LEAKING STERN GLAND ADVICE
Phil Baptie
I am the owner of a 1972 Westerly Centaur. I have a problem with the
stern gland leaking and would like advice on the following please:
-The size of the packing needed for the gland (I have been advised to
use ź inch packing - would this be correct?).
-How to tackle the packing - can it be done when afloat?
Any other advice would be much appreciated
Many thanks
David Baptie
dennis.pogson
aperture and the diameter of the prop shaft divided by 2. It would be
extremely difficult to remove the old packing without flooding the boat!
Wait until the season is over, and do it properly.
"Phil Baptie" <philb...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:9m17is$c17$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk...
Pyro
> I am the owner of a 1972 Westerly Centaur. I have a problem with the
> stern gland leaking and would like advice on the following please:
>
> -The size of the packing needed for the gland (I have been advised to
> use ź inch packing - would this be correct?).
Sounds about right. You want to be very sure that you have the right
stuff before you start pulling it all apart though.
> -How to tackle the packing - can it be done when afloat?
>
It can be done when afloat, you just get a bit of water coming in! YOu
want to be fairly confident that you can fix it all and put it back
together though, this is one of the reasons you want to make sure that
you have the right packing, and some suitable grease.
If it is a standard stern gland, you will need a couple of big
shifters to get the lock nut and the main nut undone. Once you have
done this, slide the packing nut well forward on the shaft so you can
get at the aft side of it. Rake out the old packing with some kind of
small hooked tool. I used a small bent-ver screwdriver for mine.
Repack with the new packing and lots of grease. I needed three rounds
of packing witht the joints staggered around the shaft. Slide the nut
back up to the shaft and tighten firmly.
Run the engine in gear and watch for drips. Retighten if the drips
don't stop, when the engine stops. You will need to check it
occaisionally as it seats in too.
Pyro.
Graham Frankland
Phil Baptie wrote in message <9m17is$c17$1...@news6.svr.pol.co.uk>...
> Hi All,
> I am the owner of a 1972 Westerly Centaur. I have a problem with the
>stern gland leaking and would like advice on the following please:
>
> -The size of the packing needed for the gland (I have been advised to
>use ź inch packing - would this be correct?).
>
> -How to tackle the packing - can it be done when afloat?
Have you tried tightening it? Most Centaurs have a sterngland with 2
flanges, one of which is fitted with studs which pass through holes in the
second flange. The flanges are tightened together (compressing the
packings) by tighteneing the nuts. Take care not to tighten too much, there
should be the occasional drip but if too tight it will overheat and could
fail.
I would suggest you DON'T try repacking afloat for the first time, dry the
boat out on the beach, take out the old packings (pierce with small
diameter electrical screwdriver and pull them out) and check the size.
The new packing comes in a long length which needs cutting into shorter
pieces. Turn it around the shaft and cut to size with sharp blade and
insert each piece with the joins staggered. The gland may need several
adjustments as the new packings bed in As a rule of thumb, the first
tightening should be sufficient that "slight" resistance is felt on the
shaft when turning by hand.
Graham.
Phil Baptie
suggested and hope all goes to plan! If it's a success, we'll let you know.
Happy sailing to everyone :)
David Baptie
Graham Frankland <gdf...@globalnet.co.uk> wrote in message
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