[C38] replacing packing material on rudder post

[Steve Smolinske]

Our packing gland looks a little different and only takes one wrap inside the gland. 
 
Steve
#312 Peregrine
Seattle
 
 
 

________________________________

From: listserve-bounces at catalina38.org on behalf of Don Strong
Sent: Mon 11/22/2010 1:04 PM
To: hlhowell at pacbell.net; Catalina 38 Listserve
Subject: Re: [C38] replacing packing material on rudder post


I have fixed the rudder post leak on Discreet Charm by replacing the packing in the packing gland.
The fix has given us absolutely leak free use for fours years of heavy sailing. 
This is a difficult job until you master the technique.  After two long, laborious failures, I found 
that water proof grease on the the packing material allowed it to slide into the groove; without grease
it would not slide in. The packing material fits into the wider diameter of the top piece, shown below. 
You are forcing it upward.  Slide the top piece down carefully to force in the packing material.
    Cut the packing material diagonally and perfectly. Use the short end of the rudder post
that sticks into the cockpit as an anvil of perfect diameter for the cut.  You have to remove the fitting 
that holds the rudder to expose the top of the post.  Be sure to hold the post when you remove the 
fitting, it can sink or slide down after you remove the fitting. Wrap about 4 rounds around the rudder post 
then cut it diagonally into several pieces. The fitting on DC takes three pieces. For each piece, place the cut at 
a 60 deg. offset from the previous piece in order to isolate any leak of each piece.  
Don

 <http://mail.rainierrubber.com/exchange/SSmolinske/Drafts/RE:%20[C38]%20replacing%20packing%20material%20on%20rudder%20post.EML/1_multipart/moz-screenshot-11.png> 

On 11/22/10 12:34 PM, Les wrote: 

	The top is normally above the water line, but the lower end is
	submerged.  As the boat hobby horses, it will pump water up the rudder
	shaft, and it will pulse into the boat around any available leak.
	
	Trust me on that one... We are on a buoy that is only slightly
	protected, and bouncing from wakes, from surge through the breakwater
	and other wave forces gives us a lot of pumping action.  We could
	acquire about 1" of water in the bilge in 3 days from the rudder seepage
	alone after all the other stuff was done.
	
	Regards,
	Les H
	
	On Sat, 2010-11-20 at 23:57 -0700, S Orton wrote:

		Chuck,  I believe the top of the rudder post is above the waterline
		when the boat is at rest in the slip, so there should be no leakage
		from the post.  Now under way with a stern wave, that's a different
		story.  When I return from a sailing trip I dry the bilge with a towel
		and it will stay reasonable dry (not over a cup, probably from
		condensation) if it doesn't rain.  With rain the Rule bilge pump like
		about two gallons for company.  Also for those who don't have a
		Spartite plug, I would highly recommend the upgrade, not only from a
		leakage standpoint, but the resin plug is a structural improvement-
		giving an "even" lateral support to the mast at the mast collar, vs
		the point contact force using the wood wedges.
		 
		Cheers, Steve O (Santa Susanna #304)
		 
		
		______________________________________________________________________

	BIGCLIP
	
	
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-- 
Donald R. Strong
Professor
Dept. of Evolution and Ecology
University of California, Davis 95616
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