I came very close to sinking my B361. I was inspecting the dripless shaft seal and noticed a bit of water under the shaft. When I went to tighten down the small hose which is used to lubricate the seal, the brass nipple where the hose goes into the shaft log came out in my hand. On my B361 there is a small seacock with the hose going to the 'sea' side of the dripless seal. Closing the seacock of course did no good since the ocean was coming in from the hole in the shaft log. We put in a temporary patch by wrapping a piece of hose over the shaft log and holding it with a hose clamp. I'm going to contact Beneteau on Monday to see what has to be done. The brass nipple seems to have threads and should thread back into the log tube but it appears that it may have broken off as there are only 2 or 3 threads on the nipple. I love my B361 but this is pretty unbelievable, a thru hole, albeit small one, without a shutoff. Does anyone have any insight? Stan
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Drip
Quick question, did you taste the original drip to see if it was sea water? It seems so obvious that a leak at the shaft seal would be the shaft sealI also had water in the same area and, like you, assumed it was from the shaft seal, which was also dripless. Although it appeared obvious that the shaft seal was leaking - even though it was "dripless" - under closer inspection it turned out
Quick question, did you taste the original drip to see if it was sea water? It seems so obvious that a leak at the shaft seal would be the shaft sealI also had water in the same area and, like you, assumed it was from the shaft seal, which was also dripless. Although it appeared obvious that the shaft seal was leaking - even though it was "dripless" - under closer inspection it turned out
2nd Drip
Hit the enter button by mistake. Here goes again. I had water in the same area and assumed it had to be from the shaft seal. Seemed so obvious. Turns out the handle on the stern shower had a very slow drip. This dripped down the inside of the stern and eventually filled a low spot under the fuel tank with a little pool of water. This water would eventually make it's way into the well where the shaft seal is. This won't help your damaged shaft seal issue, but once you're fixed again you might look into it.
Hit the enter button by mistake. Here goes again. I had water in the same area and assumed it had to be from the shaft seal. Seemed so obvious. Turns out the handle on the stern shower had a very slow drip. This dripped down the inside of the stern and eventually filled a low spot under the fuel tank with a little pool of water. This water would eventually make it's way into the well where the shaft seal is. This won't help your damaged shaft seal issue, but once you're fixed again you might look into it.
M
Mike
Stern shower drip
Randall thanks I have water accumulating in the shaft well also. I was beginning to think it was the drip seal but now will double check because my stern shower does leak a little bit. As far as Stan's problem is concerned he may be able to use an easy out to remove the brass nipple and hope the amount of water coming in is managable during the process. An option would be to borrow or buy a portable bilge pump and have it running in that area while working on it. Run the hose out a port and overboard. If not it looks like it would be best to have it hauled while the nipple is removed and replaced. Perhaps they could just leave you in the travel lift to save time and money. Good luck.
Randall thanks I have water accumulating in the shaft well also. I was beginning to think it was the drip seal but now will double check because my stern shower does leak a little bit. As far as Stan's problem is concerned he may be able to use an easy out to remove the brass nipple and hope the amount of water coming in is managable during the process. An option would be to borrow or buy a portable bilge pump and have it running in that area while working on it. Run the hose out a port and overboard. If not it looks like it would be best to have it hauled while the nipple is removed and replaced. Perhaps they could just leave you in the travel lift to save time and money. Good luck.
S
Stan
Information from Beneteau Dealer
I spoke with the Beneteau dealer and was told that most Beneteau's have this design, ie the brass nipple in the stern tube. The water circulates up the stern tube and out the small seacock to cool and lubricate the shaft and the seal. The brass nipple only has two(2) threads because it can't be threaded any deeper into the stern tube without hitting the shaft. So the nipple is threaded in and then epoxy is used to hold it in place. Whether it can be repaired in the water depends on how dry we can keep it so the epoxy cures properly. We will use epoxy that can cure under water. I am very disappointed in this Beneteau design. If there needs to be a thru hull in the stern tube I would have expected it to be integral to the tube, NOT held in with two threads. If the epoxy was supposed to do the job then the nipple should have been larger to get more surface area. I've owned this boat for five years and love the way she sails, but I'm truly concerned about sea worthiness. I've been offshore on many overnights and if this had come loose during one of those trips, instead of at the dock, we would have been in a lot of trouble. Tis is a cheap and shoddy design.
