1984 H27 stuffing box

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Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
I have been tolerating this leaky box since I bought her a year and a half ago. Has anyone replaced the packing in their 27 that is of a larger size? I am 6'02" and 260. If its not realistic, I will pay someone else. I believe I could get it apart, but honestly don't see how I could repack it. I plan on owning the boat for another 5-10 years. Thinking maybe paying to have drip less installed might be the best idea so I don't have to mess with it??? Not sure what to do here.
 
Jan 22, 2008
127
Hunter 27_75-84 Wilmington, NC
BigJer, As an owner (11 yrs) of an '84 h27, I understand your frustration. Non-'83/84 h27 owners don't seem to appreciate how shallow the bildge is on these boats. It may only be 3-4 inches deep - barely enough room for the float switch to swing up. The problem is not so much having water in the bildge, it is that when sailing with a 20-30 degree heel, that water is forced out and onto the floor and into the storage areas under the port and starbord settees. Tools were rusting, anything hitting to floor while sailing will probably get wet - a pain.
The Cause - My Yanmar owners manual recommends running the engine at full throttle atleast 5% of the time. That's about 3900 rpm. Cruising is about 2700-3000 rpm. At idle and even upto 2700, my drip rate is very tolerable, however when I go upto 3500-3900, the water starts running in. My prop is clean and balanced and I don't believe the prop shaft is bent, but I can't prove that. I have considered a dripless stuffing box, but I have serious reservations as to wether would work under these conditions. Also installation would involve either removing the engine or the rudder( to pull the shaft back enough).
So I have opted with regularly changing and adjusting a better quality shaft packing. Last year I bought the graphite packing sold at the store on this site. My Bildge has been almost dry for 6 months now.
Now your 'Big Guy" problem. The access to the shaft area is a real problem even for me -5'10 - 200. I could only get one arm in to reach the shaft packing and when working, my shoulder blocked the view - basically changing packing with my eyes closed and with one hand. So last year I removed the plywood bulkhead between the berth and the engine/stern area. See Pic. As originally built, this bulkhead is not load bearing and is one long piece (over 4 ' long). So I cut at the support and made 2 pieces. It is held in place with a few (5-6) wood screws and only took 30 mns to remove. Now with a smaller piece at the shaft area, I can remove easily to work in the area with both hands and eyes on. This would give you adequite space.
A few other recommendatons - get one of the packing extraction tool (sold here also)-the No. 1 small size is best for this. Looks like a corkscrew and really works fast. Recognize there will be 3 or 4 layers of old packing. Be sure to have new ones cut and lubricated before you start. Since we have a 1 inch shaft, I use the 1 inch chrome hand rail to measure (wrap around) then cut.
If you do remove that bulkhead, consider repacking the steering packing gland also. The packing (larger size that the shaft packing) on mine was completely gone and this was another source of water in the bildge (the h27 squats as rpm increases and the steering packing goes below the water line, allowing water in.) See Pic.
Hope all this helps.
 

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Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
BigJer, As an owner (11 yrs) of an '84 h27, I understand your frustration. Non-'83/84 h27 owners don't seem to appreciate how shallow the bildge is on these boats. It may only be 3-4 inches deep - barely enough room for the float switch to swing up. The problem is not so much having water in the bildge, it is that when sailing with a 20-30 degree heel, that water is forced out and onto the floor and into the storage areas under the port and starbord settees. Tools were rusting, anything hitting to floor while sailing will probably get wet - a pain.
The Cause - My Yanmar owners manual recommends running the engine at full throttle atleast 5% of the time. That's about 3900 rpm. Cruising is about 2700-3000 rpm. At idle and even upto 2700, my drip rate is very tolerable, however when I go upto 3500-3900, the water starts running in. My prop is clean and balanced and I don't believe the prop shaft is bent, but I can't prove that. I have considered a dripless stuffing box, but I have serious reservations as to wether would work under these conditions. Also installation would involve either removing the engine or the rudder( to pull the shaft back enough).
So I have opted with regularly changing and adjusting a better quality shaft packing. Last year I bought the graphite packing sold at the store on this site. My Bildge has been almost dry for 6 months now.
Now your 'Big Guy" problem. The access to the shaft area is a real problem even for me -5'10 - 200. I could only get one arm in to reach the shaft packing and when working, my shoulder blocked the view - basically changing packing with my eyes closed and with one hand. So last year I removed the plywood bulkhead between the berth and the engine/stern area. See Pic. As originally built, this bulkhead is not load bearing and is one long piece (over 4 ' long). So I cut at the support and made 2 pieces. It is held in place with a few (5-6) wood screws and only took 30 mns to remove. Now with a smaller piece at the shaft area, I can remove easily to work in the area with both hands and eyes on. This would give you adequite space.
A few other recommendatons - get one of the packing extraction tool (sold here also)-the No. 1 small size is best for this. Looks like a corkscrew and really works fast. Recognize there will be 3 or 4 layers of old packing. Be sure to have new ones cut and lubricated before you start. Since we have a 1 inch shaft, I use the 1 inch chrome hand rail to measure (wrap around) then cut.
If you do remove that bulkhead, consider repacking the steering packing gland also. The packing (larger size that the shaft packing) on mine was completely gone and this was another source of water in the bildge (the h27 squats as rpm increases and the steering packing goes below the water line, allowing water in.) See Pic.
Hope all this helps.
Thank you so much, that helps me so much. I am going to do exactly that. Your exactly right about the shallow bilge. Add the thawing of ice from the reefer which drains into the bilge and a slight heel and you have a soggy mess! With a new cut out, I don't think I will consider drip less. If I can access it, I will be fine with adjusting and checking on occasion. I just splashed it Thursday from a bottom job, but may haul out to do this work. I have no idea when it was done last and feel like I should replace hose as well. The yard that did bottom said shaft looks out of alignment so I will have that taken care of as well. Thanks again for the time it took to reply and post pics.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
Concur with amcmahon

