Forward shifter position puts boat in reverse!

[FiremistSLK]

I recently purchased a new Turning Point 4 blade prop for my Mercruiser 5.0 MPI. Prop part number on the invoice is 21501740 which indicates a LH prop. However, when I shift into forward, the boat moves in reverse. And of course when the shifter is moved into reverse, the boat goes forward.... Could a propeller be installed on the prop shaft BACKWARDS??? Or maybe a RH prop was placed into a LH box (the box had been opened and resealed) and the prop really is a RH prop! The boat is in the water and I will need to pull it to check out all suggestions. Could I have installed the prop onto the prop shaft backwards? Will it fit that way? It seemed to go onto the prop shaft just fine.

 

[scoflaw]

Single engine boat should be a right hand prop

 

[Lazy Daze]

Can't install in backwards - at least not without it being VERY obvious. As Scof said, you should have a RH prop. If you bought a LH prop, you bought the wrong one. Compare the angle of your blades to another boat nearby - you'll see the difference.

Another way to tell is to look at the blades and spin the prop by hand CW (you stand aft of the prop). You can tell which way the boat will go by observing the blades.

 

[Espos4]

Even if you could install it backwards it wouldn’t change the direction of travel.

 

[GypsmJim]

Why did you buy a LH prop? Did you think that was what you needed/

 

[FiremistSLK]

Yup.... This is a LH prop and I in fact do need a RH prop for my boat. I ordered a RH prop and the box it came in said RH prop! But the box had been opened and resealed. The store must have taken a return in the wrong box..... I spoke with the store owner today and he is sending me out the correct (RH) prop tomorrow. Thanks again! JOHN

 

[FiremistSLK]

Why did you buy a LH prop? Did you think that was what you needed/

I did order a RH prop... Box said RH too. Word to the wise here...... Boxes lie! ha ha........

 

[techmitch]

I recently purchased a new Turning Point 4 blade prop for my Mercruiser 5.0 MPI. Prop part number on the invoice is 21501740 which indicates a LH prop. However, when I shift into forward, the boat moves in reverse. And of course when the shifter is moved into reverse, the boat goes forward.... Could a propeller be installed on the prop shaft BACKWARDS??? Or maybe a RH prop was placed into a LH box (the box had been opened and resealed) and the prop really is a RH prop! The boat is in the water and I will need to pull it to check out all suggestions. Could I have installed the prop onto the prop shaft backwards? Will it fit that way? It seemed to go onto the prop shaft just fine.

I did order a RH prop... Box said RH too. Word to the wise here...... Boxes lie! ha ha........

Something doesn't jive here. I'm confused.

 

[FiremistSLK]

Mitch.... I re-read my OP and I see the confusion I created. Here's the corrected story as best as I remember. I called the marine store and said I needed to purchase a new prop for my boat with a 5.0 MPI Mercruiser Alpha 1 Gen 2 outdrive. The parts manager asked me if I wanted LH or RH prop. I told him I didn't know. So then HE said I needed a LH prop for that configuration (turns out he was wrong). So he placed my order for a LH prop. The part number on the invoice is for a LH prop and I received a LH prop. I mis-spoke in my OP when I said I ordered a RH prop. I let the marine store tell me what prop I needed, and they placed my order. I got the prop that I was TOLD I needed... LH. Not my fault entirely but I didn't know any better. The box had been opened and resealed as I said, adding to MY confusion. I hope this clears it up for you. Everyone here is very helpful and now I know which is the correct prop for my boat if I need to order one again.

 

[GypsmJim]

First you said you ordered LH and got a LH box. Then in a later post you said RH and RH box. That's why we all got cornfused.

The moral of the story relates to everything in today's world, not just marine stuff. In this post-pandemic world we need to assume that the clerks in EVERY store know nothing, and that WE must do all the research on our own.

If the boat already had an old prop installed, it would have been simple to just look at it to observe which way the blades were pointing.