Can a broken prop hurt other parts?

Question
1986 chris craft, 21ft vhull cuddy cab, mercruiser 260 i/o.  I sheared off 1 blade on my prop down to the hub.  boat cavatated like crazy.  drove boat about 15 minutes to a (public)dock.  I want to know if I could have damaged other stuff like hydraulics and related parts.  It's my first boat and I need advice.

Answer
Hi Shaun - thanks for selecting the undersigned to reply to your question.

So, after eliminating one blade from the propeller, did you run at a slow, med. or fast rate of speed? Was the prop shaft bent? Was the skeg fractured (it usually protects the prop from minor damage)? Did you carry a spare prop?

After the impact, if you ran at a slow speed, chances are you may not have caused any further or serious damage. At a fast speed, you may have damaged the seals in the lower gear housing, so check the oil level. Chances are, the gears are okay, but in the event the prop shaft is bent, you can count on the likelihood of some internal seal, bearing and gear damage.

The "hydraulics", as you put it, would probably consist of the power trim/tilt mechanism. The easiest way to check it out is simply engage the trim or tilt and see what happens. If it operates, then the pistons are not bent, which means the seals are likely in good shape.

Propeller blades can be repaired or replaced, so long as the hub is not distorted. Consider carrying a rebuilt prop. They're a lot cheaper, and just as effective as a new one that will cost you 3 times the price.

Safe Boating
Ron