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If you are one of the thousands of people who enjoy recreational boating in the summer time, the odds are good that you want to get the maximum lifetime out of your boat and all the parts included in it. Unless you are a real technical junkie, you probably aren’t aware of all the many pieces that are important to the function of your craft. In this article we are going to talk about the little known strut, why it is important to the operation of your craft, and what you can do to ensure its best performance. What is a strut? The strut is a piece of metal that attaches to the underside of the boat. It serves several purposes on a speed boat, including: Locating the aft end of the propeller shaft Supporting the aft end of the propeller shaft Minimizing friction through the inclusion of a bearing Decreasing wear on the propeller shaft as it spins There are different types of struts and the one that is right for you will depend on your boat and the style of boating that you want to do. There are struts designed specifically for racing, which will increase the life span of your engine without compromising your speed. Obviously, all parts of your boat are important to maintain, but struts can be easily overlooked. First of all, they are a fairly small part, not nearly as obvious as your engine or its various components. Second, they are not well known when it comes to boat owners. But don’t let that fool you; because of their purpose, struts are integral when it comes to maximizing the life span of your boat, because they look after the bigger and more expensive parts, such as the propeller. Maintaining them properly will help to extend the life of your propeller. So how do you ensure that your struts are maintained properly? Well, it’s pretty much paying the same amount of attention to them as you do to the rest of your boat. If you are boating in salt water, carefully clean them with fresh water at the end of the day to minimize the corrosive effects of the salt. Make sure that you remove any seaweed, grass, barnacles, or other types of material that may prevent the strut from functioning to its fullest degree. Keeping your struts well maintained means prolonging the overall life of the more expensive parts of your boat, as well as increasing fuel efficiency and performance!
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A custom keel can be made for either a pleasure craft or racing boat, and depending upon its use, this should be a major consideration when speaking with your keels designer.
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