[Public-List] Rudder stuffing box

[Michael Connolly via Public-List]

John, 
Sounds like someone has modified your boat to "upgrade" this item. On the early non-liner boats it is my understanding that the outer tube has no gland nut or packing, but extends up through the cockpit sole. Thus if any seawater comes out of the outer tube it spills into the cockpit and then out the scuppers/drains in the cockpit. In your situation and on the liner boats which have a stuffing box on the rudder tube, this outer tube terminates with the nut which is above the lower hull but below the cockpit sole. Any water leaking here goes into the bilge, not so good. 
  
Some folks feel that having a stuffing box on the rudder tube is an upgrade. If it is not regularly serviced or buggered up like yours then it is indeed a negative. The non-liner boats require no attention to the stuffing box as there is none.  Any water coming up the tube harmlessly flows into the cockpit at a rate slow enough for the drains to take it overboard.  In both styles of boats rarely but sometimes the rudder tube becomes detached from the hull or wears through from friction of the rudder stock against the fiberglass tube, much water can then enter the bilge. 
  
I agree with Mike Lehman and you after you came to your senses, no matter how you address the situation, do you want to undermine the structure of the upper rudder post by making it two pieces joined by a coupling. 
  
Would it be possible to split the die you plan to chase the threads with and save yourself the trouble of a haul-out?  If the threads in the nut are OK then you are home free. 
Michael #133  

----- Original Message -----

From: "John Johnston via Public-List" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
To: "Alberg 30 Public List -- open to all" <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> 
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 6:43:13 PM 
Subject: Re: [Public-List] Rudder stuffing box 

Mike and Wes - I may have erred by describing my situation as a stuffing box. What I have is an outer tube that is glassed into the hull. The top of it is threaded. Through that tube runs the rudderstock. Where the rudderstock emerges inside the hull there is a packing nut that has room for flax packing, I believe. I don't know the condition of the threads of the nut, but the threads on the outer tube are mangled, and I had no success with the thread file. I have overcome my extreme reluctance to haul out, after having been in for so short a time, but I agree that a haulout is called for, and drop the rudder. I think that once I rethread the outer tube and get a new nut and some packing all will be well. I also agree with Mike that it would be foolish to introduce a potential cause for failure. It was a hasty and desperate grasping of straws. A good night's sleep restored some reason. There is no excuse or reason for doing a poor job. Sorry if I mangled the nomenclature - I a 
 m actually doing the right things with this boat, but only after exhausting all other options. Thanks for your good advice - John 
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