Stern bearings, shaft supports, and rubber bushings for a boat's propeller shaft

Water-lubricated propeller shaft rear bearing

The stern bearing is the shaft support located at the stern of the boat—that is, the support bearing—which supports the propeller shaft just before the propeller. There are several different models of stern bearings. The Mepra stern bearing is threaded onto the boat’s propeller shaft through-hull tube—also known as the stern tube—and secured to the boat’s hull with bolts.

The rear bearing housing is made of cast bronze, and the bearing seat contains a rubber bearing sized to match the shaft diameter. Rubber bearings are available in both millimeter and inch sizes.