For an article on repacking a traditional stern gland stuffing box click here
Saturday, June 6, 2009
Repacking rudder post
Many thanks for this article written by Ron Hill APACHE #788 (Catalina 34)
I think it is the same on a Catalina 30, when I go out to Encore in a few weeks I will check it out as we have a leak in this area.
The rudder-packing gland is quite different than the drive shaft packing gland. The bronze bottom portion is glassed into the PVC tube that is glassed in to the hull. The stainless rudder column rides inside that tube. There are 3 collars with female threaded holes. The top portion is a bronze ring that attaches to the bottom half with 3 bolts (9/16” as I recall). The 3/8” packing (same as drive shaft, but different size) sits inside a groove in top edge of the bottom half. The two bronze pieces are compressed (with the packing in the middle) by tightening the three bolts to just where they are snug. This seals the water from coming in.
That packing gland is above the water line when the boat is static and most of the time under sail. It’s underwater while motoring and some points of sail. So, I wouldn’t screw with it unless I found salt water in the “skag” indentation of the hull. Then I’d only turn each bolt one turn down and recheck it again. I’ve heard of more people finding a crack in the molded lower rudder PVC tube to the hull area, than I’ve heard of having to replace the packing. I have no idea on its life, but it’s not sealing a shaft that turns @ 2000rpm!! It’s wax coated flax, so I don’t think it’s going to rot and we know that it’s probably not going
to wear out, so your guess is as good as anyone’s.
For another link on repacking the rudder post stuffing box, click here
I think it is the same on a Catalina 30, when I go out to Encore in a few weeks I will check it out as we have a leak in this area.
The rudder-packing gland is quite different than the drive shaft packing gland. The bronze bottom portion is glassed into the PVC tube that is glassed in to the hull. The stainless rudder column rides inside that tube. There are 3 collars with female threaded holes. The top portion is a bronze ring that attaches to the bottom half with 3 bolts (9/16” as I recall). The 3/8” packing (same as drive shaft, but different size) sits inside a groove in top edge of the bottom half. The two bronze pieces are compressed (with the packing in the middle) by tightening the three bolts to just where they are snug. This seals the water from coming in.
That packing gland is above the water line when the boat is static and most of the time under sail. It’s underwater while motoring and some points of sail. So, I wouldn’t screw with it unless I found salt water in the “skag” indentation of the hull. Then I’d only turn each bolt one turn down and recheck it again. I’ve heard of more people finding a crack in the molded lower rudder PVC tube to the hull area, than I’ve heard of having to replace the packing. I have no idea on its life, but it’s not sealing a shaft that turns @ 2000rpm!! It’s wax coated flax, so I don’t think it’s going to rot and we know that it’s probably not going
to wear out, so your guess is as good as anyone’s.
For another link on repacking the rudder post stuffing box, click here
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Chicago Lifting Bridges
We just happened to walking around downtown Chicago, when one of our questions was answered - do the bridges across the river open?
YES, check out lifting bridge schedule here
We watched a flotalla of about 20 boats including Catalina 25 and Catalina 30 up to a couple of 45' cruisers, pass under the 12 bridges which open in turn so as not to disrupt the traffic flow.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Weather - Rainbow Proverb
Rainbow to winward, foul fall the day.
Rainbow to leeward, rain runs away!
Rainbow to leeward, rain runs away!
- This old seafarer's saying about rainbows is certainly worth remembering because it is almost infallibly true.
- If a rainbow should appear behind or with the direction of the prevailing wind, then you can expect that its curtain of moisture will reach you.
- But if the rainbow appears to the lee of the wind, then you that the has allready passed and the gray line of showers is receeding , moving away from you!
Weather - Lighting Proverb
Lightning from the west or northwest will reach you.
Lightning from the south or southeast will pass you by!
- This is a true saying, providing that you are living in the north temperate zone.
- Lightning comes hand in hand with storm clouds, and thunderclouds always loom over the horizon from the west or northwest and usually move east.
