Hello, all. My wife and I just purchased a 1996 Passage 42. We had it surveyed and sea trialed and found that the anemometer and tachometer does not work. The previous owner replaced the factory alternator with a Delco 100 amp. The tach worked for a short while during the sea trial. Also, I am going to have to replace the packing gland; does anyone have a link to a how-to video for that? I have been an automotive technician for 40+ years so I do have experience working with my hands. Thanks in advance.
First time sailboat owner
- Thread starter hatchclan
- Start date
Welcome to boating and to SBO!
Some tachometers are driven by the alternator in a way that they only register when the battery is charging. If yours worked only for a brief time the cause could be something like that.
Do you mean you need to replace the packing in the gland or the whole gland itself?
Some tachometers are driven by the alternator in a way that they only register when the battery is charging. If yours worked only for a brief time the cause could be something like that.
Do you mean you need to replace the packing in the gland or the whole gland itself?
There used to be a very good video about replacing the packing gland on the Compass Marine Website. It is a good website to get to know especially for batteries, installations, charging modalities etc. The principal of the website posts on this forum as Mainesail. You can search the archives for some of his work.
Owner upgrades of alternators is pretty common as everyone wants more toys that use electrons on board.
We wonder how the PO (Previous Owner-or the devil incarnate) gets those instrument to work just for the sea trial.
Owner upgrades of alternators is pretty common as everyone wants more toys that use electrons on board.
We wonder how the PO (Previous Owner-or the devil incarnate) gets those instrument to work just for the sea trial.
Welcome to the forum!
Your tachometer may be driven from a sensor in the bellhousing that counts flywheel teeth, depending on which engine you have. Those have several connections between the tach and the engine and are notorious for bad connections, which makes the tach intermittent. As Davidsailor says, some are alternator pulse driven and won't drive the tach when the voltage regulator senses a full charge .
Your tachometer may be driven from a sensor in the bellhousing that counts flywheel teeth, depending on which engine you have. Those have several connections between the tach and the engine and are notorious for bad connections, which makes the tach intermittent. As Davidsailor says, some are alternator pulse driven and won't drive the tach when the voltage regulator senses a full charge .
Welcome to the SBO forum. Congratulations on your new boat ownership.
Your “working with your hands” experience is a valuable skill. It will be tested along with your patience and persistence to evaluate and discover the causes not just the symptoms of annoying issues that will occur on and in your boat.
There will be good times as well. They will help you survive. That and a good bottle of rum, a sailor’s go to for medicinal purposes.
To help navigate these new waters are terms.
Packing Gland = Stuffing Box.
Use it to search the forum here and on the link.
Marine How To - DIY for Boaters - Marine How To
The link will give you the “How-to” you seek. The forum will give you a glimpse into the experiences of thousands of sailors.
The Tach is an issue needing more data. Trace the wire from the Tach to the source of signal. It may come from 3 sources.
Your “working with your hands” experience is a valuable skill. It will be tested along with your patience and persistence to evaluate and discover the causes not just the symptoms of annoying issues that will occur on and in your boat.
There will be good times as well. They will help you survive. That and a good bottle of rum, a sailor’s go to for medicinal purposes.
To help navigate these new waters are terms.
Packing Gland = Stuffing Box.
Use it to search the forum here and on the link.
Marine How To - DIY for Boaters - Marine How To
The link will give you the “How-to” you seek. The forum will give you a glimpse into the experiences of thousands of sailors.
The Tach is an issue needing more data. Trace the wire from the Tach to the source of signal. It may come from 3 sources.
- The two mentioned engine (physical or magnetic pickup of crankshaft rotation)
- Alternator (electrical pulse)
- External voltage regulator (electrical pulse
Please elaborate. Were you told this needs attention in the survey/ by previous owner (PO)/ your broker or is it your observation of a drip/water in the bilge?
Do you mean the stuffing box? Done ours a number of times and not much fun due to the tight quarters, but doable with the right tools. YouTube might have some video clips of the procedure. Perhaps you could share with us the reasons you believe it needs to be replaced. If it drips while the shaft is not spinning, maybe try tightening the box a flat or two. More information would be helpful here.
