[Public-List] Stuffing box / terrible noise

Sun May 11 10:27:11 PDT 2008

Speaking of the stuffing box. Last Fall, as we were motoring up the Chicago River to our winter marina, the prop started vibrating wildly at 4 knots. When we got on the hard, we discovered that we had a once Dacron rope around the shaft. It had been turned into a melted black hard rock that took me 30 minutes to cut off with a hacksaw blade. Checked the prop shaft and the play at the transmission, all apparently OK.

  Yesterday, while still out of the water, we started the engine and put the transmission in gear. Terrible noise/vibration. Checked alignment again, loosened compression rings on stuffing box, drained transmission fluid to check if metal particles in fluid (none!). Finall went to marina office to see how much to have mechanic come and observe problem as we're going downriver tomorrow. Price was right but can't look at it for two weeks. When I imitated the sound, he said "Put a drop of dish detergent on prop shaft where it exits the hull." VOILA!!!  This is such a technical hobby isn't it?

  Ed Schroeder #303

Jonathan Budington <jon at globalprinting.com> wrote:
  Turns out I just needed to tighten the packing nut. I just finished, and the shaft drips about 3 times per minute with the shaft spinning. I let it run about 5 minutes, and when I felt the nut, it wasn't too warm, so I think I'm ok. I'll check again next time I take it out. Thanks for all the advice - this was quite simple. I've just never worked down there before. Not much room, but glad I know how that whole thing works finally.

Jon

________________________________

From: public-list-bounces at lists.alberg30.org on behalf of edward schroeder
Sent: Sun 5/11/2008 12:47 PM
To: Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all
Subject: Re: [Public-List] Stuffing box

I have replaced the greased flax seals on #303 Emotional Rescue twice in 8 years. The first time we were out of the water; the second in the water. It is a leap of faith but IF you have enough room to get both hands on the box, it can be done. Not alone on the boat though! Ed Schroeder

Jonathan Budington wrote: I was on my boat Friday looking for leaks. I've been noticing water in the bilge since I put my boat in about a month ago. The bilge had about 4 inches of water, but I couldn't see any leaks (I had issues with the drain tube around the cockpit seats a few years ago). I finally got on the floor and saw the problem. My stuffing box is leaking a steady drip without the engine running. I didn't have the right size wrenches to try to tighten the packing nut (and I've never done that before). The A30 site directed me to the A37 repacking notes. It says the boat should be out of the water. I read in Good Old Boat that I could re-pack while in the water. Does anyone have an opinion on this. Could the packing nut just need tightening? My J-30 slip neighbor told me if it was leaking while idle, the packing was bad.

Jon Budington

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