Need to identify this shaft greasing system

[Michael D]

Sorry no picture. Shaft enters at the stern gland. There are small holes presumably to allow water in to cool at that point. The shaft upon entering the hull is contained in a tube. I do not know if the tube contains water or grease. The shaft exits up close to the transmission. At that point or at that bearing there is a grease fitting, grease tube and that leads to a bronze cylinder with a screw on top and T handle plunger. Inside is grease storage.

The boat was built in England by Westerly but the above may have been installed after marked. No luck in tracking it down by the usual methods.

Questions

1 Proper name of this type of setup
2 Name of manufacturer
3. Some sort of instructions on maintenance and operation.

Since all works fine now I hate to tear it apart so unless I find out anything I'm going to run it with a temp gauge at both ends and monitor it closely but NOT remove it.

TIA

Michael
SV Se Langt
Westerly Berwick 31

V-P MD2030 on one end....Kiwi Prop on the other.

[senormechanico]

A fromer neighbor had a 31 Westerly (since sold) that had that same system.
I don't know the name or manufacturer, but as I remember, the instructions said to give the handle a (half turn?) each time you motor. That seems way excessive to me.
I'd ask him for more details, but he just sold his place and moved to New Mexico.

Steve B.

[Michael D]

might be the same one. I got it from a lady in Seattle who called it Child Support who acquired it from someone up in Bellingham I think the name up there was Atilla. It's by PT Rigging until it's moved to Skallerud's for a new bow pulpit.

Rec'd an email from a gentleman in England who mention somewhat the same thing except the half turn instructions. He further added the grease was for the bearing at the foreward end while the stern gland relied on water drip and the usual adjustments if too much or too little. So I'm getting there bit by bit. No knowledge yet on why the shaft is in the tube except perhaps to protect it or if it fill with water.

The stern gland is some sort of rubber material so I'm still looking for instructions on how to replace that if and when it's needed. I did get a lot of manuals with the boat but not that one critical feature.

Apparently I have what was then the top of the line system so I want to keep it that way

Thanks for the input

Michael

[cooper]

The stern bearing is somtimes called cutless rubber, and was a very common material. It is indeed lubricated by water. You probably have a traditional stuffing box at the trany end. The "automatic greaser" has a spring and cup under the bit that you turn. Turning it increases spring pressure which then allows a constant "pressure" of grease onto the bearing surface (or somtimes into holed spacer in the midlle of the packing material) This has the combined effect of lubricating and water proofing the seal. A cruder version was (and still is) a simple grease nipple that every now and then you stick the grease gun on and give it a couple of pumps. On my old boat l give it a sqeeze when l leave it which stops any water coming in while it sits on the mooring for a month or so. It is a very reliable system that has been superceded by the newer type seals (mainly because people like the idea of set and forget)

[senormechanico]

If the boat's in PT, it could very well be the same one.

Monitor windvane, furling jib, lazyjacks, ivory colored deck?

The owner was very detail oriented, so the instruction book should have been included with the boat.

Steve B.