Sailor speak for rotating the gland nut an eighth to quarter turn. Small increments till drop rate is achieved.
Adjustments should be made in either half a nut-flat or “one nut-flat” (of the nut) at a time. Adjust in small increments only and not more than one full flat of the nut at a time. (From Marine HowTo site. )
Congratulations on the new boat! I’ve had some experience with the stuffing box on my previous boat but, forgive guys, is it a good idea to pull it “completely apart” to replace the stuffing with the boat in the water?
Last edited:
I would not. I am a cautious person. Some with very big…. Bilge pumps have successfully changed the stuffing in the stuffing box, but pull it apart and remove/replace that is best accomplished on the shore (or at least when beached awaiting the tide to return).
I didn’t think so. Not sure if the new-owner OP’s question and our recommendations were completely aligned, although common sense would ultimately prevail on that point! I think the one time I removed and replaced the stuffing the boat was on the hard. Took it apart; final tightening/adjustment after back in.
Last edited:
Probably knew which wire to jiggle into place to get it working long enough for a sea trial instead of fixing its terminal connector.These crimped wire connectors allow the wire to loosen over time and sometimes the wire comes out or corrodes off. Shove it back into the connector and you’re maybe good for a short time. Just long enough!
Good idea to have a set of wire connectors and a wire stripper/crimping tool aboard. I used my tool so much take I broke the tip of the jaw a couple of weeks back!
Last edited:
Welcome to the site @hatchclan .
Be sure to read the link before embarking on this project.
I replace my packing in the water but I suggest you wait until you've done it once on dry land before trying this trick. At this stage you will only be snugging the packing. Backing off the lock nut will be the ultimate bitch of all creation if it hasn't been done recently. You will know all of the tricks as a mechanic. Be sure to grease it before tightening it again.
Be sure to read the link before embarking on this project.
What you are looking for is overheating of the gland. This will cause damage to the packing. You want to find the sweet spot where you have no dripping at rest, one or two drops under full power, and only warm (at most) when running.
I replace my packing in the water but I suggest you wait until you've done it once on dry land before trying this trick. At this stage you will only be snugging the packing. Backing off the lock nut will be the ultimate bitch of all creation if it hasn't been done recently. You will know all of the tricks as a mechanic. Be sure to grease it before tightening it again.
Assuming you have a standard packing gland:
- Have you have tried tightening the packing nut first?
- You may be able to back the nut off (carefully until you see how much water comes in) and put 1 ring of packing in. This could be a temporary fix until you can haul out and do the whole thing.
- Depending on your strength of heart and how much water comes in with the nut off, you may be able to pick out the old packing and repack in the water, but not sure I would do it.
Good luck with your new boat. I like the Passport 42.
Greg
On my boat it was very hard to get both hands engaged b/c of tight (restricted) access to the shaft. It's likely slow work and you might drop stuff, like the wrench or the nut, into the flowing water requiring multiple attempts to close.
The surveyor told me that it needs attention. It did not look like an urgent issue.
If you have an electric bilge pump (likely) it might, even should, be coming on often if a bigger leak problem develops at the stuffing box. Probably should check it to confirm that it is working properly. There should be nearly zero water leaking in (a drop or two ever so often) when the shaft is at rest (not rotating).
I contacted the surveyor again and he recommended tightening the nut first. Thank you all for the replies. As far as faint of heart goes.....yet to be determined but optimistic. From what I have gleaned: Take out the house batteries and trays(?); remove the bellows; loosen 2 set screws on each side and tighten nut a half turn and retest. Opinions?
but optimistic. From what I have gleaned: Take out the house batteries and trays(?); remove the bellows; loosen 2 set screws on each side and tighten nut a half turn and retest. Opinions?
To tighten on my prior boat, two wrenches were needed if I recall. One was a small pipe wrench.I contacted the surveyor again and he recommended tightening the nut first. Thank you all for the replies. As far as faint of heart goes.....yet to be determined