I spoke with the Beneteau dealer and was told that most Beneteau's have this design, ie the brass nipple in the stern tube. The water circulates up the stern tube and out the small seacock to cool and lubricate the shaft and the seal. The brass nipple only has two(2) threads because it can't be threaded any deeper into the stern tube without hitting the shaft. So the nipple is threaded in and then epoxy is used to hold it in place. Whether it can be repaired in the water depends on how dry we can keep it so the epoxy cures properly. We will use epoxy that can cure under water. I am very disappointed in this Beneteau design. If there needs to be a thru hull in the stern tube I would have expected it to be integral to the tube, NOT held in with two threads. If the epoxy was supposed to do the job then the nipple should have been larger to get more surface area. I've owned this boat for five years and love the way she sails, but I'm truly concerned about sea worthiness. I've been offshore on many overnights and if this had come loose during one of those trips, instead of at the dock, we would have been in a lot of trouble. Tis is a cheap and shoddy design.
HAD SAME PROBLEM
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF WATER UNDER THE SEAL IT WAS NOT THE SEAL THAT WAS LEAKING BUT WHERE THE PROP SHAFT LEAVES THE STERNTUBE MUST BE RESEALED WITH 5200 EVERY FEW YEARS. I SAW THIS ON MY DEALER G WINTERS RIVERSIDE NJ WEB SITE. IT STOPPED LEAKING AFTER I RESEALED WHEN ON THE HARD LAST WINTWER
I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WITH SMALL AMOUNTS OF WATER UNDER THE SEAL IT WAS NOT THE SEAL THAT WAS LEAKING BUT WHERE THE PROP SHAFT LEAVES THE STERNTUBE MUST BE RESEALED WITH 5200 EVERY FEW YEARS. I SAW THIS ON MY DEALER G WINTERS RIVERSIDE NJ WEB SITE. IT STOPPED LEAKING AFTER I RESEALED WHEN ON THE HARD LAST WINTWER
M
Mike
Good luck
Good luck with the fix and let us know how you make out. I've learned something about the design and function and will keep an eye on it with my 361.
Good luck with the fix and let us know how you make out. I've learned something about the design and function and will keep an eye on it with my 361.
G
G
rain water under shaft
I also had water in hte depression under the shaft. It was sweeet, so I know it wasn't the stuffing box, but I had a devil of a time finding it. After many attempts I isolated it to the cover on the aft starboard cockpit seat lid. I addded a rubber gasket and cured 90% of the problem.
I also had water in hte depression under the shaft. It was sweeet, so I know it wasn't the stuffing box, but I had a devil of a time finding it. After many attempts I isolated it to the cover on the aft starboard cockpit seat lid. I addded a rubber gasket and cured 90% of the problem.
S
Stan
All True
Everything said in the replies is accurate. The small sump under the shaft is meant to capture the small amounts of water. For environmental reasons the engine and shaft are not section does not run into the bilge. I've had a/c condensation, the aft freshwater tank, and the rain water all accumulate in the sump. Freshwater will never sink a boat. Even the small amount of seepage from coming from around the shaft log and migrating through the epoxy skeg will not cause a catastrophic failure. This bronze nipple failure can cause a catastrophic failure that could sink the boat. Beneteau should have a service bulletin out hat warns to check the integrity of the fitting. If the fitting is tight everything is okay and as there is nor pressure on the fitting it should be okay. I'm annoyed because there is nothing to suggest that I should have checked this as a potential point where water could infiltrate.
Everything said in the replies is accurate. The small sump under the shaft is meant to capture the small amounts of water. For environmental reasons the engine and shaft are not section does not run into the bilge. I've had a/c condensation, the aft freshwater tank, and the rain water all accumulate in the sump. Freshwater will never sink a boat. Even the small amount of seepage from coming from around the shaft log and migrating through the epoxy skeg will not cause a catastrophic failure. This bronze nipple failure can cause a catastrophic failure that could sink the boat. Beneteau should have a service bulletin out hat warns to check the integrity of the fitting. If the fitting is tight everything is okay and as there is nor pressure on the fitting it should be okay. I'm annoyed because there is nothing to suggest that I should have checked this as a potential point where water could infiltrate.
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