Rudder Post Packing

[t boiman]

Question:What is the average life of the packing in the rudder post stuffing box?How difficult to replace? Can this be done while the boat is in the water?Any suggestion?Would appreciate any advice.

 

[jim logan]

Rudder packing

Don't know about average life, but i know that many people on this forum have written about repacking/rebuilding the rudder stuffing box on their 1979-83 H33's. As it sits below water line, it must work well. I have repacked in the water, but you can't pull all the old out without a lot of water coming into the boat leading to panic and excessive strain, all while you are standing on your head ! Easier to pull boat and really look at the area without worrying about sinking. It is common on these boats to have both the packing nut and rudder stock deteriorate, even though they are stainless steel, because they are under water and stainless corrodes in low oxygen environments. I have mine apart now, and have deep pitting on rudder stock where the packing bears against stock, it will probably seal, but I am having to get a new packing nut machined, as Hunter does not carry the parts anymore, and the stock one has had a hole corrode into it. - There are a series of articles in the archives about this problem and solutions.

 

[Tim Schaaf]

longer rudder tube

If you haul your boat and go to the trouble of removing the stainless bearing tube, you might consider mounting it inside a new fiberglass tube (better adhesion to the hull). You can then raise the tube to a level where the packing gland will be above the water, making for easier maintenance. if you are into glasswork, you can build a supporting structure that makes the whole business way stronger. By the way, if the rudder is wobbling in the tube, if there is enough room, consider simply wrapping the shaft in a thin layer of a teflon like plastic. It will shim the bearing and lubricate and last a long time.