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| Author |
Message |
    
Drew
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 08:14 pm: | 
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I am considering buying a 1962 Revel Craft cuddy cabin. It has an inboard engine and drive. The prop seal is dripping where the shaft goes through the floor of the hull. I am painfully new at this inboard stuff. Is this common? And can it be fixed by tightening the packing nut at the seal? The rest of the boat looks in great condition, I just do not want to make the wrong move purchasing this boat if leaking is a constant issue. Any advise? |
andrew
| | Posted on Monday, September 29, 2003 - 08:35 pm: |
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Drew,
It's pretty hard for anyone here to evaluate that boat without seeing it. I would suggest that you get a marine surveyor, marine mechanic, or someone with experience building or repairing boats to take a look at it for you prior to buying it.
Regards, Andrew |
Eddie
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 12:21 pm: |
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Drew,
The stuffing box on an inboard boat is supposed to leak very slowly. The small amount of water actually helps lubricate the shaft. There is a gland on the stuffing box that tightens down on the packing which you can periodically tighten to reduce excessive dripping. Eventually you have to repack the stuffing box. Check with a boat yard to see what that would cost. As Andrew says have a boat surveyed by a licenced surveyor before you buy it for your protection and peace of mind.
Eddie |
marks
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 09:11 pm: |
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Drew,
Andrew and Eddie are right. You should always get a survey before purchase unless the purchase price is very low. If the boat is wooden then it is sometimes difficult to find a surveyor whom is good with wooden boats.
Repacking the gland is straight forward. If it is the square gland material you cut it to length to go onto the shaft in a dougnut fashion. Stagger the joints though.
If it is round material then you wind it onto the shaft in a spiral pattern.
Mark S. |
richarddurgee
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 30, 2003 - 11:00 pm: |
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The incessant drip of shaft logs in boats that spend any time in the water require an automatic bilge pump, a battery to power it, a battery charger to keep the battery charged, a shore power cord to supply power to it ?? It's a problem especially on a small boat. The answer is the dripless shaft log seals. web site below is only one kind , there are many different brands.
http://www.a1discountprop.com/shaftseals-duramaxstand.htm |
Richard Day
| | Posted on Wednesday, October 01, 2003 - 08:41 pm: |
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I have had excellent results using the round 7/32 dia. Teflon plumbers valve stem packing. I cut it into C washer shape and alternate the end cut. Don't just wrap a length around the shaft as it wiil tend to wrap itself tighter and in the end destroy the seal. The teflon seams to lubbricate the shaft and the gland only needs to be finger tight to get a total seal. Don't forget to set the gland lock nut other wise you may have problems with the gland rotating. I inject seawater into the shaft stuffing box just aft of the seal to lubricate the shaft. This insures that there is always water at the stuffing box when under way as the flow of water under the hull seems to otherwise drain the shaft alley of water. Grainger sells the Teflon as follows.
4X773 3/32" 20' roll Approx $8.00
5X585 5/32" 120" " " $10.00
5X720 7/32" 84" " " $12.00
The small size is the great packing for needle valves on Schebler and similar carburetor needle valves. |
drew
| | Posted on Thursday, October 02, 2003 - 07:16 pm: |
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The responses have been very helpful. I have been a mechanic in the trucking business for fifteen years. I have restored one boat. Nothing as old as you guys have I'm sure. The boat I am looking at is a 1963 model Revel Craft. She is 24' long and had a Chrysler inboard. The hull is fiberglass and she is in the water at a local marina. She has a very nice berth with all the goodies. My wife and I love old boats and we are looking forward to the project. All the basics seem to be solid. Fiber hull, low hours on new engine, well kept, just needs TLC and a new owner. We were thinking naming her "Nostalgic". I have wanted a nice weekender for years. Wish us luck? |
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