Shaft log to stuffing box

[twinboat]

I have a 1984 Rosborough Trawler.
My stuffing box, bolts to a bulkhead, and the shaft log connects to it.
The connection between the log and box is leaking , because the bolts got loose.

There is no rubber hose in this setup or big adjustment nuts. The packing is held in, with a sleeve, drawn in with 2 threaded studs.

Anybody familiar with this setup?

I want to know how the 2 parts connect.

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[Boatyarddog]

Please photograph and post.
I've replaced these before, and believe the stuffing box is on studs glassed to the tube and is pulled out, rebedded and reinstalled.
Engine alignment is important with these as the packing gland is one part of the shaft support and usually has a cutlass bearing inserted into it that would need inspection or replacement, the other is the chine or skeg cutlass, at the rear.
If the packing is leaking at the bulkhead it's likely the cutlass bearing at the packing gland is worn, and the nuts or bolts have loosened due to misalignment and vibration.



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[twinboat]

The first pix is from front of box. The second is a rear view. Both are from above.

It started leaking from where the white stuff is.

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We will be hauling in a few days, I get the feeling the bolts are rotted away, inside the bulkhead. Don't want to mess with it in the water.

[Boatyarddog]

Oh yeah ,that is not to be done in the water as the shaft tube is full of water. Post pictures when she's hauled.

The shaft also looks questionable,



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[osirissail]

Originally Posted by Boatyarddog

Please photograph and post.
I've replaced these before, and believe the stuffing box is on studs glassed to the tube and is pulled out, rebedded and reinstalled.
Engine alignment is important with these as the packing gland is one part of the shaft support and usually has a cutlass bearing inserted into it that would need inspection or replacement, the other is the chine or skeg cutlass, at the rear.
If the packing is leaking at the bulkhead it's likely the cutlass bearing at the packing gland is worn, and the nuts or bolts have loosened due to misalignment and vibration.
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I would agree that engine alignment would be super critical if there is not some sort of flexible joint or mechanism between the engine transmission flange and the propeller shaft.

Normally, engines move forward and aft a fair amount when you engage "forward" or "reverse" unless there is a "Thrust Bearing" installed between the engine and the portion of the propeller shaft that continues out of the boat to the propeller. The amount of the forward/aft movement would be an indicator of worn engine mounts.

So there are "other" components in the system that also need to be examined in order to determine why the stuffing box is leaking and to reduce or eliminate future leaking.

[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by twinboat

The first pix is from front of box. The second is a rear view. Both are from above.

It started leaking from where the white stuff is.Attachment 101210

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We will be hauling in a few days, I get the feeling the bolts are rotted away, inside the bulkhead. Don't want to mess with it in the water.

Do you know if the shaft is stainless or bronze.
They are pretty long if I remember correctly, and subject to twist, excessive runout.
It may need to be replaced, have it checked with a dial indicator.


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[Boatyarddog]

Originally Posted by twinboat

The first pix is from front of box. The second is a rear view. Both are from above.

It started leaking from where the white stuff is.Attachment 101210

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We will be hauling in a few days, I get the feeling the bolts are rotted away, inside the bulkhead. Don't want to mess with it in the water.

Probably no cutlass in this one.
Be sure to have the shaft checked for excessive twist or runout.


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[deblen]

I believe the type of stuffing box you have is intended for a solid mounted engine,common in N.S lobster boats back in the day. Rosborough started in Halifax.
I say this because the "inside stuffing box" is bolted to a bulkhead,& obviously doesn't allow for any engine movement.

Could be wrong....

Check this link-look at description of "standard stuffing box"
Sternglands

Hope this is some help / Len

[twinboat]

The engine mounts are hard rubber.

There is an orange, drive saver in the coupling, that has to be there, otherwise the coupling halfs won't reach.

I had the 1 3/4, stainless shaft checked last year, while changing the cutlass bearing.

I will report back, when I get it apart.

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[deblen]

Does the engine move any,when shifting Fwd-Rev,etc?
It shouldn't with this setup.

There is an o-ring where you have put white caulking.Same at aft end of tube,I believe.The tube is a push fit in these o-rings.Seems like the fwd o-ring is chowder.

As boatyard said-it's a haul out or ground out job. / Len

[twinboat]

It moves some, as I can see, from the shine on the shaft. It has, long before the problem started.

The stuffing box won't stop that.

A O ring seal, makes sense. I didn't put any sealer on it, it was on since 2008, when I bought it.



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[deblen]

Originally Posted by twinboat

It moves some, as I can see, from the shine on the shaft. It has, long before the problem started.

The stuffing box won't stop that.

A O ring seal, makes sense. I didn't put any sealer on it, it was on since 2008, when I bought it.



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The engine mounts are what the prop pushes against. A slight fwd-aft movement is ok,but any torque or side movement will put strain on inside box & bolts. I suggest you check eng. mounts & eng. bed fastenings closely.
It was in early '80s,that NS built lobster boats started moving from engines solidly bolted to steel beds(no movement),& started using vibration dampener eng.mounts.These mounts were still solidly bolted to beds & were intended to not allow any eng. movement.They kept using the bulkhead mounted inside stuffing box,since the eng. "would never move".

If you are ok with your current setup re vibration,etc-you will need to haul out,remove stern gland & inside s/box,chk/replace cutless,replace o-rings & re-install.
Rosboroughs are great boats.Still lots of them winter fishing-tougher than the crews! A friend has the first RF35 out of the mold-I think the only cored 35. He is ret. from lobster this June & building her over as pleasure trawler.
Cheers / Len

[twinboat]

The motor seems solid, I think the 4 carriage bolts holding the box have rotted away or the hole in the bulkhead are elongated. Maybe both.

I'll figure it out, next week.

I believe mine is # 4, going by the HIN. I talked to Bob Rosborough at a boat show. He said they built the hull and sold it to a yard to finish. He knew it had a V.P. TAMD40B, and said he told the buyer it should have had a 210 Cummins.


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[twinboat]

Update.

Stuffing box held in with 4 common steel bolts. 3 rotted off, inside bulkhead, 1 hanging by a thread.
Bulkhead holes are good.

Shaft tube, seals with 2, O rings, in stuffing box.

Stuffing box, holds 6 rings of 3/8 packing. Probablely for support and sealing of 13 ft, long, 1 3/4 shaft.

Well be storing for the summer, re-install everything, in the fall.

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[deblen]

Originally Posted by twinboat

Update.

Stuffing box held in with 4 common steel bolts. 3 rotted off, inside bulkhead, 1 hanging by a thread.
Bulkhead holes are good.

Shaft tube, seals with 2, O rings, in stuffing box.

Stuffing box, holds 6 rings of 3/8 packing. Probablely for support and sealing of 13 ft, long, 1 3/4 shaft.

Well be storing for the summer, re-install everything, in the fall.

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Great! Good for another 30yrs