HELP! Stern gland leaking

[john]

just been to boat and cabin sole was covered with water. I had noticed the stern gland was dripping excessively on Sunday and tried to tighten it with little success. However, I didn't expect this much water in so short a space of time.

Whats the best solution to this urgent problem - can I repack gland in the water or do I have to be lifted. I've heard good things about volvo deep sea seals so should I bite the bullet and install one - is it straightforward and can it be done in water or does it need to be out. Should I fit an automatic electric pump?

Sorry to ramble - I'm in a flap and need advice asap!

thanks john

 

[longjohnsilver]

Why not leave part of the old packing in place and then put in some new stuff. I've done this afloat with no problems, however you need to check that this solves the problem and that there isn't something else that is the cause. Make sure that the joins in the new packing are in different places on the shaft and that you don't tighten it all down too much before letting it bed in. Hope this helps and you stop the leak.

 

[pete]

Have re packed stern gland several times on my last boat but would not attempt it with boat afloat .
I have a drying mooring so there`s no problem and it`s an easy job if you have right size packings and can get at the stuffing box my latest boat has a Ambasador marine seal connected to a small header tank of transmision fluid it works brilliantly not a drop of water in the boat but I believe they are very expensive so I would try the repacking route first,
I would always fit a auto bilge pump to and check it frequently ( connect it through a fuse but before your main battery switch so it is still active when you are away.) beter flat batteries than a sunk boat

good luck

pete

 

[johnt]

Ill go with longjohn on this one, you will get a trickle in ..but hey ....it wont be as much as you got before you fixed it !!...you wont sink !

 

[david_bagshaw]

Asuming your stern gland is of a conventional type, with either a collar held in with 2 nuts or the type where the collar is a nut it self, there is no problem with packing while afloat. As a tip screw plenty of grease down the greaser first before removing the old packing. do not leave any of the old in, as the idea is to renew, it not mix it.

Buy the best quality, graphite impregnated, if possible ready cut to size, other wise,

1 before removing the old packing, wrap the new round the shaft, a number of times, and with a very sharp knife/razor cleanly cut at a 30 deg angle, so you get 4 rings.

2 grease shaft as mentioned earlier

3 remove collar

4 use awl to remove old packing

5 wipe clean & check for shaft play vertically & horiz.

6 insert first ring with joint at top

7 second ring goes to the bottom

next ring up etc, till replaced same no if rings , may be add one extra if adjustment was running out.

8 tighten up lightly, regrease run engine &re tighten after a few mins if required

Check every 10 mins for the first hour, tighten if leaks , or loose off if getting warm.

Hope that helps, our old boat had15 foot long 1 1/2 bronze shafts, which we used for 10,000 hrs,over 20 years re packing every 2 years, after we got the engine alignment right. picture of her on my web site, in voyages

Hope that helps

david

See my web site www.yachtman.co.uk

 

[tonyleigh]

With ref to packless seals. No experience of the Volvo but I fitted a PSS seal dried out between tides a month ago. Very straightforward task and I'm no engineer! Try www.lakesterngear.co.uk for further info.