All, Forgive me but I can't remember who suggested a great way to examine your prop, prop shaft and zincs from the dock by making a sight tube made of 2" PVC or ABS pipe with a piece of clear Plexiglas at one end. I made one yesterday using a 48" length of 2" ABS pipe and one 2" ABS end cap and it works perfectly. I chucked a 1 3/4" Milwakee hole saw in my drillpress and cut the center out of the end cap. To that I glued a rounded and chamfered piece of 1/4" Plexiglas using acrylic cement applied via a syringe bottle that I got at the plastic store where I got the Plexiglas scrap. The Plexiglas seats in the bottom of the end cap abutting the hole I cut. The entire thing cost less than $10.00 and I made it in under an hour out in the garage. I actually bought a second end cap that I can pop on and off the open end to keep the other side of the lens dust free. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Prop peeper.
- Thread starter Glyn Judson
- Start date
New Toy
Glyn, It was in the New Toy--M&M
I built a 4"x 6' a few years back, painted the inside "flat black". Experiment w/ taping weights to the end for "neutral buoyancy".
I built mine for finding the inevitable "lost overboard" items(glasses)!
*If you cut out the center of a second cap & glue the Plexi to that you can make the "clear end" removable also. Seal it w/ electrical or clear weatherstripping tape.
Glyn, It was in the New Toy--M&M
I built a 4"x 6' a few years back, painted the inside "flat black". Experiment w/ taping weights to the end for "neutral buoyancy".
I built mine for finding the inevitable "lost overboard" items(glasses)!
*If you cut out the center of a second cap & glue the Plexi to that you can make the "clear end" removable also. Seal it w/ electrical or clear weatherstripping tape.
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Pelican light on a Prop peeper.
Bill, I can see the value of having a light on the peeper in many areas of the country but here in SoCal the watr is clear enough to clearly see the prop from the dock without the peeper, it's just that the ripples and distortion make it hard to see detail. I'm taking mine down o the boat on Tuesday and I'm sure it'll work without a light. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Bill, I can see the value of having a light on the peeper in many areas of the country but here in SoCal the watr is clear enough to clearly see the prop from the dock without the peeper, it's just that the ripples and distortion make it hard to see detail. I'm taking mine down o the boat on Tuesday and I'm sure it'll work without a light. Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Excellent idea
I don't have a problem with the zinc on my E35-2, but still like the idea of being able to see any other problems (ie. fishing line around shaft and packing, condition of fin, even mooring chain, etc.) that may arise. The basin where "Sadie Blu" is moored is not so clear as there are a few live aboards out there....uh...er..need I go into detail? Which is why I hire someone who doesn't mind the scenario to clean her bottom.
Anyways.....I will make a "peeper" also. Thanks for such an idea.
Jeff
I don't have a problem with the zinc on my E35-2, but still like the idea of being able to see any other problems (ie. fishing line around shaft and packing, condition of fin, even mooring chain, etc.) that may arise. The basin where "Sadie Blu" is moored is not so clear as there are a few live aboards out there....uh...er..need I go into detail? Which is why I hire someone who doesn't mind the scenario to clean her bottom.
Anyways.....I will make a "peeper" also. Thanks for such an idea.
Jeff
Floating Prop Peeper.
Steve, Jeff and all, I tested my Prop Peeper yesterday and at first I thought I was going to have to eat my words about the clarity of our SoCal waters. All I could see was a muddy, dark, nondescript image that turned out to be the hull in shadow above the porp shaft. That darned Peeper floats!! Well, the working end does, the other end is wide open and that's what I was looking through. After I figured out what was going on, I countered its tendency to float by pushing my end down and to my amazement and delight, I could see my prop like I was down there next to it. Now to come up with a clever means of attaching several pounds of counterweight to the end. Something like adhesive-backed lead sheet comes to mind but I don't know if such a thing even exists. Help and ideas anyone? Later, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Steve, Jeff and all, I tested my Prop Peeper yesterday and at first I thought I was going to have to eat my words about the clarity of our SoCal waters. All I could see was a muddy, dark, nondescript image that turned out to be the hull in shadow above the porp shaft. That darned Peeper floats!! Well, the working end does, the other end is wide open and that's what I was looking through. After I figured out what was going on, I countered its tendency to float by pushing my end down and to my amazement and delight, I could see my prop like I was down there next to it. Now to come up with a clever means of attaching several pounds of counterweight to the end. Something like adhesive-backed lead sheet comes to mind but I don't know if such a thing even exists. Help and ideas anyone? Later, Glyn Judson, E31 hull #55, Marina del Rey, CA
Lead weights
Hi Glyn,
Glad to see it works! When I was an A&P Mechanic for Raytheon Aircraft we used lead weights that came in a roll with adhesive backing for use on the plane wheels to balance as opposed to clip on weights that were not allowed. Maybe you can find these weights online or at a NAPA auto parts?
Jeff
Hi Glyn,
Glad to see it works! When I was an A&P Mechanic for Raytheon Aircraft we used lead weights that came in a roll with adhesive backing for use on the plane wheels to balance as opposed to clip on weights that were not allowed. Maybe you can find these weights online or at a NAPA auto parts?
Jeff
Floating Peeper
Hey Glyn, Just run down to your local sporting goods store(fishing department) and pick up some lead fishing weights(they've got some big suckers) and zip-tie/duct tape them to the "peeper". I had a 2# scuba weight zip-tied to mine(still too buoyant)
Put a kitchen garbage bag inside the peeper(to protect the lens) and fill it w/ sand(I used bird-shot) to find out how much weight you need/want(kitchen scale).
