage of the solid circular diameter of the propeller.
I have had (2) 24 x 22, 4 blade propellers side by side, one was a .81 E.A.R, the second was a .75 E.A.R but was ultra skewed. The .81 E.A.R was 3 m.p.h. slower that the .75 E.A.R. ultra skewed. Testing, along with trial and error, while expensive, is the key. A typical three-blade 24" propeller may have a 56% E.A.R. and a 24" wide-blade five-blade is over 100% E.A.R. There's a tremendous difference in performance between the pushing power these two propellers, again your propeller shop can lead you through the pitfalls of buying the wrong propeller. On large inboard power boats it is nearly impossible to do this on your own. The key here is to work with a great prop shop to insure your ultimate success.

Diameter: is measured tip to the center of the hub times two. Diameter, pitch, power, RPM, blade area, shaft speed and boat speed are all interrelated. Diameter limitations come from limited space between the propeller and hull, and the propeller and the rudder. Slower shaft speeds can typically turn larger diameter propellers. Higher shaft speeds smaller diameters. Trying to get the proper performance out of too small of a propeller can cause cavitation and excessive propeller wear. Keep in mind that if you reduce the optimal diameter of the propeller and try to make it up with pitch, you will loose efficiency. A square wheel, (a propeller with the same diameter as pitch such as 24" x 24") was once said to be the most efficient when specifying a propeller. This in fact is not true. There is nothing wrong with square wheels, if that is what the design data calls for but, there is nothing "special" about them either.

Propellers don't really "screw" their way through the water, as some simplified propeller models indicate. Instead, the blades are hydrofoils that generate lift like an airplane wing. That lift is transferred into force that is pushed through the shaft to the engine and is transferred into the boat through the engine mounts. As the propeller blades spins, a pressure differentials develops the lift, which "Propels" your boat through the water. The side of the blade facing the boat is called the "Blade Back" it typically has an Ogival shaped section which develops a negative pressure on the blade back, because the water has a longer path around the curved portion of blade. The rear of the blade is called the "Blade Face" it is the other half of the Ogival section and is relatively flat allowing the water a quicker path around the blade. Typically an Ogival Section, instead of an Airfoil section is used on boat Propellers. The Ogival cross section produces a more constant lift across the entire blade surface, and an airfoil surface produces too much lift with undistributed peak pressures.

Cupped Blades: Propeller blades are cupped, that is produced with hollow, indented faces in the blade, typically Cupping is done in the trailing blade edge. Cupping is done primarily on high speed, highly loaded applications. A good rule of thumb is to reduce the pitch by one inch, or 5% less pitch if you add a cup. Your Propeller shop can and should lead you through this. Cupping a blade on most vessels operating under 20 m.p.h. is usually not advantageous.

Raking: Most blades have little or no Rake. To envision what Rake is, look at a Propeller from the side. The standard Propeller blade will come off of the hub at right angles to the shaft. If the blade is "Raked" back from that right angle towards the stern of the boat the propeller is said to have a positive Rake. By adding a Rake to a propeller you are usually trying to direct the propeller turbulence, the vortices developed from the propellers tips more aft of the hull, hopefully into the wake. By doing so you will be reducing vibration and in the process directing the thrust of the propeller more to the aft of the hull. Raking of a Propeller can give you more blade area in a given diameter, reduce vibrations, and direct the thrust more aft. Raking is typically done in a positive direction.

Cavitation: occurs with the formation vacuum bubbles caused by excessive propeller speed or loading. When these vacuum bubbles implode on the suction side of the propeller, they do so with such force that it causes the metal to be pulled off the surface causing erosion, vibration and the loss of lift. Cavitation can also be caused by the placement of any object that would obstruct or cause turbulence to the clear unobstructed water flow to the propellers. These would be items that protrude below the bottom of the hull such a strainers, through hulls, and transducers. AVOID PLACING THESE PROTRUSIONS IN A DIRECT LINE WITH THE WATER FLOW TO THE PROPS.

Ventilation: occurs when a Propeller sucks down air from the surface. Propellers mounted to surface drives encounter this type of problem and are designed to overcome it.

Installation: New Propellers should be lapped onto their shafts the first time they are installed, and each time they are reconditioned. Lubrication is not recommend to be applied to the shaft taper before installation of the propeller. The lubrication displaces space and the lubrication will spin out, as well as leach out, and the propeller will loosen on the shaft. However high quality marine lubrication is required on Propellers set onto spline shafts that are used on outboards and sterndrives.

