I have a slow leak from the rudder stuffing box in my 1981 Hunter 27. It seems to be worse when beating to weather or under power (prop wash?) but I can't figure out a way to really access the box short of cloning a 'Mini-Me' and sending him in through the cockpit locker. Does anyone have any advice on how to approach and fix this problem?
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Ed Schenck
Can't get in there?
If it is leaking while sailing then you probably have the tranny in neutral. With it in reverse the shaft should not turn and there should be no dripping. If it drips when the shaft is NOT turning then you need to find a way to get at it. On my H37C I cut the opening in the q-berth that was standard on later models. Before that I could work on the stuffing box by laying on top of the diesel with my feet straight out into the salon. No fun. I think it is possible that your H27 is missing an access that is there on later models. I replaced my packing once I was on the hard for the winter. Two rings of Teflon coated with one wide ring of the "dripless" packing in the middle. Now I keep it adjusted for no drips when under power.
If it is leaking while sailing then you probably have the tranny in neutral. With it in reverse the shaft should not turn and there should be no dripping. If it drips when the shaft is NOT turning then you need to find a way to get at it. On my H37C I cut the opening in the q-berth that was standard on later models. Before that I could work on the stuffing box by laying on top of the diesel with my feet straight out into the salon. No fun. I think it is possible that your H27 is missing an access that is there on later models. I replaced my packing once I was on the hard for the winter. Two rings of Teflon coated with one wide ring of the "dripless" packing in the middle. Now I keep it adjusted for no drips when under power.
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Ed Schenck
Can't get in there?
If it is leaking while sailing then you probably have the tranny in neutral. With it in reverse the shaft should not turn and there should be no dripping. If it drips when the shaft is NOT turning then you need to find a way to get at it. On my H37C I cut the opening in the q-berth that was standard on later models. Before that I could work on the stuffing box by laying on top of the diesel with my feet straight out into the salon. No fun. I think it is possible that your H27 is missing an access that is there on later models. I replaced my packing once I was on the hard for the winter. Two rings of Teflon coated with one wide ring of the "dripless" packing in the middle. Now I keep it adjusted for no drips when under power.
If it is leaking while sailing then you probably have the tranny in neutral. With it in reverse the shaft should not turn and there should be no dripping. If it drips when the shaft is NOT turning then you need to find a way to get at it. On my H37C I cut the opening in the q-berth that was standard on later models. Before that I could work on the stuffing box by laying on top of the diesel with my feet straight out into the salon. No fun. I think it is possible that your H27 is missing an access that is there on later models. I replaced my packing once I was on the hard for the winter. Two rings of Teflon coated with one wide ring of the "dripless" packing in the middle. Now I keep it adjusted for no drips when under power.
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John New
Not the prop shaft box....
Thanks for the advice, Ed, but it isn't the prop shaft stuffing box (which I can get to for brief periods of time before the blood pools in my brain and I pass out). It's the stuffing box on the rudder. Have you or anyone else dealt with this before?
Thanks for the advice, Ed, but it isn't the prop shaft stuffing box (which I can get to for brief periods of time before the blood pools in my brain and I pass out). It's the stuffing box on the rudder. Have you or anyone else dealt with this before?
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Carl Foster
Rudder shaft leak?
Are you sure the leak is from rudder shaft? My '79 27' has a solid tube the shaft runs in, in other words no stuffing box. Mine is tiller steering, maybe wheel steering set up different. Did have mysterius leak in that area under beating conditions but not under power, after much hair pulling found that water coming on deck on high side traveled to vent on transom then to engine bilge then cabin sole-very scary until figured out. Made small dam on lower portion of vent to cure.Hope maybe this is of some use to you.
Are you sure the leak is from rudder shaft? My '79 27' has a solid tube the shaft runs in, in other words no stuffing box. Mine is tiller steering, maybe wheel steering set up different. Did have mysterius leak in that area under beating conditions but not under power, after much hair pulling found that water coming on deck on high side traveled to vent on transom then to engine bilge then cabin sole-very scary until figured out. Made small dam on lower portion of vent to cure.Hope maybe this is of some use to you.
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Ed Schenck
Can't read.
You would think a computer analyst could read. I guess I was in too much of a hurry, left the office early and went sailing yesterday. And I have had a couple of double postings recently. Seems to happen when I leave to check something else on the web before I "Submit Response". Not sure why it doesn't reject since there is already a post with that title. At any rate I can be of no help with rudder stuffing box since our boats are very different in that area. Good luck.
You would think a computer analyst could read. I guess I was in too much of a hurry, left the office early and went sailing yesterday. And I have had a couple of double postings recently. Seems to happen when I leave to check something else on the web before I "Submit Response". Not sure why it doesn't reject since there is already a post with that title. At any rate I can be of no help with rudder stuffing box since our boats are very different in that area. Good luck.
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Paul Nebeling
Access to the rudder area
My 1978 Hunter 27 has an access panel on the aft end of the quarterberth. It might be a previous owner's modification, but it does come in handy to access the rudder and cockpit drain systems.
My 1978 Hunter 27 has an access panel on the aft end of the quarterberth. It might be a previous owner's modification, but it does come in handy to access the rudder and cockpit drain systems.
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