First time sailboat owner

Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,093
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
hatchclan said:
remove the bellows; loosen 2 set screws on each side and tighten nut a half turn and retest.
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I think you’re combining two different types of glands there. A standard stuffing box has no set screws or bellows. A standard one is rings of packing held inside a nut, with a second nut just to retain the first.

A bellows and set screws are used on a dripless shaft seal. In some cases compressing the bellows a little more may help with those. Always replace the set screws with new ones rather than reusing though.
 
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hatchclan

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Oct 26, 2022
53
Hunter Passage 42 Cape Marina
Ralph Johnstone

Ralph Johnstone

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Jan 4, 2006
6,520
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
May I suggest a full stop here. As @Davidasailor26 and @Kings Gambit have said, you most likely have a mechanical shaft seal and not a packing gland. We need a picture before I think anyone should say anything further.

You are dealing with something which has the potential to sink your boat very quickly. Chances are the seal is 26 YO. As you saw in @Kings Gambit 's link, the entire seal should be replaced every six years. If the bellows fails, grab a life jacket and hold your nose.

Perhaps it's time to realize that you know just enough about sailboats to get yourself into a lot of trouble. If you don't have previous experience with boat maintenance, you may want to find a competent company in your area who can provide stem to stern maintenance for a time AND doesn't mind you looking over the mechanic's shoulder to learn what he's doing. Don't get tied in with a dock ape. Most mechanics who are good like to show what they know.
 
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hatchclan

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Oct 26, 2022
53
Hunter Passage 42 Cape Marina
Ralph Johnstone said:
May I suggest a full stop here. As @Davidasailor26 and @Kings Gambit have said, you most likely have a mechanical shaft seal and not a packing gland. We need a picture before I think anyone should say anything further.

You are dealing with something which has the potential to sink your boat very quickly. Chances are the seal is 26 YO. As you saw in @Kings Gambit 's link, the entire seal should be replaced every six years. If the bellows fails, grab a life jacket and hold your nose.

Perhaps it's time to realize that you know just enough about sailboats to get yourself into a lot of trouble. If you don't have previous experience with boat maintenance, you may want to find a competent company in your area who can provide stem to stern maintenance for a time AND doesn't mind you looking over the mechanic's shoulder to learn what he's doing. Don't get tied in with a dock ape. Most mechanics who are good like to show what they know.
Click to expand
sage advice and thank you. I am going to wait until I get the full survey back and then negotiate with the seller. I do very much appreciate the input I have received and will be imposing upon your collective wisdom in the near future. So beware :D
 
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Ralph Johnstone

Ralph Johnstone

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Jan 4, 2006
6,520
Hunter 310 West Vancouver, B.C.
Get the familiarity and experinece and you'll be telling us how it works.

I took the Red Cross First Aid course :
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and I'm having a bugger of a time with the brain surgery part of it. I know I can perfect it if I can just get some practice :yikes:.
 
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Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
4,810
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
Here is a video I made that may help demonstrate what I referred to as a “standard stuffing box”…

Here is a video of my new Volvo Penta dripless stuffing box…

If you have bellows, disks and set screws, you probably have a PSS dripless system (which I have no experience).

Greg
 
jssailem

jssailem

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Oct 22, 2014
21,153
CAL 35 Cruiser #21 moored EVERETT WA
@hatchclan As advised. Stop.

Words used about boats mean certain specific things.

We often ask the sailor to post pictures. The reason I added the link in my first post was the pictures on the site. If you looked and the system on your boat looks different it would trigger a statement like “That doesn’t look like my boat”.

I would encourage you to post a picture of the parts you have on your boat identified as the “packing gland”. Then we all can more safely share ideas that you can decide your hand skills can solve or you will seek marina worker assistance.

Sometimes help is the best choice, and watching over the worker’s shoulder will empower you.
 
Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,009
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
hatchclan said:
sage advice and thank you. I am going to wait until I get the full survey back and then negotiate with the seller. I do very much appreciate the input I have received and will be imposing upon your collective wisdom in the near future. So beware :D
Click to expand
FYI. Most pre-purchase surveys are chiefly hull surveys. But in any case, they are usually based on what the surveyor can observe without “intrusion.” In your case that means the surveyor cannot “dismantle” the dripless device to view the seals inside w/o specific permission from the owner. S/he knows only that it is leaking and that is all s/he will likely know w/o an intrusive inspection. This is probably something that would not proceed well with the boat in the water. Get the broker to ask the owner for the maintenance history of the unit. Request records, if any. They are not allowed to misrepresent, but you must sometimes ask for details.
 
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Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,753
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
hatchclan said:
Opinions?
Click to expand
Rather than removing the house batteries I do all the work from the engine side. Hanging over the engine will give you pretty good access to tighten the box. Replace the packing material while on the hard, not in the water.
 
Terry Cox

Terry Cox

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Dec 25, 2000
5,753
Hunter Passage 42 Shelter Bay, WA
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hatchclan

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Oct 26, 2022
53
Hunter Passage 42 Cape Marina
Kings Gambit said:
FYI. Most pre-purchase surveys are chiefly hull surveys. But in any case, they are usually based on what the surveyor can observe without “intrusion.” In your case that means the surveyor cannot “dismantle” the dripless device to view the seals inside w/o specific permission from the owner. S/he knows only that it is leaking and that is all s/he will likely know w/o an intrusive inspection. This is probably something that would not proceed well with the boat in the water. Get the broker to ask the owner for the maintenance history of the unit. Request records, if any. They are not allowed to misrepresent, but you must sometimes ask for details.
Click to expand
I was there for the survey and while it was mostly non-intrusive; it was very thorough even to the point of going up in a Boston's chair to check the mast, spreaders, and rigging. He even had us pull the Genoa down to do some repair on the uphaul cleat.
 
Kings Gambit

Kings Gambit

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Jul 27, 2011
5,009
Bavaria 38E Alamitos Bay
hatchclan said:
I was there for the survey and while it was mostly non-intrusive; it was very thorough even to the point of going up in a Boston's chair to check the mast, spreaders, and rigging. He even had us pull the Genoa down to do some repair on the uphaul cleat.
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Yes, but your issue/question is: “What is the condition of the shaft seals within the bellows? Are they leaking (or worse)?”; or am I mistaken?

BTW. That’s Bosun’s chair.
KG
 
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hatchclan

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Oct 26, 2022
53
Hunter Passage 42 Cape Marina
Kings Gambit said:
Yes, but your issue/question is: “What is the condition of the shaft seals within the bellows? Are they leaking (or worse)?”; or am I mistaken?

BTW. That’s Bosun’s chair.
KG
Click to expand
lol, yes it is, thank you. The survey report indicates a small leak. The surveyor recommends attempting to tighten first.
 
Davidasailor26

Davidasailor26

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May 17, 2004
5,093
Beneteau Oceanis 37 Havre de Grace
I don’t know whether the PSS bellows can be safely adjusted in-water or not. If the bellows are of unknown age and the boat is hauled I’d say it’s just a better bet to replace with new than wonder about the age and condition of the old.
 
Tally Ho

Tally Ho

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Jan 7, 2011
4,810
Oday 322 East Chicago, IN
hatchclan said:
And it is a PSS dripless.....according to the surveyor.
Click to expand
I don’t think that there is any way to tighten a PSS seal. Unless the clamps aren’t holding the bellows tight or the bellows aren’t compressed enough…

but there is no packing nut to tighten.

Greg
 
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