Antares 710 year 2000 - packing dripless stuffing box?

[HarryMacI]

Hi,

Have a Beneteau Antares 710 yr 2000, which I recently acquired. I noticed on run outs for maybe 3 to 4 hours I check engine bay which is dry but just turn on bilge pump before mooring and a fair amount of water seems to come out. Theres no apparent leaks and I check on return to boat and no visible water, but I know there is a sump which can hold up to 15 litres, not visable to the eye. Looks like its filling on a trip out. Thinking maybe the stuffing box or gland may be leaking water into this sump. The boat is twenty year old now so I suspect it hasnt been looked at in a long time, Im a novice at this so any help or advice or someone also with a 710 help appreciated. Prop currently removed and cleaned ready for new anode on shaft, no play or movement on shaft. theres a locking washer that has to have a tab bent back to lock nut anybody done this? do you just hammer tab back to secure nut? Just dont like the idea of going near shaft with hammer!

Observations, advice appreciated..

Thanks

Harry

 

[Plum]

Hi,

Have a Beneteau Antares 710 yr 2000, which I recently acquired. I noticed on run outs for maybe 3 to 4 hours I check engine bay which is dry but just turn on bilge pump before mooring and a fair amount of water seems to come out. Theres no apparent leaks and I check on return to boat and no visible water, but I know there is a sump which can hold up to 15 litres, not visable to the eye. Looks like its filling on a trip out. Thinking maybe the stuffing box or gland may be leaking water into this sump. The boat is twenty year old now so I suspect it hasnt been looked at in a long time, Im a novice at this so any help or advice or someone also with a 710 help appreciated. Prop currently removed and cleaned ready for new anode on shaft, no play or movement on shaft. theres a locking washer that has to have a tab bent back to lock nut anybody done this? do you just hammer tab back to secure nut? Just dont like the idea of going near shaft with hammer!

Observations, advice appreciated..

Thanks

Harry

That locking tab, it's what helps to stop the nut holding the propeller on. Have you had the prop off? Locking tabs should not be used a second time. Yes, you bend the tab over with a hammer (ideally a soft headed one or a block of hardwood held against it then hit the wood ) but it doesn't take much effort so only a small hammer.

I assume you have the black plastic/rubber Volvo Penta shaft seal. However, recommend you find out exactly where the water is coming from before you start changing things unnecessarily.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[HarryMacI]

Yes,

Have a new locking tab, block of wood should do the trick thanks..

..as for shaft seal I havent looked yet, because it is behind aluminium shield in the lazzarette. I know there is a another small seacock besides the one that feeds the raw water side of the engine that provides water back to it maybe lubricate or a back pressure. Is it a rubber kind of bellows? Can it be adjusted/checked for leakage?

New good day I check it out, freezing here at the minute!

Thanks

Harry

 

[Plum]

Yes,

Have a new locking tab, block of wood should do the trick thanks..

..as for shaft seal I havent looked yet, because it is behind aluminium shield in the lazzarette. I know there is a another small seacock besides the one that feeds the raw water side of the engine that provides water back to it maybe lubricate or a back pressure. Is it a rubber kind of bellows? Can it be adjusted/checked for leakage?

New good day I check it out, freezing here at the minute!

Thanks

Harry

That shaft seal, to get a good life from it it must be burped every time you relaunch or after drying out. You just need to release any trapped air inside the seal to ensure the seawater comes into contact with the rubber bearing and seal inside the stern gland as the water lubricates it and keeps it cool. You either need to pinch the nose (forward part) of the black rubber with your fingers so distorting the rubber to upset the seal until water starts to leak out, or, as I find easier, just push the nose to one side which has the same effect. You also need to inject some VP stern gland grease into the seal. Buy a tube (about the size of a tube of toothpaste, which will last you for 10 years) and its a simple job using a plastic drinking straw. This video is good although does not show the drinking straw trick but does show where the grease goes and how to burp.