* drill a hole in the "eye" end and tie a lanyard to it. With the "weight" you'll be building a NEW one before you know it(to look for the 1st one) Blooop!LOL
Hey Glyn, Just run down to your local sporting goods store(fishing department) and pick up some lead fishing weights(they've got some big suckers) and zip-tie/duct tape them to the "peeper". I had a 2# scuba weight zip-tied to mine(still too buoyant)
Put a kitchen garbage bag inside the peeper(to protect the lens) and fill it w/ sand(I used bird-shot) to find out how much weight you need/want(kitchen scale).
* drill a hole in the "eye" end and tie a lanyard to it. With the "weight" you'll be building a NEW one before you know it(to look for the 1st one) Blooop!LOL
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OK guys, 1. David, thanks for the lead on the adhesive-backed lead (pun intended). 2. John, I'm only guilty of coming up with the corny name "Prop Peeper", I didn't come up with the idea, I just made one. 3. Charles, Try as I can, I have never had any luck posting photos to the list so I'll send it to Sean who in the past has gracioulsy offered to post images for me. Glyn
Glass-bottomed bucket?
Underwater critter peepers can be made from a 2 gallon bucket with a plexiglass bottom glued in. A friend made one and used a silicone adhesive, I think. Works great in the dinghy in shallow water, and from the dock. Entertains kids and adults for hours!
I think I'll make a long, skinny one for the prop and a short, squat one the critters.
Underwater critter peepers can be made from a 2 gallon bucket with a plexiglass bottom glued in. A friend made one and used a silicone adhesive, I think. Works great in the dinghy in shallow water, and from the dock. Entertains kids and adults for hours!
I think I'll make a long, skinny one for the prop and a short, squat one the critters.
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Glass bottom boats!
A buddy of mine was selling "plexiglass bottom cayaks" a few years back, till the accountant took off w/ the cash! Great toy for clear lakes and snorkelling areas.
A buddy of mine was selling "plexiglass bottom cayaks" a few years back, till the accountant took off w/ the cash! Great toy for clear lakes and snorkelling areas.
Prop Peeper photo.
All, Finally with Sean's help, here is an image of the Prop Peeper, this time made from PVC instead of the earlier ones I made from ABS. Tehre's no difference between the two as far as the cement is concerned, I simply used PVC this time because the hardware store was out of the ABS ones.
The text below is a short explanation of what I did to make my Prop Peeper:
1. Cut a 1 3/4" hole in the end of a PVC cap (mine is ABS but either
will work).
2. Cut a lens from 1/4" Plexiglas by tracing the diameter of a 4'
length of pipe on the protective paper. I then roughly trimmed it on my
table saw. I used a vertical disk sander for the fine trimming, testing
until the lens easily dropped into the modified cap.
3. Cut a chamfer on one edge of the lens to get it to seat in the
bottom of the modified cap. You can barely see it in the photo on the
outside edge of the lens.
4. With the lens in the bottom of the modified cap, apply liquid
acrylic cement between the lens and the modified cap liberally enough to
bond it to bond them together, let them cure.
5. Use the same acrylic cement to glue the lens assembly to the end of
a 4' length of 2" PVC or ABS pipe, let it cure and you've just made your own
Prop Peeper.
6. Go to the boat and stare at your prop, prop shaft and shaft zinc
through your new Prop Peeper.
Tips:
A. Press the modified cap onto the pipe all the way to the bottom so
the pipe contacts the lens.
B. Use enough cement to fully seal the lens to the cap and the cap to
the pipe but no so much that is spills onto the lens.
That's it,
Glyn
All, Finally with Sean's help, here is an image of the Prop Peeper, this time made from PVC instead of the earlier ones I made from ABS. Tehre's no difference between the two as far as the cement is concerned, I simply used PVC this time because the hardware store was out of the ABS ones.
The text below is a short explanation of what I did to make my Prop Peeper:
1. Cut a 1 3/4" hole in the end of a PVC cap (mine is ABS but either
will work).
2. Cut a lens from 1/4" Plexiglas by tracing the diameter of a 4'
length of pipe on the protective paper. I then roughly trimmed it on my
table saw. I used a vertical disk sander for the fine trimming, testing
until the lens easily dropped into the modified cap.
3. Cut a chamfer on one edge of the lens to get it to seat in the
bottom of the modified cap. You can barely see it in the photo on the
outside edge of the lens.
4. With the lens in the bottom of the modified cap, apply liquid
acrylic cement between the lens and the modified cap liberally enough to
bond it to bond them together, let them cure.
5. Use the same acrylic cement to glue the lens assembly to the end of
a 4' length of 2" PVC or ABS pipe, let it cure and you've just made your own
Prop Peeper.
6. Go to the boat and stare at your prop, prop shaft and shaft zinc
through your new Prop Peeper.
Tips:
A. Press the modified cap onto the pipe all the way to the bottom so
the pipe contacts the lens.
B. Use enough cement to fully seal the lens to the cap and the cap to
the pipe but no so much that is spills onto the lens.
That's it,
Glyn
Attachments
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![Prop Peeper lens assy[1].JPG](/ie/data/attachments/2/2823-6228e1b4615f3cf5fdf7fc9e5c9168cb.jpg)
Prop Peeper lens assy[1].JPG
tenders
Innocent Bystander
What a great idea. I presume you have to peep the prop from the dock, right?
One with an angle and a mirror allowing you to peep your prop from the side of the boat would have commercial appeal for those of us on moorings. With a correspondingly angled scraper on a stick you could scratch barnacles off your prop without getting wet.
One with an angle and a mirror allowing you to peep your prop from the side of the boat would have commercial appeal for those of us on moorings. With a correspondingly angled scraper on a stick you could scratch barnacles off your prop without getting wet.