I just saiiled my new to me '83 Hunter 34 up from Seattle to Vancouver Island. I knew that the existing stuffing box leaked excessively so checked the blilge often. However, the water from the box pooled in the engine compartment pan and then spilled out onto the teak and holly sole. Therefore, the floor is rotting. It seems that all I have to do is drill one or two holes in the pan so it can drain into the bilge. Is that normal? Also, the info on a recent stuffing box post was very valuable. I have heard that it is possible to re-stuff the box while it is in the water if you are prepared for the flood when the last layer of rope comes out. Any thoughts?
stuffing box on 34 Hunter
- Thread starter dutchy
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Advice: Have the yard do it for you the first time. Be there to watch them do it. You will learn how the pros do it.
The issue with water in the engine bilge has been a problem on a lot of these boats. My '85 'H'31 had a hole drilled through from the engine bilge to the bilge below the companionway steps, which ultimately drained into the main bilge.
You also need to check the ice box drain. There should be al hose attached to the ice box drain to direct ice water into the main bilge too.
PS: What did you ever do for a prop?
The issue with water in the engine bilge has been a problem on a lot of these boats. My '85 'H'31 had a hole drilled through from the engine bilge to the bilge below the companionway steps, which ultimately drained into the main bilge.
You also need to check the ice box drain. There should be al hose attached to the ice box drain to direct ice water into the main bilge too.
PS: What did you ever do for a prop?
In truth, there should be NO "limber holes" connecting the engine pan to the main bilge as it can lead to unintended discharge of diesel, engine oil, or combination of both, overboard through your bilge pump, which can also lead to very healthy fines. Your engine pan should remain relatively dry, I'd get on that stuffing box problem ASAP.
Dutchy...
when the shaft log seal leaks, it commonly fills the engine bilge. The first spring after I bought my boat, the half hour motor from the storage yard to its summer slip practically filled the engine bilge. Scared the wits out of me until I figured out that all I needed to do was to loosen the lock nut and give the retainer nut a slight turn to compress the stuffing a little more.
Each spring it requires the same attention after six months on the hard in the cold. Try doing the tightening thing before learning to repack the seal in the midst of a flood--water will pour in at an alarming rate if you try to do the replacement in the water!
Honeyman is dead right too--DO NOT drill the engine bilge to drain it into the boat's main bilge. Any diesel leak will stink up the boat and earn you a hefty fine when the bilge pump puts it overboard for all to see and the EPA to find. It also keeps any leakage confined to that one area, making it easy to spot the source by the drip marks on the pan, and then remove it.
Try using Depends (stop laughing) or large disposable baby diapers under the engine to sop up any engine bilge fluids. They work a lot better than paper towels.
when the shaft log seal leaks, it commonly fills the engine bilge. The first spring after I bought my boat, the half hour motor from the storage yard to its summer slip practically filled the engine bilge. Scared the wits out of me until I figured out that all I needed to do was to loosen the lock nut and give the retainer nut a slight turn to compress the stuffing a little more.
Each spring it requires the same attention after six months on the hard in the cold. Try doing the tightening thing before learning to repack the seal in the midst of a flood--water will pour in at an alarming rate if you try to do the replacement in the water!
Honeyman is dead right too--DO NOT drill the engine bilge to drain it into the boat's main bilge. Any diesel leak will stink up the boat and earn you a hefty fine when the bilge pump puts it overboard for all to see and the EPA to find. It also keeps any leakage confined to that one area, making it easy to spot the source by the drip marks on the pan, and then remove it.
Try using Depends (stop laughing) or large disposable baby diapers under the engine to sop up any engine bilge fluids. They work a lot better than paper towels.
Re: Dutchy...
On my H34 there is a hole cut into the inner hull pan so when the stuffing box dripped the water fell on the hull surface and ran underneath the engine bay between the hull liner and hull inner surface. The interior of the engine bay is the top surface of the hull liner, so oil and diesel spills don't find their way into the main bilge. Now for the reality of the situation: the engine bay has a couple of holes drilled into the pan so the hot water heat exchanger hoses can get to the settee mounted hot water heater. Oil and diesel can get through there unless you pack the holes with rags and use the oil absorbing pillows. I like the Depends suggestions...might be having an inventory of those around someday anyway. Also, this boat has been designed to optimize the production of an extremely smelly interior. When that water goes between the hull and hull liner from the stuffing box, it doesn't actually end up in the bilge you see. It fills the hull up until it can run through the limber holes around the high side of the bilge (actually a sump) before it spills back down and can be evacuated by the bilge pump. The rest of the water stays trapped and in due time stinks to high heaven. As it sloshes around, guess what, it rots the floor from underneath.
So, what many of us have done is 1)cut the bottom out of the bilge. It is 1/4" fiberglass with a piece of rotten plywood underneath. This will give direct access to the hull inner surface. Don't be alarmed, the liner in the bilge gives no structural contribution to the boat down there and the hull is 1 3/8 inches thick. Mount the bilge pump there. 2) Change the packing gland to a PSS dripless mechanical seal the next time you haul the boat and that takes care of the water from that source.
This will take care of the water issues and future smells.
Good luck,
Allan
On my H34 there is a hole cut into the inner hull pan so when the stuffing box dripped the water fell on the hull surface and ran underneath the engine bay between the hull liner and hull inner surface. The interior of the engine bay is the top surface of the hull liner, so oil and diesel spills don't find their way into the main bilge. Now for the reality of the situation: the engine bay has a couple of holes drilled into the pan so the hot water heat exchanger hoses can get to the settee mounted hot water heater. Oil and diesel can get through there unless you pack the holes with rags and use the oil absorbing pillows. I like the Depends suggestions...might be having an inventory of those around someday anyway. Also, this boat has been designed to optimize the production of an extremely smelly interior. When that water goes between the hull and hull liner from the stuffing box, it doesn't actually end up in the bilge you see. It fills the hull up until it can run through the limber holes around the high side of the bilge (actually a sump) before it spills back down and can be evacuated by the bilge pump. The rest of the water stays trapped and in due time stinks to high heaven. As it sloshes around, guess what, it rots the floor from underneath.
So, what many of us have done is 1)cut the bottom out of the bilge. It is 1/4" fiberglass with a piece of rotten plywood underneath. This will give direct access to the hull inner surface. Don't be alarmed, the liner in the bilge gives no structural contribution to the boat down there and the hull is 1 3/8 inches thick. Mount the bilge pump there. 2) Change the packing gland to a PSS dripless mechanical seal the next time you haul the boat and that takes care of the water from that source.
This will take care of the water issues and future smells.
Good luck,
Allan
sounds like you are asking for a science project growing withing the ribs. Its gonna smells with that biofilm. What I did was to buy a tupperware tub (about 4x6) - not too big - rectangular, carved a crescent under the short end so it fits/tucks just under the aft packing hose. It stays put. Low on the front end of the tub I attached a lnipple and a hose which feeds thu next to the battery cables in the front lip of the engine compartment floor and then thru to the portside rib weep hole and directly into the bilge. Stays pretty clean in the engine box and between the ribs.
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