I take out the board deside the quarter berth to work behind the engine. Not a big deal, but access is much better.

I put the dripless packing in 7 or 8 years ago, and it has worked great since then.

A PO rigged a hose from the icebox drain to a hand pump over the sink. So we can pump out the melted ice water when it builds up. Another great mod!

We just finished 3 weeks of cruising on Lake Erie in our 14th summer in Lady Lillie. The Cherubini h27 is a great cruising boat for us!
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
So with the cutout in the 1/4 birth were you able to get more than one arm in there? We're you able to see what you were doing? I can get one arm in and that is it. Think I will cut another access hole.
 
Jan 22, 2008
127
Hunter 27_75-84 Wilmington, NC
I just splashed it Thursday from a bottom job, but may haul out to do this work. I have no idea when it was done last and feel like I should replace hose as well. The yard that did bottom said shaft looks out of alignment so I will have that taken care of as well. Thanks again for the time it took to reply and post pics.
BJ, I'm sure you realize that you do not have to pull the boat to modify the bulkhead or to replace packing. When doing the packing replacement in the water, some water will leak in, but really it is minor. I have done mine 4-5 times now in the water. Several recent posts have described ways to reduce the incomming water, but my experience is that it is not necessary. A little water will not hurt. Also, to replace the shaft hose, you would need to either move the engine forward or pull the boat and drop the rudder. I repowered 6 years ago and replaced the shaft hose then. I repowered and replaced the shaft hose while the boat was in the water. Now that was interesting.
Alignment is also preferrably done in the water.
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
Just looked at mine. There is another wall right behind the stuffing box. Cutting another access hole would not do me any good. Bummer.
 
Nov 8, 2007
1,523
Hunter 27_75-84 Sandusky Harbor Marina, Ohio
Suit yourself

One hand will get the job done.

The extra wall is a PO putting in sound reduction - a good mod IMHO.

Putting in leak proof stuffing is no harder than the standard stuff.

Why not schedule a haul out, then give it a try yourself in the hour before the haul - I bet all will go well, and you can cancel the haul out.

Or, better yet, hire a pro to do it in the water, and teach you how at the same time.
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
I think watching a pro do it and teaching me is gonna be the best bet. I can watch over the engine thru companionway hatch. I have seen really good power points on it and totally understand it. I just need to see it done with one hand and not being able to see it to believe it can be done. Now I just have to find such person In Portland.
 
Aug 11, 2013
8
hunter 27 scotts creek marina portsmouth va
My stuffing box is leaking as well lol but going to wait till we pull it out this winter. Something s ary to me about a hole in my boat.lol but im sure it can be done by a experienced person. Mine looks quite old and fragile not sure i want to put a wrench on there. :)
 
Mar 27, 2012
312
Seaward Fox Washougal WA
So here is the update. Took her in to Schooner Creek Boat Works and they were great. $100 and they taught me how to adjust stuffing box. The packing is at the end of its life but should get me to the end of summer or fall. They measured out and looks like PSS dripless will barely fit. They said most likely will have to remove the rudder to install so will probably replace cutlass hearing as well.
 
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