We bought a 321 last year and have been doing some deferred maintenance this winter. The PO has recently replaced the Volvo Shaft Seal, less than 50 motor hours ago as of now. Part of the maintenance we are doing is replacing all thru-hulls and seacocks. When I pulled off the seacock for hose going to the shaft seal, it was frozen in the closed position even though the handle operated smoothly.
I imagined that the reason for the PO needing to replace the shaft seal so recently was that it overheated and caused the seal to go bad, but I have also read that the external water line is not necessary on low speed boats (sailboats). The seal was not leaking when we pulled the boat out of the water.
Should I replace the seal as a preventative measure because the external water feed was closed for the 50 or so hours I have put on the motor since it was replaced and might have burnt the seal? I plan to keep the boat in the water year round for about three years until my next haul out for bottom paint.
I imagined that the reason for the PO needing to replace the shaft seal so recently was that it overheated and caused the seal to go bad, but I have also read that the external water line is not necessary on low speed boats (sailboats). The seal was not leaking when we pulled the boat out of the water.
Should I replace the seal as a preventative measure because the external water feed was closed for the 50 or so hours I have put on the motor since it was replaced and might have burnt the seal? I plan to keep the boat in the water year round for about three years until my next haul out for bottom paint.