Sabre 34 stuffing box access

[Gpa1950]

This is my first sailboat, I am pretty sure that my stuffing box is leaking, and I have no clue how to get to it.

 

[Maine Sail]

This is my first sailboat, I am pretty sure that my stuffing box is leaking, and I have no clue how to get to it.

You don't say which Sabre 34 so impossible to say. If it is a MKI it will depends which side your shaft exits, port or starboard. If it's port exit, most common & typically with a Westerbeke, you remove the access panel in the quarter berth, the one under the cushions, lay on your side and do it one handed. Not a particularly easy job.....

 

[Gpa1950]

You don't say which Sabre 34 so impossible to say. If it is a MKI it will depends which side your shaft exits, port or starboard. If it's port exit, most common & typically with a Westerbeke, you remove the access panel in the quarter berth, the one under the cushions, lay on your side and do it one handed. Not a particularly easy job.....

Yeah, it's a 1984 with a Westerbeke and port side prop, so what your saying is that it is a one handed blind job. Thnx.

 

[Maine Sail]

Yeah, it's a 1984 with a Westerbeke and port side prop, so what your saying is that it is a one handed blind job. Thnx.

Pretty much...

 

[jssailem]

one handed blind job

This might not be the time to try changing the stuffing box while floating at the dock.

Especially as this sounds like your first time.

 

[jviss]

changing the stuffing box

One doesn't "change the stuffing box." He might just need to tighten it a bit.

 

[jssailem]

One doesn't "change the stuffing box."

Opps I did it again... I said ‘Change my clothes when I meant to say change my stained tighty whitey under pants... My bad’.

Remove and replace the flax (or similar) stuffing in the metal (sometimes plastic) fitting known as a “stuffing box”. It really does not have a box shape. It is a round bronze but sometimes plastic nut fitting that wraps the engine’s propeller shaft. You can see if tightening the concentric nuts will stop the drip. Or you can separate them and remove/replace the material known as “stuffing” but is really a gasket material when compressed forms a seal around the shaft to stope water from entering the boat along the shaft.

 

[Tally Ho]

Sounds like a “try to tighten” scenario to me. If that doesn’t stop the drip, wait until haul out to repack.

If it really is that hard to see the stuffing box, how do you know when you have tightened it enough to stop the drip?

Greg

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

If you ever do get to it .............................

https://marinehowto.com/re-packing-a-traditional-stuffing-box/

 

[Meriachee]

Are we sure that it's leaking or performing as expected? It should drip a tad when the engine is running.

 

[Justin_NSA]

If it comes to it, the location of the seal sounds like repacking will be a PITA to get right. Is it time for a....wait for it....dripless seal!

 

[Meriachee]

..dripless seal!

It wasn't a question of who or when. Well, ok, it was a question of who or when. Ha ha

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

dripless seal!

If he can't reach the stuffing box, installing a mechanical seal should be a piece of ________ . Your choice of descriptor.

 

[Justin_NSA]

If he can't reach the stuffing box, installing a mechanical seal should be a piece of ________ . Your choice of descriptor.

It wouldn't be as hard as trying to get the packing in correctly.

 

[Meriachee]

Installing a pss was easier than stopping window leaks.

 

[Tally Ho]

Installing a pss was easier than stopping window leaks.

Yeah, but you could see the windows

Greg

 

[Ralph Johnstone]

Installing a pss was easier than stopping window leaks.

But your window leaks can NEVER be stopped .

 

[Meriachee]

But your window leaks can NEVER be stopped .

Well yeah, if you guys would quit sending us the freakin rain!