[Public-List] Rudder stuffing box

[Glenn Brooks via Public-List]

Hey John,

I have a none liner boat, Dolce, HullID 318, made in 1968.  Dolce has a rudder shaft stuffing box factory installed.  It is a bronze tube glassed into the hull, with large maybe 2" bronze nut on top.   Periodically - like twice now in 10 years I've taken the nut off and replaced the packing.  I don't get any water inside when I do this.  When I first got the boat the nut was hard to remove and would not screw back down on the shaft.  I cleaned it well, even used a wire brush on a 4" disk sander, then cleaned up the threads with a small triangular thread file.  There was some thread corrosion present from 30 years of sitting below deck etc, and many years weeping.  After cleaning and a bit of grease on the threads, the nut went back on easily.  Both times in the water.

My guess is yours also is factory installed.  Probably identical to mine,

BTW,  the only mod I made was to clean up all the glass work around the bronze tube and add mucho robusto reinforcing glass work to the hull to strengthen the tube where it comes out of the hull.  Seemed like a good thing to do at the time. 

Regards
Glenn

Sent from my iPad

> On Nov 20, 2014, at 5:08 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.
>>  
>> 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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