Modern Stuffing Box Potentially Dangerous

[2007.pierre]

On my fist boat, I made about twelve thousands miles with a standard stuffing box, retighting time to time with no problelms at all, bearing in mind that I had a shaft generator running all that mileage. My second boat, same thing but nearly fivety thousand miles. The packing: Teflon graded with graphite.
I would not trust these leakproof seals that some time run dry and breakaway. At sea, ther simplest, the better, nothing equal experience and the standard stuffing box is one of them.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by 2007.pierre

On my fist boat, I made about twelve thousands miles with a standard stuffing box, retighting time to time with no problelms at all, bearing in mind that I had a shaft generator running all that mileage. My second boat, same thing but nearly fivety thousand miles. The packing: Teflon graded with graphite.
I would not trust these leakproof seals that some time run dry and breakaway. At sea, ther simplest, the better, nothing equal experience and the standard stuffing box is one of them.

Missed the point. I found in an old book that a stuffing box on a rubber hose was considered potentially dangerous since it was new, and had no track record.

Don't worry, most people didn't get it, so apparently a poor effort on my part.

John

[s/v Jedi]

There are many problems with the old stuffing boxes, I don't think they deserve the praise they get here. I have seen too many prop shafts that need replacing because of the stuffing box problems (overheating, worn out etc.) and I have seen zero problems with the PSS dripless seals. I did see problems with other brands of dripless seals though.

ciao!
Nick.

[zeehag]

i know a fella who was crossing pacific when his pss faied and he saved his boat by changing it out at sea.....his hose clamps were rusted and not intact, and bellows was cracking ....they do fail. the seidelmann i sailed in gulf of mexico had a failing pss--we patched it together more than one time. that is only advantage over the old style that do no t patch nor repair easily

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i know a fella who was crossing pacific when his pss faied and he saved his boat by changing it out at sea.....his hose clamps were rusted and not intact, and bellows was cracking ....they do fail. the seidelmann i sailed in gulf of mexico had a failing pss--we patched it together more than one time. that is only advantage over the old style that do no t patch nor repair easily

Sure they can fail. If you let hose clamps rot away then at some point they are gone. A boat has a number of primary systems, which need to work to keep it afloat and safe. Those primary systems need regular maintenance. The shaft seal of your example must have been crying for maintenance for many years before failing...

ciao!
Nick.

[delmarrey]

Originally Posted by zeehag

i know a fella who was crossing pacific when his pss faied and he saved his boat by changing it out at sea.....his hose clamps were rusted and not intact, and bellows was cracking ....they do fail. the seidelmann i sailed in gulf of mexico had a failing pss--we patched it together more than one time. that is only advantage over the old style that do no t patch nor repair easily

Gawd! How old was it? The bellows has a 5 year replacement recommendation. I've hear of some out there as old as 15 years and still going.

They are not that hard to replace. I've done them in the water and only took on 1/2 gal of water. Ya just have to have your rags handy to stuff the leak.

As a note; I keep my shaft zink a (documented) certain distance from the strut, which only allows the shaft to go out a max. distance.

[sabray]

no idea why this is a big deal. let my old style drip a tad.If it aint hot there is little energy loss. I repacked with traditional gook and watched afterwords. seems fine. I asked around before i got stupid and went old school. Biggest thing is to pack it right and check the fitting. humbug on newer stuff.

[senormechanico]

My first PSS bellows (the early version with some kind of fiberglass cloth bonded to it?) lasted almost ten years.
The only reason I replaced it is because it became too stiff.
Motoring at cruising speed caused it to throw some water, but reducing speed a half knot the water stopped.
A new bellows was fitted at the start of the next Mexico cruising season (in the water) as described by Del.
Piece of cake to install.
I installed another PSS on my current boat, and have full confidence in it.

[2007.pierre]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Missed the point. I found in an old book that a stuffing box on a rubber hose was considered potentially dangerous since it was new, and had no track record.

Don't worry, most people didn't get it, so apparently a poor effort on my part.

John

On both boats I had, if every three years you replace the reinforced rubber hose and put new hose clamps (double each end), you have no problem, assuming you do not overtight the stuffing box that is not necessary if the packing is replaced every two years. If you keep the boat ashore for too long, it is better to change the packing before going back to sea.

[cal40john]

Originally Posted by sabray

no idea why this is a big deal. let my old style drip a tad.If it aint hot there is little energy loss. I repacked with traditional gook and watched afterwords. seems fine. I asked around before i got stupid and went old school. Biggest thing is to pack it right and check the fitting. humbug on newer stuff.

Originally Posted by 2007.pierre

On both boats I had, if every three years you replace the reinforced rubber hose and put new hose clamps (double each end), you have no problem, assuming you do not overtight the stuffing box that is not necessary if the packing is replaced every two years. If you keep the boat ashore for too long, it is better to change the packing before going back to sea.

Well if you guys had told Lloyds how reliable this was and how easy to maintain back in the 70s, Lloyds could have classified a yacht 100A1 with this installation back then, Donald Street wouldn't have written about it in his book and I wouldn't still be trying to explain my stupid post.

John

[2007.pierre]

Originally Posted by cal40john

Well if you guys had told Lloyds how reliable this was and how easy to maintain back in the 70s, Lloyds could have classified a yacht 100A1 with this installation back then, Donald Street wouldn't have written about it in his book and I wouldn't still be trying to explain my stupid post.

John

Lloyds and Veritas are often cited to promote sales of a sailing boat (my experience). On my nordic boat, such certification highlithted by the boat buider concerned the hull only and for my case the deck construction was a real mess. Today the camera makers often use Zeiss, Leica or Schneider to abuse the customer by using a quality that only correspond to the past.
Today, numerous cargo vessels navigate with Lloys certification that are subject to caution. Nothing equal the quality shared by boat owners, just like a car.

[Noname]

My PSS seal on its 12th year and nary a drip. I'm going to replace the bellows soon before heading out again. Good Stuff.

[zeehag]

i do not know age of either system-- but they were easily repaired and running without much mayhem--just bad rumors ...