I am in the process of taking delivery of a new Catalina320. I would prefer a dry bilge and have asked the dealer to install a dripless stuffing box. Can anyone tell me reasons why I should avoid this? Not sure I have taken enough time to fully research this. Thanks!
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I agree with Stu, there is no reason not to install it. It keeps the bilge dry and has worked perfectly on my boat for five years now.
An alternative is to have "Drip less" packing
material installed. Gore works pretty well. You can always add the PYI shaft seal later if you want to, but I've had both on my boats and I was planning on adding the PYI shaft seal, but I am very happy with the Gore Packing material and now see no need for the PYI shaft seal. IMHO
material installed. Gore works pretty well. You can always add the PYI shaft seal later if you want to, but I've had both on my boats and I was planning on adding the PYI shaft seal, but I am very happy with the Gore Packing material and now see no need for the PYI shaft seal. IMHO
some thoughts
I've always been leery of dripless suffing boxes, because I've heard when they fail, they fail catastrophically. I guess when that happens water enters the boat at a fast rate and could sink it within a short time. That alone has kept me away from dripless. I agree that gortex GFO seems like a good solution. I just installed it on my c-30 this past weekend. I've heard very good things about it.
I've always been leery of dripless suffing boxes, because I've heard when they fail, they fail catastrophically. I guess when that happens water enters the boat at a fast rate and could sink it within a short time. That alone has kept me away from dripless. I agree that gortex GFO seems like a good solution. I just installed it on my c-30 this past weekend. I've heard very good things about it.
Definitions Help
Hmmm, dripless stuffing box. What that meant to me was dripless packing in the existing stuffing box, using the green goop or the gore material. Lots of different opinions on the merits of replccing what is basically a simple thing with newfangled hardware in a new box. Surely seems to be less expensive to start with the existing gland, pack it with dripless and see how it goes. Ours has been dry for years. Why spend megabucks on new hardware down there when you can obtain dripless operation for less than $50?
Hmmm, dripless stuffing box. What that meant to me was dripless packing in the existing stuffing box, using the green goop or the gore material. Lots of different opinions on the merits of replccing what is basically a simple thing with newfangled hardware in a new box. Surely seems to be less expensive to start with the existing gland, pack it with dripless and see how it goes. Ours has been dry for years. Why spend megabucks on new hardware down there when you can obtain dripless operation for less than $50?
What if it fails?
I was going to go this route but someone told me not to. They had a simple question. What if it fails? At least with the stuffing box you can rip up a towel, shirt or what have you to stuff in there till you get in. If you loss a drippless seal there is nothing you can do. This is why ocean cruisers don't use them. The old "KISS" rule.
I was going to go this route but someone told me not to. They had a simple question. What if it fails? At least with the stuffing box you can rip up a towel, shirt or what have you to stuff in there till you get in. If you loss a drippless seal there is nothing you can do. This is why ocean cruisers don't use them. The old "KISS" rule.
There are other sources
of water that drain into the bilge. I just installed a PSS on my 320 and quickly confirmed a few of them. The refrigerator drain needs to be rerouted. Then I need to find a way to keep the water tanks from leaking from their inspection ports when I top them off. After that there will probably be a stanchion, keel bolt or maybe the emergency tiller cover that leaks. I don't mind tinkering with all this stuff, but unless you are ready to tackle all of them you might want to reconsider the expense of the PSS shaft seal.
of water that drain into the bilge. I just installed a PSS on my 320 and quickly confirmed a few of them. The refrigerator drain needs to be rerouted. Then I need to find a way to keep the water tanks from leaking from their inspection ports when I top them off. After that there will probably be a stanchion, keel bolt or maybe the emergency tiller cover that leaks. I don't mind tinkering with all this stuff, but unless you are ready to tackle all of them you might want to reconsider the expense of the PSS shaft seal.
What is wrong with the old packing?
A properly adjusted packing will have about one or two drips/minute while the shaft is turning; none with the shaft stopped. That drip rate hardly creates a problem with water in the bilge -- it mostly evaporates before ever reaching the bilge pump (unless you operate in very high humidity). That little drip is necessary to keep the shaft/packing interface lubricated. The technology is well understood, simple, and cheap. Packing materials are cheap & relatively easy to change, too. Mine was out of adjustment for a while last year & I was getting one drip every two seconds. Even that high rate didn't create a problem for my bilge pump. The fix invloves use of a special adjustable wrench (about $15 I think) to loosen the lock nut near the transmission end, tighten the packing nut next to it, and then re-tighten the lock nut. --RonD
A properly adjusted packing will have about one or two drips/minute while the shaft is turning; none with the shaft stopped. That drip rate hardly creates a problem with water in the bilge -- it mostly evaporates before ever reaching the bilge pump (unless you operate in very high humidity). That little drip is necessary to keep the shaft/packing interface lubricated. The technology is well understood, simple, and cheap. Packing materials are cheap & relatively easy to change, too. Mine was out of adjustment for a while last year & I was getting one drip every two seconds. Even that high rate didn't create a problem for my bilge pump. The fix invloves use of a special adjustable wrench (about $15 I think) to loosen the lock nut near the transmission end, tighten the packing nut next to it, and then re-tighten the lock nut. --RonD
shaft seal
PYI put it on my boat. cost about $200.00 I don't see that as mega bucks myself. Don't look like it would fail very easy. I think it is a good move if like a dry bilge.
PYI put it on my boat. cost about $200.00 I don't see that as mega bucks myself. Don't look like it would fail very easy. I think it is a good move if like a dry bilge.
Changing packing material in water??
I know there is "stuff" in the archives on this but since this one is getting long I will go ahead and ask - I don't plan to haul my boat soon but would like to try the "gore" material - can this be done without heart-failure while boat is floating???
I know there is "stuff" in the archives on this but since this one is getting long I will go ahead and ask - I don't plan to haul my boat soon but would like to try the "gore" material - can this be done without heart-failure while boat is floating???
In the water, SURE
Bill Of course you can. See the related link. If you want to stop any water coming in, just tie a plastic bag around the stern tube. No big deal.
Bill Of course you can. See the related link. If you want to stop any water coming in, just tie a plastic bag around the stern tube. No big deal.
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