rudder shaft packing gland

[joker4142]

Have a 78 Pearson 365 ketch with a leaking rudder shaft packing gland. The vessel is in the water. Can the packing gland be replaced while the vessel is in the water or does it have to be on the hard? If it can be done in the water how much water coming in can I expect? I have already tried tieghting it as much as I can.

johnny & Patty
S/V Smart Move

[GordMay]

The gland can be re-packed in the water; but the gland cannot be replaced in water.
See ➥ http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/stuffing_box

And Maine Sail’s other excellent photo-tutorials
➥ http://www.pbase.com/mainecruising/boat_projects

Oops! I see it's a RUDDER packing, which may be serviceable in-water, if you can get at it.

You might also consult the Pearson 365/367 Yacht Club forum:
➥ http://www.pearson365.com/forum/index.php

[atoll]

a trick i have used in the past is to dive over the side and use kids's plastacine modelling clay to pack around the outside of the shaft to temporaraly stop water ingress whilst replacing packing.

[avb3]

Originally Posted by atoll

a trick i have used in the past is to dive over the side and use kids's plastacine modelling clay to pack around the outside of the shaft to temporaraly stop water ingress whilst replacing packing.

Wouldn't toilet bowl was work also? It may be easier to find at stores near a marina.

[atoll]

Originally Posted by avb3

Wouldn't toilet bowl was work also? It may be easier to find at stores near a marina.

????????????????? i try to avoid toilet bowl wazzz when swimming!!!!!

[bstreep]

We did ours last year, in the water. It was marginally below the water line.

I like the idea of toilet was/wazzz or WAX. We used well wrapped Walmart bags, pushed in with a screw driver. Worked on our prop shaft replacement, too!

The rudder shaft, obviously, doesn't get the abuse that the prop shaft does. We still used Gortex packing on it though.

BTW, when I say we did ours - it was the packing, not the whole gland.

[NahanniV]

Looks like your rudder packing is just slightly below the waterline.
Perhaps you could put some temporary weights at the bow (like a couple of 45 gal drums full of water +/- 700lbs) to raise the packing above the waterline. Try it out with a few (heavy) friends first to see if it lifts the stern enough.

[joker4142]

Great ideas, really like the idea of packing the exterior. Would plumbers puddy work?