I have stayed with the traditional stuffing box, for reasons we could debate till the cows come home. :naughty: Anyway, it had a more than average drip last year so yesterday I figured it was time before launching the boat to repack the unit. The PO had taken the locking nut and ran it all the way to the shaft log until it was out of thread and clamped the packing nut all the way also. Anyway, (using that outstanding article from this site on replacing packing) I got into the job. Now what I removed seemed like the old cotton type and there were only two rings of the stuff, and it looked larger than the 3/16" they say our stuffing is. I put the normal three rings in, and there seemed to be to much room still, so taking the advice in the article I added a forth ring. With it all clamped up now, (no drip at rest) it looks like I could have put a fifth ring in place.
Okay, so those of you that have stayed with the stuffing box, how many rings have you installed? I used the 3/6" Gore Packing. When the boat ran to get her in the slip I had a little "black - graphite water" accumulate, so I can see that I am getting lubrication, don't know my drips per min yet in gear. (seemed like I might have over tightened at first because I used up so much adjustment in the nut, but) Just thought I would check in and ask the experts....
It was great to launch yesterday, spent the first half of the day getting a nice coat of wax on the hull, over an hour pulling the mast wires back into the boat through that conduit they installed, bad design, and am in the water. So you say, what is the big deal? Well I am in the middle of WI, and most years at this time we still have snow on the ground, and ice on the bay. :dance:
Okay, so those of you that have stayed with the stuffing box, how many rings have you installed? I used the 3/6" Gore Packing. When the boat ran to get her in the slip I had a little "black - graphite water" accumulate, so I can see that I am getting lubrication, don't know my drips per min yet in gear. (seemed like I might have over tightened at first because I used up so much adjustment in the nut, but) Just thought I would check in and ask the experts....
It was great to launch yesterday, spent the first half of the day getting a nice coat of wax on the hull, over an hour pulling the mast wires back into the boat through that conduit they installed, bad design, and am in the water. So you say, what is the big deal? Well I am in the middle of WI, and most years at this time we still have snow on the ground, and ice on the bay. :dance:
