Questions on converting an old boat to a strut system.
I have an old Dumas Lil Rascal that I pulled out of moth balls. I built this thing 20 or 25 years ago. The stuffing box is hard mounted in a wooden strut that runs along the bottom of the boat, from the point the stuffing boxes comes below the boat to the back of the boat.
As a kid, I split this strut and put a wood shim in it to put the prop lower into the water to keep the prop from cavitating. I know now that this is not how a rigger is supposed to run.
Anyhow, I am trying to figure out the new strut systems, to see if I can adapt this old boat.
Right now the boat has a 1/8th inch flex shaft that goes through a 3/16th inch brass tube. There is a rigid piece of metal at the end of the flex shaft that stays in the stuffing box. This hard piece goes down to a 1/8th inch threaded shaft for props. I am currently using a 3/16th inch prop that has a shim in it, so it will fit on the shaft.
If I can find a strut that will work on this boat, how does the stuffing box connect to the strut (or does it?)?
Below is a pic of the back of the boat. Any suggestions on upgrading this?? Or should I just be looking at building a new tub??
TIA for your input,
Sean