Sorry if you already knew the above, which will ensure the seal stays good. You really need to be able to improve access or rig up a gopro camera looking at it so you can watch while inderway to see if it is leaking.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[HarryMacI]

Hi,

Thanks again for your help, popped out and removed aluminium cover plate to show a Volvo Penta seal, front of seal doesnt feel very pinch friendly, with tough slight play. I'll get some of the grease as you suggested and force some in. Boat currently in house driveway. I take it the burp trick is done once at start of season when boat goes in. That black pipe is that supplying raw water lubrication to shaft seal or cutless bearing? I was half expecting that to be on the nitrile rubber, but it wasn't.

Thanks video, great help also..

 

[Plum]

Hi,

Thanks again for your help, popped out and removed aluminium cover plate to show a Volvo Penta seal, front of seal doesnt feel very pinch friendly, with tough slight play. I'll get some of the grease as you suggested and force some in. Boat currently in house driveway. I take it the burp trick is done once at start of season when boat goes in. That black pipe is that supplying raw water lubrication to shaft seal or cutless bearing? I was half expecting that to be on the nitrile rubber, but it wasn't.

Thanks video, great help also..

No, the nose is not very pinch friendly. That is normal. Just push the nose to one side by a mm or so until water comes out. Yes, has to be done afloat and only done again after coming out of the water and relaunching. The small hose goes to a scoop skin fitting so the forward motion of the boat forces some water into the shaft tube to ensure lube and cooling of both the cutlass and the VP seal. Your lip seal inside the nose of the seal must have some grease, yours looks very dry, but the lip is quite delicate so go careful when you insert the grease with the drinking straw.

www.solocoastalsailing.co.uk

 

[Jamie Dundee]

I had the same symptoms on my 760, I also assumed it was the stern gland. Turned out it was the water pump leaking on the engine, only a very slight drip at idle from the back of the pump but running at 3k rpm was obviously letting in much more. Might be worth checking other sources of water ingress when you’re out and about.

 

[HarryMacI]

Thanks for all the advice Colin. I'll check when underway and keep a close eye, I know this hasnt been greased in my time and I have it two years. Also had a small coolant leak which was hard to trace, small drainage cock for coolant which I think may have been leaking, just a few drips by the look of it. Keeping an eye on all hose connections. Condensation now can also create small buildup of water below engine at the minute..

Jamie is that the raw water pump? suppose fresh would be coloured..

Thanks

Harry

 

[Jamie Dundee]

Thanks for all the advice Colin. I'll check when underway and keep a close eye, I know this hasnt been greased in my time and I have it two years. Also had a small coolant leak which was hard to trace, small drainage cock for coolant which I think may have been leaking, just a few drips by the look of it. Keeping an eye on all hose connections. Condensation now can also create small buildup of water below engine at the minute..

Jamie is that the raw water pump? suppose fresh would be coloured..

Thanks

Harry

Yes, back of the raw water pump. Not that obvious on mine as the water was being dispersed by the flywheel but 3 or 4 litres pumped out at the end of every trip.

 

[Pleinmont]

Agree with all this as have a very similar boat.
A burp after every relaunch and a dab of grease annually and those VP stern seals stay happy for years. I understand that even when they start to wear out the dripping is pretty minimal.

Raw water pump seals seem to be a fairly common (and cheap to fix) source of water that only appears after a run. My Volvo TAMD41 did the same a couple years ago.
Good luck.

By the way, I bought an endoscope recently to check for corrosion under the engine and I can't believe I've survived so long without one - they are really handy for a million different jobs where you can't see what you're doing (and you can stick a magnet on the end for lost screws etc).
It sends images to your phone so you could leave it set in the bilges and watch it all in real time (and record) on your phone whilst driving the boat.
Would definitely help you see what's going on. They have quite a bright light too so saves fannying around with a torch and phone camera.

Wireless Endoscope,DEPSTECH Upgrade 5.0MP HD WiFi Borescope, 16 inch Focal Distance, Semi-Rigid Snake Inspection Camera with 2200 mAh Battery for iOS & Android Smart Phone & Tablets-16.5Ft: Amazon.co.uk: Business, Industry & Science