[C38] Rudder post packing gland, my experiences.

[Richard West]

Hi Les,
My quadrant has either been raised or lowered and I can't remember which -
lowered I think.  This was done to make room for a separate steering arm
that is operated by my below-deck hydraulic autopilot.  This really makes it
tight.  The only way I can get to the packing gland is to remove the
quadrant (two piece aluminum).  I don't think servicability was utmost in
Mr. Catalina's mind with this design! ;-)

Rich, Legacy, #360, San Diego


On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 3:38 PM, Les <hlhowell at pacbell.net> wrote:

> JACE has the triangular plate type of packing gland also.  In addition,
> the rudder quadrant is in the way, and I don't see either the quadrant
> or its collar in the photo.  I was wondering what you did to get under
> it?
>
> I know that there is a better way, but I don't know what it is.  Rich,
> you sound like you have the same design I do.  Is your quadrant
> (actually a disk I think) immediately above the packing gland?
>
> Regards,
> Les H
>
> On Wed, 2009-07-29 at 14:24 -0700, Richard West wrote:
> > Wow, for what it's worth, your packing gland is very different from
> > mine.  Mine has triangular plates with thee screws and just enough
> > room for about one ring of packing and no real cutout to hold it in
> > place.  Equally hard to work on though!
> >
> > Rich, Legacy, #360, San Diego
> >
> > On Wed, Jul 29, 2009 at 1:49 PM, D. R. Strong <drstrong at ucdavis.edu>
> > wrote:
> >         In response to requests for my packing gland packing
> >         experiences. This is really fun stuff (sarcasm intended).
> >
> >         1.  I tried both the classical and the Teflon packing, and
> >         vastly prefer the latter. It is tougher, takes the abuse of
> >         insertion better, and it seems logical that the Teflon type
> >         should last longer. I don't remember the size of the packing
> >         material; middle size, not the largest or smallest. I removed
> >         the old stuff and the West Marine gal  helped me find the
> >         right size.   To save repeated trips, I bought three packages
> >         of  the two sizes that seemed right, then returned the unused.
> >         WM readily takes refunds with receipt (because they know that
> >         boat addicts cannot resist a purchase each and every time they
> >         enter the store).
> >
> >         2. I removed the old packing with a tiny screw driver. A trick
> >         taught me by Cree at Berkeley Marine Center is to make up your
> >         new material on the exposed rudder post, up by the tiller
> >         attachment (careful, don't let the rudder sink to the bottom
> >         of the marina when you remove the tiller handle attachment!).
> >         Or, you could mic the post and use another pipe of exactly the
> >         same diameter. Coil the new packing material around around the
> >         post three times. Cut through the coil on a 45 degree angle
> >         with a sharp razor blade; this must be pretty easy because I
> >         got it right the first time. The razoring of three wraps
> >         procedure gives you three perfect segments, all with good cut
> >         angles. Treat them carefully, especially the cut edges.
> >
> >         3. Grease the post and the new packing material just before
> >         you begin.  This will allow the material to readily slide into
> >         the slot. I'm proud of having thought of this, but feel stupid
> >         that I labored for hours ---butchering several packages of
> >         packing trying to get the material into the slot ---before the
> >         Lord delivered the grease idea on to me (pay off for
> >         memorizing the 23 Psalm at 8). I used water proof marine
> >         grease meant for bearings on boat trailer wheels.
> >
> >         4. Insert the coils with 66 degrees of rotation between the
> >         cuts, so as to isolate them maximally from each other.
> >
> >         5. Use the ring on the sliding, unfixed, bottom half  (bronze
> >         color above the green base in the photo below) of the gland as
> >         a hard tool to "force" ( = easy does it) the coils of packing
> >         material in. Twist, pull up, and tap gently (if needs be) on
> >         the sliding half with a small (!) hammer or wrench handle to
> >         urge the insertion of the coil. DONT TAP TOO  HARD OR YOU WILL
> >         DEFORM THE UNIT. (Note, this is the point when your wife will
> >         leave the boat owing to the language used by her lover). Note
> >         that the packing material on Discreet Charm is inserted
> >         upward, into the glassed on, fixed, top half of the unit.
> >
> >         6. I worked from the cockpit, from the top, through the stern
> >         lazarette. If you know a 6 year old with really long arms and
> >         strong hands (older kids are too big) who will work from
> >         below, go for it. My first try (which failed because the
> >         insertion of the packing material was sloppy; edges did not
> >         line up) gave me a bad bruise across the chest at the point of
> >         contact between me and the rim of the lazarette. Place a thin
> >         cushion or towel between your chest and the on the rim of the
> >         lazarette to prevent this unpleasant trophy of packing gland
> >         replacement .
> >
> >         Love Don
> >
> >
> >
> >         --
> >         Donald & Karin Strong
> >         Discreet Charm
> >         Catalina 38
> >         San Fancisco Bay
> >
>
> >
>
>
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