Repacking the rudder stuffing box in the water?

[bobk]

The book says the stuffing box needs three peices of 1/2" packing. Based on the height of the adjusting nuts, I'd say it's all there but I still can't slow the leak. Ideas? can I just back off the nuts and add more packing while it's in the water? I was able to do this on the trawler, but there is a caution against doing it on this one.

Bob

 

[Boatsb]

Pull out the old if you can. Water will not kill you if it comes into the bilge and a good tshirt can be a great temp cap. I would cut the packing in advance and put in at least a new piece or two.

 

[Genesis]

No problem doing it in the water; just have the rings cut before you start, and remove ALL of the old packing.

I've repacked both rudder and shaft logs in the water; yes, some water comes in. You have working bilge pumps, yes?

 

[bobk]

Thanks guys. I just wanted to be sure the Hatt system wasn't going to generte a problem.

Bob

 

[Genesis]

Two studs on the box? Those are easier IMHO than the single-big-nut design.

Clearance is sometimes a problem getting the old packing out, but it can be done. Get a couple of those packing puller tools (trust me, you may NEED two, as the first one may break on you at an inopportune time!) and have at it.

Hatts are typically not hard to deal with in this regard; I used to do mine in the water. I put GFO packing in all my stuffing boxes after a change or two and never had to screw with it again - you might want to consider that option.

 

[bobk]

Yep, two studs. Is GFO the Goretex stuff? Thanks for the advice.

Bob

 

[Nonchalant1]

Definitely get the packing puller that looks like a little corkscrew on a flex shaft. It'll save time and keep you from inventing new combinations of curse words. Make sure to get all the old packing out until you can hear the corkscrew metal against metal at the deep end of the gland. It's easy to want to stop and assume that you got it all with that water streaming in as you work.

Doug

 

[Genesis]

Yep. Its called "GFO"; I still have a pack of it if you want to buy it from me - no use - 1/2".

Its not cheap (about $20 for enough to do one shaft!) but it'll be the last time you ever have to repack the rudders, and I got 4 years out of the mains with no indication it needed to be re-done.

 

[Pascal]

"a good tshirt"

i disagree... any old tshirt will do !

yeah, get the flexible corkscrew tool, it's a must have.

 

[Mambeaux]

I'll buy it. Let me know how you want me to pay you.

Thanks, Jack

 

[yachtsmanbill]

Not for the faint of heart-- or, $1000 a day for the drydock. This guys got a pair of factory fresh 6-110s -- 250 hp at 1200 rpm. ws

 

[akintosyali]

I went to their web site and checked it out. How do you know what size you'll need? I have 1.5" shaft with the regular 2 bronze nuts...

 

[bobk]

Yep. Its called "GFO"; I still have a pack of it if you want to buy it from me - no use - 1/2".

Its not cheap (about $20 for enough to do one shaft!) but it'll be the last time you ever have to repack the rudders, and I got 4 years out of the mains with no indication it needed to be re-done.

I've been cruising for the past week with limited internet access. Guess I lost out on this. Is this packing a West Marine item?

Bob

 

[bobboat]

I have a 44 Tri cabin how do you reach it? I can see the rudder stuffing box but do not see how to get their
Thanks

 

[captainwjm]

I've been cruising for the past week with limited internet access. Guess I lost out on this. Is this packing a West Marine item?

Bob

Yes..

 

[Maynard Rupp]

Our 36C has very little room between the stufing box and the rudder shelf. We have the 2 bolt packing gland. I have been able to almost stop the water leak by tightening both nuts. I sure am not worried about heating up the shaft of the rudder like happens with a prop shaft. I thought I could remove the tiller arm and upper support bearing plate to gain more access. It turns out that the hole in the upper floor doesn't appear to be much larger than the shaft. I was hoping to be able to remove that 2 bolt cap through the floor to gain access to the rudder packing. I don't see how I could get the packing out with that cap up to the bottom of the floor. It looks like I would only have about 1/4" of exposed shaft. I don't think that would be enough to get the packing rings out and in.