leak into stuffing box

[newboatowner]

Hope every had a safe and enjoyable summer.
I have confronted a problem that I cannot, for the life of me, understand.
I have a 1980 Cat 30 and was motoring in Gardiner's Bay on the east end of Long Island when I noticed an intermitent small stream of water coming from the area of my ice box into the stuffing box. This only occurred, however, when under power and stopped when the engine idled in neutral or under sail. This water appeared to be coming from under the cabin deck in the area of the cooling box so I thought that it was leaking water from the ice thaw. That proved incorrect.
I went out again yesterday, in reallly rough waters with 20-25 knot winds. Not a good move for a novice solo sailor but I was motoring through 4 foot seas when I looked at the stuffing box and there it was again. I made the mistake of crawling under the cock pit and removed the access panel to the transom and no water was coming in from anywhere. The only thing I accomplished was getting sea sick. I went back to the stuffing box and tasted the water and it appeared fresh. At this point, I couldn't even the sails up and went back to the marina. I looked in the diesel tank area and found that there was water accumulating under it on the aft side. I soaked up the water with a rag and ran the prop at the mooring. No water. I did find a leak in the fresh water pumping system. The question if this is the source of water, why would it leak only under power?

 

[jrowan]

I also have a 1980 C 30 so you're in good company. Do you have the 5411?
I wouldn't think so it you were able to motor through 4 foot seas! Leaks can be hard to determine, as there are so many areas that can leak on a sailboat of any kind, not just A C 30 in particular. If the water tasted fresh then you have narrowed it down as its not a hull or stuffing box leak. But remember when you're out under way the rattling of the boat under power can loosen up clamps on hoses. But it can also vibrate & dislodge puddles of water that may have been located in another areas, & shifted them. Small amounts of fresh water pooling can also be from rain entering leaking port holes (very common), leaks from hatch boards, leaks from the pedestal steering column, emergency tiller connection, the mast column wiring penetration, etc. I would also check the hose clamps on your fresh water tanks under the starboard setee & forward under the Vee birth.

 

[newboatowner]

Thanbks for the reply. I was out today in the same area with winds at 15 to 20 with 2 foot seas. It was a handful for a solo but I throughly enjoyed it. However, I thought that I had discovered the source of the water and tightened up some hoses and when I was motoring out of the harbor there was no stream entering the stuffing box. However, when I started back, I lifted the cover and there it was again. This time, I got a good taste of it and it was salty.
Has anyone had any problem with the sleeve between where the prop shaft enters the hull just before the rubber and packing nut? It may be that mine is pitted and when the prop shaft turns, it pushes water past the sleeve.

 

[jrowan]

You may have a minor leak at the stuffing box outer seals, which after 33 years of wear would not be unusual. But remember that the shaft packing its self is supposed to drip, to stop it from overheating & scoring the prop shaft. It should drip several times a minute. Unless you have a major leak where your bilge pump is running once every few minutes, I wouldn't drive yourself trying to keep out every drip from entering the bilge. It's impossible to have a completely dry bilge in a Catalina 30, from my experience. There are just too many sources of potential leaks. I try to be diligent & check hoses & clamps & all thru hull fittings, keep valves shut when not in use, caulk around deck fittings & portholes regularly, make sure that my bilge pump works before I leave my boat, & hope for the best just like all of us have to do.

 

[newboatowner]

I do see and understand the need for the drip at the packing nut but this is a situation where water is accumulating aft of the box. I believe that I may have a desintergrating stuffing log. Would you know how difficult it would be to repair this? I know that the shaft has to be removed but can a smaller diameter log be inserted and bonded to the outside of the hull?