Well I made that boat for VS which requires the props, rudders and anything that moves to be a seprate file. I also attach all the parts together because it makes it easyer to assign the maps otherwise I have to assign the same map to a dozen or so bits insed of just one part.
I think the model got flipped because I converted it back from a .x to .3ds. I remember losing the .3ds and I have to use the VS versons .x to make it again which probaly caused some problems.
I seem to have had nothing but problems with that model when I made it.