Stuffing box question

[Hungryfroggy]

Hi all,
I am brand new to sailing, just got a Catalina 30. I was cleaning the boat and found the stuffing box to be moist, with a drop of water about to drip off of it. After reading, I learn that this is normal. From where the sea-water drips down off the stuffing box, down under the diesel engine, and then down to the bilge, there is a constant wet trail of salt. Anyways, my question is this: For cleanliness, odor, and corrosion prevention, what do people typically do from a routine maintenance perspective? I was thinking about just pouring some fresh water (maybe some diluted bleach to kill any stinky micro-organisms) over the stuffing box every few weeks to wash away the trail of salt into the bilge. My next question, is if it is advisable to upgrade to a dripless-stuffing box? I believe that this stuffing box drip is the only thing keeping my bilge moist and I would really like a dry bilge! Lastly, any harm in using simple green or bleach in the bilge? Thanks!

 

[garymalmgren]

A sponge under the drip and one further along the trail to the bilge keeps my boat dry.
tThe water evaporates out of the sponges.

Anyways, my question is this: For cleanliness, odor, and corrosion prevention, what do people typically do from a routine maintenance perspective?

Don't sweat it. There will always be a bit of grime around the stern gland and engine. Spray a bit of WD 40 on a rag and give it a wipe, (once a month or so for me). There should be no odor from salt water and the green corrosion that you see on the bronze stern gland is called patina.

As for upgrading (?) to dripless, if you are prepared to pay, go for it.
Otherwise, stick with a couple of drips from a tried and proven system.

gary

 

[Rich Stidger]

Ideally a standard stuffing box should drip 3-5 drops per minute when the shaft is turning. After the shaft has stopped, the drips should also stop after 10 minutes or so.
Having said that, my stuffing box drips 2-3 drops per minute when stopped and 4-7 drops when running. Some owners prefer a perfectly dry bilge and others like me don't care if there is 1-2 inches of water in the bilge. I have at least a couple other sources of bilge water so a drip-less stuffing box just isn't important to me. YMMV.
Regarding your question of adding bleach or simple green to the bilge- I would not add bleach because I think it is corrosive to any metal parts. As for Simple Green- I don't know. There is a very recent thread about black water in a bilge and the discussion included what kinds of cleaning products to add.
At fall layup, I dump my hot water tank into my bilge and add a liquid soap or detergent. After scrubbing with a long handle brush, I pump and then rinse the bilge to be clean.

 

[jaysweet]

I go with the chunk of sponge. Mine usually has no drips when sitting in the slip, and the sponge basically keeps any water from propagating any further. Wash the sponge out every now and then with soap to keep it from getting moldy. If it drips too much, you probably need to either tighten it or repack. No big deal.

 

[capta]

I had considered a dripless until I found out that the boat must be hauled should the bellows develop a leak.
If a dry bilge is that important to you, just tighten the stuffing box after each sail and loosen it again before you sail again.

 

[Stu Jackson]

just tighten the stuffing box after each sail and loosen it again before you sail again.

Not advisable. You don't want to back off on the box once it's set. Why? Because you are working with a compressed area of flax which works because it is compressed. Repeated backing off that pressure is not what the flax is designed to do. All reputable stuffing box articles I've ever read recommend to not do this.
Just adjust it properly, check it reasonably regularly, and use the sponge idea if you like the concept, it is a very good one.

 

[JRT]

Man why didn't I hear about a sponge! I have little plastic drip pan under mine to catch and clean out now, I'll add a sponge to it and see how that works out.