[C38] Rudder packing gland

[Les]

Hi, Everyone,
	Sometime ago there was discussion of using a gaitor on the rudder tube.
I am curious about the effectiveness and installation cost, also if the
packing gland were removed, and did that affect the play in the rudder
shaft?  

We just had the packing gland adjusted for JACE.  I am a bit too bulky
to get in there, and Nancy doesn't understand what needed to be done, so
I got someone skinnier and more flexible to do it.  But that brought
home a point.  What happens when we're out?  How could I stop the
ingress of water from the stern?  

I feel I should mention that I did make a modification to the stern
locker floor inserts, using some bits of mahoghany 1x2.  I cut the
existing pieces from port to starboard, so that it is now 4 pieces.
Then I added a support from aft to the rail over the quadrant to support
the intersection.  Finally I added the 1x2 under the forward pieces to
support the aft pieces, set up in such a way that they 1x restricted the
support from moving side to side.  This means the whole thing, the four
pieces and support fit together in such a way that they can be easily
removed from the top, but will not slide down into the bilge.  I will
add fasteners to the pieces to hold them in place so that they will
effectively be one piece.

I did this when I had my minor panic attack from the bilge pump hose
slipping off the thru hull and causing water to circulate, but I didn't
know that at the time, what I saw was a lot of water flowing into the
bilge while the bilge pump was running continuously.  I thought I was
sinking.... What a rush!!  Fortunately we fixed the hose and it turned
out to be "nothing".  By the way, check the hoses, mine were just glued
in and the glue had dried out, which was the source of the problem.  Now
I'm hose clamped good!!

Even with this stern locker floor out, we can only reach one bolt of the
three under the quadrant on JACE.  I don't know if all the boats use the
same packing gland or not.

Regards,
Les H