DING, DING, DING!

Q:Dear Boat Doc, can I fix a dinged prop myself ?

Stan Siraco Barnegat, New Jersey

A:Like so many boating questions, the best answer is: It depends.

Small bends in a blade tip can sometimes be straightened using the double-wrench technique. Similarly, edges that have been rolled can be filed sharp again.

The thing is, sometimes these visible defects do not represent the full extent of the damage, such as if a blade has been bent out of line or not. You can perform an eyeball engineer check for this by marking a spot just above the blades on the drive, motor or boat bottom, and spinning the prop. Viewed from the side, all the blades should pass the spot at the same distance. But this is not

100 percent accurate.

Be aware that an only slightly damaged prop spinning at thousands of rpm can still cause engine and drivetrain damage. Many times, the best recourse is to mount your spare and send the damaged wheel to the shop for reconditioning.