Do rudr glands need to leak?

[Gludy]

Simple question.
I understand shaft glands should leak a bit to ensure lubrication.
Should rudder glands also leak? Unlike prop shafts they have very little movement and on most boats I have seen they do not leak at all.

 

[jimg]

Depends on the type of shaft gland! Mine are designed NOT to leak, i.e. they are seals. I have never seen a rudder gland that was designed to leak, are yours leaking?

 

[PAULSTEWART]

The port rudder gland leaks on my 1991 P35, although I have now paid 2 different companies to fix the leak!
/forums/images/graemlins/frown.gifThis I presume is due to wear of the nylon? tube the rudder shaft travels thru. I don't think your new boat should leak at all!

 

[Gludy]

I had bucket fulls of water there over a non functioning bilge pump on my maiden voyage. They now claim that this is normal bedding in of the rudder gland!!!! Hence my simple question.

Mind you that is the least of the problems - it has taken five gruelling months to get to the maiden trip!! Five months of hell.

The boat iself is fine but frankly I would never, ever deal with Trader Emsworth again. I was thinking of the new 64 but all thoughts of that are gone.

If anyone wants a Trader, I would head to their Welsh distributor in Penarth - he knows how to get the job done and how to treat a customer.

 

[PCUK]

Simple answer - No.
They don't spin fast so no heat to dry packing.
They are above the waterline - in any good design that is.
Whatever type they are the answer is still no.

 

[Gludy]

Thank you - that is all i needed to know!

 

[muckypup]

On Harlequin, the rudder glands are perfectly dry. The shaft glads weep very slightly. Strangly though, I dried under the gands before I set out last weekend. When I came back it was dry. Maybe the heat generated from the shaft turning helped seal them, or it just evaporated from the heat in the engine room.

S.

 

[hlb]

My rudders leaked. Cost me a new auto pilot and battery charger. But that was after 16 years.

 

[Gludy]

Trader have now confirmed that they should not leak at all - so that is progress as we agree on the objective - they just have to stop the leajing of many gallons of water into the stern.

 

[mjf]

NO!

On my boat niether the shaft seals nor the rudder seals leak.

Hence dry bilges - just as they should be IMHO.

 

[Gludy]

Re: NO!

I was always told shaft seals - that is the oacked ones should leak a little. I think an occasional drop that almost vaporates is OK and needed. Tell me if I am wrong!

 

[mjf]

Re: NO!

Gludy there are types that are designed to drip a little - these are the ones that have a 'packing' which you nip up and eventually replace the seal.

The other type are oil lubricated dripless at least on the shafts.

As I said I prefer dry bilges - that way if you do get a leak is fairly obvious and you can see if its water / oil / mdo / whatever.........