[Public-List] Cracked Stern Tube - Laugh or Cry?

John Irving jirving104 at aol.com
Thu Sep 13 17:45:48 PDT 2018


I had a similar problem recently when I got a line wrapped around my propeller shaft, and the shaft was pulled out of the coupling to the point where I couldn’t steer the tiller because it interfered with the rudder.  I’m wondering if it would help to put a 1” deep zinc on the shaft between the prop and the keel!
John Irving

> On Sep 13, 2018, at 8:29 PM, David Fay via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> Daniel,
> 
> Just less than a week ago, I developed a leak in the forward end of my stern tube, or so I thought. I panicked at the time because I didn't know if my bilge pump would keep up. I tried to stop the leak with everything in my emergency kit - first Marine-Tex, a marine epoxy, then Boat Life Caulk, then silicone tape, then butyl. None of it worked very well but by then I realized that the bilge pump would do its job, as long as the pump didn't fail or the battery run down, in which case my boat would sink.
> 
> I was convinced that the problem was a cracked stern tube based on where I saw the water squirting (although it was admittedly hard to tell because the end of the hose was almost up against the hull/stern tube junction). A stern tube problem seemed plausible though because two days before I had wrapped a bow line around my prop shaft in a horrible squall. Who knows what kind of forces were applied to the prop shaft? So I made plans to have the boat hauled by the local boat yard.
> 
> The marina Service Manager insisted that, before hauling the boat, he have someone clean up the mess I made to try to see where the water was coming in. The guy spent an hour or so removing my gunk and, lo and behold, he thought the water was coming from the hose that connects the stuffing box to the stern tube, not the stern tube itself. He tightened the hose clamps, something I should have done right at the start, and the leak stopped. He then replaced the two hose clamps on that end of the hose, as they were somewhat deteriorated, and the problem was fixed.
> 
> So, my first piece of advice is to check very carefully that your hose is not leaking.
> 
> Based on my research, if you really have a stern tube problem, you don't need to remove the engine at all. You remove the prop, detach the prop shaft from the transmission, remove the hose, loosen the stuffing box, take off the prop shaft flange (there are many good descriptions of how to do this on the internet), then slide the prop shaft and cutless bearing out of the stern tube. You are now ready to repair the stern tube.
> 
> Good Old Boat has two good DIY articles on how to repair a broken stern tube (Issue 109, Jul/Aug 2016 and Issue 28, Jan/Feb 2003). You can buy back issues at: https://audioseastories.com/product-category/back-issues/ <https://audioseastories.com/product-category/back-issues/>. I also recommend Tim Lackey's website because he documents replacing stern tubes on a couple of boats: https://www.lackeysailing.com/ <https://www.lackeysailing.com/> (Google "lackey stern tube"). His method is to drill the stern tube out with a hole saw, which seems to work very well.
> 
> Good luck. I hope you don't have to replace the stern tube, but, if you do, it seems to be a very doable job using the resources online.
> 
> David
> Blue Teal #284
> 
> 
> 
>> On Sep 13, 2018, at 6:18 PM, Daniel Swords via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
>> 
>> My boat (hull #525) has recently been suffering from a slow leak at the stern tube. The local boat yard assessment is a cracked stern tube which agrees with my assessment of the leak location. Their initial estimate for repair is approximately $9,000. I don’t know if I should laugh or cry. I guess my next option is to find a yard that will let me do the work myself and to see if I can repair/replace the stern tube without removing the engine and fuel tank. Thoughts or condolences are appreciated. Daniel Solitude Mandeville, LA
>> 
>> 
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