Vibration:
Vibration can come from numerous sources aboard, I will attempt to cover many of the more common sources of vibration as well as a few you may not have though of.
Number One. Dirty bottom and running gear.
Number Two. Propellers out of balance.
Number Three. Loose propeller.
Number Four. Improper alignment of coupling.
Others. Rudders not toed out or out properly, loose rudder posts, worn Cutlass Bearings, propeller shaft to stiffly supported, propeller blades too close to hull, and/or rudder. Hull material thin over the propellers. Propeller blades remade too thin from re-pitching. Sympathetic vibration caused from blade and strut interference. Cavitation caused by to too small of a propeller diameter. Propeller shaft out of true. Insufficient water flow too the propeller. Obstructed water flow from improperly place/or designed struts, water intakes, or transducers.

Propeller Locking Nuts, Keyways and Cotter Pins:
ABYC P-6. Dimensional Standards and Tolerances for Propeller Shaft ends, Propeller Hubs, Keyways and Shaft Couplings are in accordance to SAE, (Society of Automobile Engineers) Standard J755, and J756.

For what should be simple information the question of whether to put on the small lock nut first or second has complicated the subject just short of causing physical violence. For those who may be new to the debate, here it is. There is a difference of opinion on whether to put the small half size nut onto the shaft first or second. Conventional wisdom would state to put the large nut on first and lock it down with the half size nut. Some engineers say to put on the small nut first and then load it with the full size nut. The large nut actually unload the threads of the small nut and reload them onto the large nut. My friend Rod who is a Professional Engineer says, a nut takes 90% of the load in the first 3 to 4 threads. I've read papers that stated the thread loading is in the rear of the nut. If you are a boat yard lawyer I guess you could argue this either way, if that your thing, go right ahead. I've decided that since I've never heard of any failures being caused because it was done one way or the other, that I personally, just don't care. There are quite a few thing that do matter in boating and to me this is just not one of them. So let your yard decide, and move on if someone trys to pull you into this argument, unless of course if you like that sort of thing.

Miscellaneous Questions: When running with only one engine, do I put the other transmission in neutral or in gear? Here's another involved answer. With tank testing done on sailboats in England, there was less drag to the boat when the propeller is left in gear. On the other hand some of our most respected marine engineers and writers say leave the propeller in neutral for the best efficiency. I just don't know which is most efficient, but when I owned my sailboat, I locked the prop buy putting it in gear, It was just too noisy when I left it in neutral to free wheel. On power boats the answer is unique to the boat. You have to call your transmission manufacturer and ask them if the transmission can "freewheel" in neutral or must it be locked into gear when using a single engine. The answer I got from Twin Disk on the 5061A's in our boat is, you can "free wheel" for up to 10 hours, the 5061 uses a clutch pack and unless the engine is running and put in gear it will "free wheel". Then, after 10 hours, you have to run the engine to "move around the oil", then you get another 10 hours. If you want to lock the shaft, use a pipe wrench, only kidding.
Here is the word according to Charlie. Even though is seems like less drag letting the shaft spin, (and there is much dock talk about this one), all you have to do is ask yourself: Would you rather be on a helicopter heading for the ground with a locked rotor, or one that has the blades spinning freely? It is the same phenomenon. You have enough drag with the helicopter blades that you can safely land without power.

I am sure that I have left some information out that should have been included, I'm happy to say I don't know it all yet. I learn something new every day, I wouldn't have it any other way. Please feel free to E-mail me @ captainjim@boatowner.org with your comments, use the word "drivetrain" in the subject bar, and I will review your comments and update the article. James Clausen, http://www.maxumowners.org/Drivetrain.html

James Clausen, is a member of the ABYC, American Boat and Yacht Council, Great Lakes Cruising Club, AGLCA, The Maxum Owners Group, Boatowner.org and Maxumowners.org. He has a Private Pilots Licence, a US Coast Guard Captains Licence, and has been a boat owner for 35 years. He and his family have completed the Great loop of America and have boated over 11,000 miles in 4 years. James presently owns a 46 foot power boat and boats out of Brewerton, NY and St. Petersburg, Florida.

Updated:4/13/04 Printer Version

Updated:4/13/04
Printer Version