Stuffing box emergency repair

damo

damo

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k keeper,Portishead
longkeel35.org.uk
I have just had to deal with a boat that was in imminent danger of sinking - the owner found water knee deep inside, and after he pumped it out I went down with a big electric pump and float switch, to keep the level down until the boat could be lifted. The unpleasant sound of trickling water turned out to be from the stern gland.

I am pleased to report that the emergency kit I keep on my boat does in fact work - A length of bicycle inner tube, slit and opened out, wrapped tightly round the stuffing box and the end of the shaft, and secured with cable ties. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

There was enough grease trapped between the rubber and the shaft that I bet it could be motored for quite a while.

Just thought I'd post this in case someone hasn't come across the idea before /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Pleased to hear of your successful emergency repair. Your post reads as if it was a traditional packed stern gland rather than a face seal type. I'd always thought these were pretty well bullet proof. It would be be interesting to know how/why it had failed, presumably, tightening up the adjusting nuts was not sufficient to cure the leak
 
I didn't have a lot of time to inspect it, but it was a remote greased stern gland and the flow seemed to be coming from the shaft end, not the gaiter. Wrapping that end reduced the flow to an occasional drip.

There was a LOT of grease around (which made the inner tube difficult to grip /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif ), which I suppose implies that it had been over-greased. The packing nut was at least hand tight.

My immediate concern was to prevent a sinking - which I hope has been achieved /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif It should be safe enough now until a lift can be arranged.
 
Are you talking about a repair to these rubber sleeve type tubes of the more mobo types that I have, with bronze collars. I am interested in how your repair works, especially as the tube is split, or, ah!, are you folding a pleat into the join, that makes sense I suppose, an interesting repair.

Yes Searush, I see mileage in this, I would like a bike tube for me spares box please, but only if you let me buy you a pint!
 
Good Tip, I always wondered if I should.... Now I know I have get an inner tube of a truck tire and split it.

Thanks

Ongolo
 
You could always slice a tender (ha) strip of rubber off the inside thigh of the dinghy, thus sacrificing it to save the mother ship.......
Seriously, when I see a dinghy going to the slaughter, I get the valves, floor slats and a good bit of neoprene. It has been used successfully to replace pump diaphragms, and the slats are usually good quality ply. Now we have another use for the rubber.
 
It helps though if the rubber stretches easily - makes it easier to get a tight seal when wrapping.

I've also used it on the hoses on the heat exchanger when they were getting old and perished, and started to dribble. A few wraps of inner tube and a hose clip lasted well enough until I got replacements.
 
Not knocking your idea at all, but I have repacked a stern gland several times on the water. After removing the rubber tubing from the stern tube, a rag wrapped around the tube and shaft will hold water out almost perfectly, at least for half an hour or so.
 
Same principle and just as good. However, the stretch in the rubber helps to keep it in place; useful when the length of stern tube is short and does not have much grease in it to restrict the flow of water.
 
Yeah, I've not tried repacking in the water, but have heard of it being done.

But if I was underway and having to pump constantly, at least I now know that a rubber bandage will stop the flooding (and in this case it was more than a trickle), and last for at least 36 hours (and counting /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )
 
[ QUOTE ]
"Self amalgamating tape works better"

I bet it does, but an old inner tube costs nowt /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

So does the tape where I get it /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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