Prop Shaft Seal

[Deep Waters]

I am getting ready to replace the prop shaft seal on my 1979 Ericson 27. I know going to a PSS dripless type of unit is the best option for my boat, but that’s not in the cards for me right now. My intention instead is to loosen the prop shaft seal adjusting nut, remove the old wax rope, and install new seal rope. Anyone know what diameter rope I need for this particular boat and/or have recommendations for brand or type of product to use? Thanks!

[NYSail]

You can always just open it and measure.......

Go to prop shop..... there are new flax packings that are not wax that perform great.

[jimbunyard]

Seems too me the 'best option' would be the one that fits your parameters at this time.

PTFE, (teflon) impregnated flax packing is a good (the best?) choice for traditional stuffing boxes. Use it in mine, and it is effectively dripless.

As for sizing, best to measure, because it can vary even within specific models of the same boat.

[billknny]

Many people would argue that the modern TFE packings are actually a better solution than the mechanical shaft seal.

I prefer the moldable teflon to the woven packing, but only by a little. You still need two "rings" of standard packing front and back to hold the stuff in, so you'll still need to measure your size, but this stuff is forever and doesn't drip at all.

WMT Drip-Less Packing

[Deep Waters]

Thanks to everyone who gave feedback. I did the job this weekend and used 1/8 inch PTFE seal rope. Other than the hassle of getting the old seal rope out, which I don’t think has been done in decades, the project was otherwise smooth and easy. I will need to keep an eye on it and adjust accordingly as time goes on, but now that I know how to do it correctly it should be an easy task to keep up on in the future. Thanks again.

[NYSail]

It is simple once you’ve done it..... I always cleaned and put a coating of Teflon grease on threads for easy adjustments in future.
Good luck