[Public-List] Rudder stuffing box

[Wes Gardner via Public-List]

Is it safe to assume that if the stuffing box is taken apart and that
somehow if there's room in enough for you and some sort of spilt-die
arrangement to mash yourself down under there, that the water line is still
below the top of the stuffing box?  I'd hate to get half-way into it and
discover I needed something that couldn't be obtained fairly quickly.  I
know I've changed out ball valves with the boat in the water but have
always had everything I needed right there...the thought of having to leave
the 1 1/2" column of water coming into the boat while I went to find
whatever I had forgotten might cause me a bit of angst...:-)

On Thu, Nov 20, 2014 at 8:29 AM, Wes Gardner <wesgardner1952 at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Thank you John Boor for pointing out the facts that had already been
> pointed out in the original post :-)  The boat has wheel steering....and
> therefore a quadrant and cabling and all that....gee, why didn't I think of
> that.  I kept thinking about and looking at what my boat has...see what
> that "thinking" thing gets you.  Knowing the facts that, of course, we
> already knew, sounds like a haul-out....
>
> On Thu, Nov 20, 2014 at 8:08 AM, John Boor via Public-List <
> public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>
>> John's origional posting mentioned that he has wheel steering thus the
>> rudder tube had to be modified to accept the quadrant.  Not having a lot
>> of room beneth the cockpit floor the tube will have to be quiet short, so
>> perhaps pulling the boat and installing a stuffing box will cure the
>> problem.
>>
>> John Boor
>> Ex #380 MAHSEER
>>
>> > 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.
>> > Â
>> > 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.
>> > Â
>> > 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.
>> > Â
>> > 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 #133Â
>> >
>> > ----- 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
>> > Â m actually doing the right things with this boat, but only after
>> > exhausting all other options. Thanks for your good advice - John
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > These businesses support your Association:
>> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>> > Please support them.
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Public-List mailing list
>> > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>> > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > These businesses support your Association:
>> > http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>> > Please support them.
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Public-List mailing list
>> > Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>> > http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
>> >
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> These businesses support your Association:
>> http://www.alberg30.org/store/A30supporters.html
>> Please support them.
>> _______________________________________________
>> Public-List mailing list
>> Public-List at lists.alberg30.org
>> http://lists.alberg30.org/listinfo.cgi/public-list-alberg30.org
>>
>
>

 1416490681.0