Seized Stuffing Box Woes

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Terry Arnold

leak location finding

Marvin, it is certainly possible that water could be leaking through a faulty bonding of the rudder bearing tube with the hull. ...Especially if the boat has grounded hard on the rudder. Check to see if the tabbing on the upper rudder shaft bearing is still securely fastened. On my boat, tabbing was loosened probably from an earlier grounding and had to be redone. The rudder area of the H33 is insanely inaccessible, even going in aft of the quarterberth but it is possible to get in there with a lot of squirming. The rudder mounted through a kind of skeg section produces a marked v on the inside of the hull which at least makes it a bit easier to determine just where water gets into the trough. i would clean all of the accumulated gunk out of this v, dry it out and then get back in there while underway and see where the water first shows up. As a strengthening measure on my boat, I glassed in the block that the rudder tube is embedded in. As the photo shows, on the 79 H33 there is a good bit of room above the block that could be used for extra layup to strenthen and seal around the outside of the tube if that is necessary. You can see in the photo whre I glassed in the whole area aft of the rudder tube block to keep water from ponding back there.
 

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Bob C

Marvin

I do not have a forward drain in my cockpit. I don't think it's something that Hunter installed, at least not on the earlier models. I've seen it mentioned here a few times in the past. My feeling on the water that pools here it that I'd rather have it sloushing around the floor of the cockpit than draining into a hose over my engine. If you reroute it aft be careful if you try to integrate it with the aft cockpit drain. If you damage the large hose on the the aft drain it will be nearly impossible to replace, the hose must have been installed when they put the deck on. Unless you can fine a bellows style hose of the same diameter I don't know how you could get a new hose in place. Good Luck. I you would like, feel free to e-mail me directly. rconnors@brooks.com
 
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Pat McCartin

A question..

Marvin, It appears that there are no hoes clamps on your prop shaft packing hose. I hope I missed something. Pat
 
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Marvin Muller

Pat

Your correct, the photo was taken after I had disconnected the hose clamps and backed-off the packing nut from the prop shaft packing gland.
 
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Terry Arnold

corroded packing rudder tube packing nut

Marvin, whatever other troubles you may have, your photo shows a packing nut assembly that seems beyond hope. Below is a link to Sam Lust's removal of his similarly corroded nut and also his source of a replacement. You may want to try and contact Sam directly.
 
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Sam Lust

What's all this about rusty nuts?

WOW! Based on the picture, Marvin, the remains of your nut are far worse than what I had to deal with. At least the shoulder of mine where the flats are was intact, enabling me to power it off with the air chisel. I can't make out any real detail but I'm guessing you're kind of screwed. If I were attacking this I would douse it with real penetrating oil, heat, re-douse, wait. Then I'd carefully cut a vertical slot in it stopping just short of the tube itself. (Dremel tool or equivalent,) then bang a chisel into the slot to break the nut and allow you to peel it off. This is of course IF the two pieces aren't corrosion seized together into one mass. Even if you do get it off it is dubious how much thread will be left on the tube, but that's jumping ahead too far. Good luck doing all that work in that sloped, cramped area of the hull. Keep us informed on your progress on this one. I'm sure all of us are fascinated to see how you do. Once you have the tube clear and have assessed the condition of the threads (posted pictures would be good here) we can get into your next step. I have plenty of time on my hands now as my 33 is in the side yard on it's trailer, the mast is on the ground awaiting sand blasting to get rid of what's left of the paint. Other than that I have just a few minor projects planned, like laying new laminate in the galley counter top, installing 11 new NFM stainless opening ports, painting the non-skid, increasing the aft extension of the rudder (1 1/2 inches wasn't enough, I'd sure like to hear more about that 7" extension), adding a bob stay to the anchor platform to bring the head stay forward about 16 inches, lace the leather wrap on the wheel, install the auto pilot, make up the final version of the pedestal mounted instrument console, align the engine, install and plumb the new custom holding tank, and maybe a few other odds and ends. Once that's done I'm not sure what I'll do in January and February. (Just kidding.) Keep us up to date on this one. Sam Lust slust@LESCO.net
 
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Marvin Muller

Hey Sam

I spent quite a bit of time on the boat this past weekend. Most of it removing deck hardware in anticipation of the upcoming paint job. I eventually wedged myself under the aft cockpit and tried yet again to get a hold of the nut and the base with two separate wrenches. However, this time I noticed that the entire assembly rotates! I don't mean just the rudder shaft. The nut and the post onto which the nut is stuck also rotate quite easily. Am I right to think that this is a problem??? Shouldn't the rudder post be fixed in place??? The obvious problem remains that I can't get the nut to back-off the post. I just purchased a fresh can of Liquid Wrench in preparation for the weekend. However, my patience is rapidly decreasing and I'm probably going to chisel the nut off forcibly. -Marvin
 
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Sam Lust

This does not sound good...

The rundder tube should certainly not turn. It is, as far as I know just a piece of stainless tube with a thread cut at the top end stuck into a puddle of thickened resin in the area that forms what is called the "princess fairing" for the rudder. This loosness could be yet another source of water finding it's way into the boat. While I haven't expeerienced this myself, I think others here at the site have discussed it. Again, a check of the archives might help. I think if I were attacking this I would follow the following procedure. Drop the rudder push the tube up to see if there is enough space to remove it that way intact. If not; Measure the full length, sawzall off the seizes remains if the nut, then drive the tube down and out. Call Buck Algonquin in Delaware to arrange to have a replacement tube and nut made up from the sample. They're the guys who made my replacement nut and will know how to proceed. When the replacement arrives, I would dimple the outside surface, slather it with epoxy and drive it in, then fill the remainder of the cavity with resin slurry in small doses to avoid excessive heat. I would think that would hold it in and provide additional support. Now tell us more about the "Paint Job".
 
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