SECOND U.S. PROP SHOP NABS AUSSIE EQUIPMENT
Marine Service Guide

FORT WALTON BEACH, Fla.-Following the lead of Black Dog Props, Solomons, Md., a propeller repair shop opened here on the strength of computerized prop repair equipment from Australia.  Mark Daily runs the shop, Coastal Prop Technology, and he said it has seen unbelievable success in its first three months.

Black Dog Props was the first American shop to purchase the prop repair equipment, which is also used by the U.S. Navy.  The equipment, manufactured by Propeller Dynamics of Southport, Australia, uses a rotating table with an optical sensor and a distance measuring probe to calculate the pitch of propeller blades.  It enables Daily to tweak propeller blades to within 1 percent pitch of each other.  "The most unbelievable thing is new props," he said.  "I can take a brand new propeller and make it even better.  When I finish a prop, there's no question that it will perform its best."

Daily said the benefit of perfectly pitched props is increased fuel efficiency, which translates into savings for his customers.  "We're into our third month and we've already fixed more than 200 props," he said.  "Most are 20 inches or larger.  It's just busted wide open.  We have all the business we can handle and we haven't even advertised.  It has all come from word of mouth.  We're getting business from as far away as Miami, Alabama and Mississippi.  One of our customers heard about us on his VHF radio."

Daily said he had worked in the marine service industry for 18 years before deciding to open up a prop shop.  "My biggest headache in marine service was always props," he said.  "No one ever knew what was wrong with them.  I was set to open up a regular prop shop until I heard about Black Dog. I went to visit with them and I ordered the equipment that day."

Daily then spent two months in Australia with Terry Ryan, the inventor, learning as much as he could about propellers and the equipment.  Daily said the investment in travel and equipment has paid off and his business is flourishing.  "We just ordered a second machine," he said.  "That's the only thing holding us up from doing more work."