Prop Shaft Material

Wonder if anyone can help solve a puzzle.
We have a new to us 1989 IG32. Noticed after haul out that the cutless bearing was spinning freely in the shaft tube.
We removed the prop and cowling to expose the shaft tube. It appears to be Fiberglass when SS was excepted.
Have any of you experienced anything similar?

My 85 IG 30 with twin P90's has the following:
-prop-
-large strut with cutlass bearing (or strut bearing)
-intermediate strut with cutlass bearing
-fiberglass shaft log
-Reinforced hose
-Packing gland

The shaft is supported by the 2 cutlass bearings and the packing gland (and of course the coupling.) The shaft log is full of water and the water flow acts to cool the packing. Compression nut should be adjusted to the typical 3 drips.

A single might have a bronze stern tube instead of a shaft log and would have a cutless bearing (stern tube bearing) which would support the shaft along with the packing gland. It should not be spinning. Spinning could result in vibration and/or excessive shaft wear.

I'm guessing that the Mfr glassed over the end of the stern tube. In either case the shaft should be pulled and bearing replaced.

Is the shaft tube worn on the inside where the cutless bearing was spinning?
If so, that’ll have to be repaired or replaced, as the cut less needs a pretty tight fit in order to do what it’s intended to.
There’s a company that makes a modified cut less bearing that uses a sleeve that spins with the shaft, could that be what you’re looking at?

I suspect what has happened is the "rubber" portion of the cutless bearing has detached from its sleeve. Other folks here have reported this happening to them and it happened to me once as well. The only fix in that case is to replace the bearing.

Ken

Thanks for the comments.
We have some emails out (waiting for an answer) to one of the original dealers, this one in upper NY state.
We will post a followup when a solution is found.

Update - connected with another IG32 owner. Configuration identical. The bonus was he had the solution on extracting the bearing. My shipwright can figure out how to replace it. He has a source that can produce an OD oversized bearing if the tube has worn.
Thanks all
Leo

Update - the old bearing has been removed. The problem of the spinning bearing was the set screw had eroded and did not hold the bearing. Further, the threads in the log had been deformed.

The fix: new Johnson 11/2 x 2 x 6 bearing, shaft cleaned, the log drilled and threaded to take a 7/16 set screw. New set screw made. Bearing drilled to accept the set screw head.

Next set to correct alignment. Apparent as the inside of the old bearing was worn unevenly (so originally the shaft turned within the bearing as intended).

Repack stuffing box. Old packing was completely compressed. Have 2 “wrenches” made to mate with the stuffing box nuts. Store in a winch handle pocket mounted on the nearby support.

Other than a couple of hoses to change out, we can close up the floor for a while.

Thanks for the assistance.