I had promised a photo of the rudder stuffing box on my H33. This photo is a shot of the nuts that I think everybody has a problem with. I will be trying to loosen the nuts and inserting new flax soon. I am told on prior posts that the nuts will be frozen and that they may need to be cut off. Will keep everybody interested informed with a photo step by step. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
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H33 rudder packing nut
Ken, from the great condition of the packing nut that your photo shows, I would bet that you won't have any trouble at all after the lock nut is broken loose. If there is initial difficulty PB Blaster for a few days soaking ought to help. I notice from the owner's directory that your H33 is a 1981 and that you sail in fresh water. Your rudder tube seems to be in great condition like the boat has always been in fresh water. Sam Lust is the only H33 owner I remember who has had a great deal of trouble with this nut. Since his boat is one of the very last, it is certainly possible that Hunter just got a bad batch of nuts late in production and that the early models will all be free of this particular problem. Sam's original post scared me and I was very relieved to find that my older boat had no trouble at all. Mine is a 79 that has always been in salt water. I'm including a photo below of the same nut taken a while back with the packing nut loose. It doesn't look nearly as good as yours but still operates just fine with no impairing corrosion. The block into which the rudder bearing tube is imbedded rises higher toward the upper bearing in your boat than it does in mine making yours stiffer and stronger I would think. I tried to strengthen mine by glassing the block to the hull all around. I also glassed over the cavity aft of the block to keep water leaking from the lazerette from standing there. One problem certainly common to all the H33s is the insanely inaccessible position of this nut. I notice from the cant of your photo that you must have just shoved the camera down there and hoped for the best just like I had to do to get a photo of the area. Any procedures that you come up with to handle this adjustment in what amounts to a blind location will certainly be a good addition to the H33 information.
Ken, from the great condition of the packing nut that your photo shows, I would bet that you won't have any trouble at all after the lock nut is broken loose. If there is initial difficulty PB Blaster for a few days soaking ought to help. I notice from the owner's directory that your H33 is a 1981 and that you sail in fresh water. Your rudder tube seems to be in great condition like the boat has always been in fresh water. Sam Lust is the only H33 owner I remember who has had a great deal of trouble with this nut. Since his boat is one of the very last, it is certainly possible that Hunter just got a bad batch of nuts late in production and that the early models will all be free of this particular problem. Sam's original post scared me and I was very relieved to find that my older boat had no trouble at all. Mine is a 79 that has always been in salt water. I'm including a photo below of the same nut taken a while back with the packing nut loose. It doesn't look nearly as good as yours but still operates just fine with no impairing corrosion. The block into which the rudder bearing tube is imbedded rises higher toward the upper bearing in your boat than it does in mine making yours stiffer and stronger I would think. I tried to strengthen mine by glassing the block to the hull all around. I also glassed over the cavity aft of the block to keep water leaking from the lazerette from standing there. One problem certainly common to all the H33s is the insanely inaccessible position of this nut. I notice from the cant of your photo that you must have just shoved the camera down there and hoped for the best just like I had to do to get a photo of the area. Any procedures that you come up with to handle this adjustment in what amounts to a blind location will certainly be a good addition to the H33 information.
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Easy Access
Terry, I think you're right about the frozen nuts. Mine are still in great shape. You can easily reach the box and nuts by removing the plywood board that's covered with carpet at the stern end of the rear port berth. Mine just stays in place by friction as the screws were removed long ago for this purpose.
Terry, I think you're right about the frozen nuts. Mine are still in great shape. You can easily reach the box and nuts by removing the plywood board that's covered with carpet at the stern end of the rear port berth. Mine just stays in place by friction as the screws were removed long ago for this purpose.
Easier than prop shaft stuffing box
Right you are Dallas. I would rather squeeze into the space behind the port rear berth then stand on my head trying to adjust the stuffing box nuts on the prop shaft. That panel comes off easily, and you can lay down while you work. It's good to hear the encouraging words. Now all I need is a little time and weather to do the job. Liberty launches in one month, so should be able to to the job soon. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
Right you are Dallas. I would rather squeeze into the space behind the port rear berth then stand on my head trying to adjust the stuffing box nuts on the prop shaft. That panel comes off easily, and you can lay down while you work. It's good to hear the encouraging words. Now all I need is a little time and weather to do the job. Liberty launches in one month, so should be able to to the job soon. Ken Palmer, S/V Liberty
easy access?
Ken and Dallas I agree that removing the quarterberth partition is the way to get into the area. My problem is that once I am reclining, the upper bearing support shelf puts the nuts out of sight. At least for the propeller shaft packing nut, I can see it. Ken, if you work out a good procedure for the rudder post packing nut, please post it.
Ken and Dallas I agree that removing the quarterberth partition is the way to get into the area. My problem is that once I am reclining, the upper bearing support shelf puts the nuts out of sight. At least for the propeller shaft packing nut, I can see it. Ken, if you work out a good procedure for the rudder post packing nut, please post it.
Had to replace the nuts on mine
My 1980 saltwater 33 had to have the upper nut replaced, as it developed what looked like crevice corrosion and would leak, plus didn't seem to be very strong in the corroded areas. We had no problem getting them off, but had to have a new one fabricated as Hunter cannot supply and they were made by company no longer in business - have them made out of stainless if your replace - cost about $300 for the fab, high, but what else do you do?
My 1980 saltwater 33 had to have the upper nut replaced, as it developed what looked like crevice corrosion and would leak, plus didn't seem to be very strong in the corroded areas. We had no problem getting them off, but had to have a new one fabricated as Hunter cannot supply and they were made by company no longer in business - have them made out of stainless if your replace - cost about $300 for the fab, high, but what else do you do?
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