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

[Gordon Laco]

I hired our winter marina to do our stern tube... I’d have done it myself but didn’t have time.  $650 labour plus parts 

Gord
#426 Surprise 

Sent from my iPhone

> On Sep 15, 2018, at 12:14 PM, George Dinwiddie via Public-List <public-list at lists.alberg30.org> wrote:
> 
> P.S. The picture at http://alberg30.org/maintenance/MechanicalPropulsion/CutlessBearing_to_StuffingBox.jpg may help you visualize this.
> 
>> On 9/15/18 12:07 PM, George Dinwiddie via Public-List wrote:
>> Daniel,
>>> On 9/13/18 6:18 PM, Daniel Swords via Public-List 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
>> You can remove the stern tube from outside the boat. The hard part will be removing any caulking around it. Disconnect the stuffing box from the stern tube at the stern tube end. Remove the prop and unbolt the cutless bearing housing. Then, without unscrewing the cutless bearing housing from the stern tube, pull it off rearwards. You'll probably need a crowbar.
>> Contrary to what many people think and I thought before working in this area, the caulk around the stern tube does not keep water out of the boat. The caulk on the flange and bolts of the cutless bearing housing does that. The caulk on the stern tube just holds it in place when you're removing the cutless bearing housing. Had I known that, I would have avoided many days of work.
>> The stern tube is a piece of bronze pipe. It's unlikely to crack. The stuffing box hose is more likely to be a source of leaks in that area.
>>  - George
> 
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