Should a stern gland always drip?

[Medskipper]

Iv'e always had outdrives on my boat until last August, I now have prop shafts and rudders! The thing is my brother has always had shafts as a yacht owner and says they should drip. The marine surveyor that I employed to survey my current boat told me last year to re-pack the stern glands as they were dripping and there was no more adjustment on them. So with my winter jobs on dry land I did the glands, yes I did them correctly! I have the type that are fed with grease via a tube from a grease gun. Now they turned fine on dry land and now the boat is back in the ogin they dont leak at all! all seems fine but they dont drip!? I have lubed them with the grease guns as well as re-pack so is it just a case of using the boat more and they will start to drip? personally I hate water in the bottom of my boats anyway! how important is it that they drip?


Barry

 

[muchy_]

There are different kinds of stern gland and not all should drip but the packed type should be left dripping at a rate of approx 6 drips per min so as to keep the grease cool. Otherwise it will heat up and dry out and shaft wear will occur.I leave mine dripping at a slightly faster rate to be sure.

 

[hlb]

Well much as I dont like it and much as I'd like a nice clean bilge. theres always, what looks like three inch of oil in my bilge. Yet nothing leakes. Except a drip or two from shaft bearings. Think you just have to live with it.

No one can force me to come here-----------
----- I'm a Volunteer!!!

Haydn

 

[ChrisP]

Up until this boat I've always had packed shaft seals. Used to use PTFE impregnated pump shaft packing. No drips and clean bilge. Never had any shaft burn and a gentle nip up on the bolts was all they ever needed. Got Deep Sea Seals on this one, so no packing.

ChrisP ;-)

What do you mean the sea gull in front's walking !!!