repacking rudder shaft

[chelsabella]

I am repacking my rudder shaft. After removing the old packing I purchased 5/16 GFO packing. 1 ring fits pefectly with not much if anything to compress once the top metal ring is bolted down. is that correct? If I put in a second ring it will not be in the channel. looking for help. The boat is a 1984 C-30 SRFK

Ron
Chels-A-Bella
Warwick,RI

 

[Stu Jackson]

5/16 is WAY too big, get it OUT NOW

or you'll score your shaft!!!

Use either 3/16, which most use, or 1/4, which RARELY is correct for your boat or any C34s or C36s, but some, a very few have reported that it works for them.

 

[Maine Sail]

Rudder..

or you'll score your shaft!!!

Use either 3/16, which most use, or 1/4, which RARELY is correct for your boat or any C34s or C36s, but some, a very few have reported that it works for them.

Stu,

Are you aware he's talking about a rudder shaft not a prop shaft? My C-36 rudder took 5/16 IIRC..

 

[Stu Jackson]

I blew it!

Stu,

Are you aware he's talking about a rudder shaft not a prop shaft? My C-36 rudder took 5/16 IIRC..

MS, you're right, sorry and apologies to chelsabella. MS is right.

 

[chelsabella]

Re: Rudder..

Maine Sail
Do you recall if it took more than 1 ring?

 

[Maine Sail]

Maine Sail
Do you recall if it took more than 1 ring?

I think I got four in there but if you can only get three that's should work too.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Here's a link that says 3/8

http://www.c34.org/wiki/index.php?title=Packing_Gland

Given the duty, it seems both sizes would work.

 

[chelsabella]

Results

I have received info from Catalina yachts that the rudder shaft stuffing box on my '84 C-30 calls for one ring of 5/16 packing
Ron
Chels-A-Bella

 

[Maine Sail]

I have received info from Catalina yachts that the rudder shaft stuffing box on my '84 C-30 calls for one ring of 5/16 packing
Ron
Chels-A-Bella

Sorry for the bad info on number of rings. It must have been my old Cape Dory that took three or four not my C-36. I just dug through some old photos of the C-36 and now I remember that stuffing box and it definitely only took one ring.