- So, lightning anywhere from the south to southeast will pass you by!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Bahamas Cruise on Aria
We are stuck at the moment in a beautiful and remote location, north of George Town, anchored off the beach of the wonderful Exuma Beach Inn. Tracy & I joined Simon & Jerry in Nassau two weeks ago today. From there we sailed Aria (Jerry's 31 foot Corsair trimaran) first to Allan's Cay - one of the first cay's in the Exuma chain. We were met there by nothing at all but beautiful white sandy beach, and rambunctious native iguanas - they run up and down the beach looking like mini alligators, love to eat any fruit you can throw at them.
The next few days were beautiful sails down the coast south along the cays - we would stop for the night, convinced that there would be something to buy to eat, but disappointed.. We ended up firing up the BBQ and roasting Max's chicken - Max is Jerry's large dog along for the trip, eating all the peanut butter aboard,etc, Max had to make do with his freeze dried dog food... luckily we had enough water to drink and enjoyed the sites so much that it was no hardship to skip a few meals...
Staniel Cay was the first stop after 3 days of sailing where we could buy a cold brew and enjoy some conch fritters...
the yacht club there is a friendly place with live music and good food. We had a snorkel and swim around "Thunderball Grotto" - called this after filming of the James Bond movie.... you swim into the grotto at low tide, and once inside, the light is filtered through the rocks and into the water where wonderful fish flit around, it is really a magical thing to see. From Staniel we walked to the tiny local grocery store - someone's little blue house - and could buy a couple to tomatoes, some more chicken for poor Max, and a bottle of rum or two.
We arrived in George Town last week where Jerry & Tracy found the Exuma Beach Inn - the owners, Tina & Jeff, are so welcoming and friendly, they have offered us the use of their internet, swimming pool, hobie cat, kayaks, and best of all great coffee, and the use of the toilet! The two mascots of the hotel - Springer spaniels Lucy & Riley loll around, waiting for a friendly scratch and a throw of the tennis ball. Simon & I shipped Aria's damaged sails back to Nassau yesterday to the only sail maker in this remote part of the world, and will wait here until around next Tuesday for their return (keeping our fingers crossed). Then we plan to head over to Long Island and then up through Eleuthra to meet Tracy & Jerry by May 15th somewhere in the Abacos.
In the meantime we happen to have arrived for Bahama Regatta Week - the biggest sailing event of the year in the Bahamas. Traditionally built boats, made by hand by each owner, are raced all week long. Boats are shipped from all over the islands and the competition is fierce. There are three classes - A,B,&C - starting at different times during each day of the event. The town is crowded and filled with partying Bahamians - it is amazing how loud and raucous the arguments over who's going to beat the hell out of who are... the shouting gets very intense. The rivalries go back to 1955 when the races were started to help keep the traditional Bahamian working boats alive. One of the favorites - Tida Wave - which has won many times over the past years - was out yesterday, and we followed it around the bay on one of the photographer's boats. I'll try and get some photos from him and send them out...(I've already dropped our camera in the water... hope it will dry out and work again... )
Needless to say we're having a fantastic time... the water is indescribably beautiful, the colors and the range of blues, greens, turquoise, the clarity are unlike anything I've ever seen.
A big Happy Birthday to you, Cog! did you know your birthday is on St. George's Day?
Hugs and kisses - we miss you all, and wish you could be with us ....
The next few days were beautiful sails down the coast south along the cays - we would stop for the night, convinced that there would be something to buy to eat, but disappointed.. We ended up firing up the BBQ and roasting Max's chicken - Max is Jerry's large dog along for the trip, eating all the peanut butter aboard,etc, Max had to make do with his freeze dried dog food... luckily we had enough water to drink and enjoyed the sites so much that it was no hardship to skip a few meals...
Staniel Cay was the first stop after 3 days of sailing where we could buy a cold brew and enjoy some conch fritters...
the yacht club there is a friendly place with live music and good food. We had a snorkel and swim around "Thunderball Grotto" - called this after filming of the James Bond movie.... you swim into the grotto at low tide, and once inside, the light is filtered through the rocks and into the water where wonderful fish flit around, it is really a magical thing to see. From Staniel we walked to the tiny local grocery store - someone's little blue house - and could buy a couple to tomatoes, some more chicken for poor Max, and a bottle of rum or two.We arrived in George Town last week where Jerry & Tracy found the Exuma Beach Inn - the owners, Tina & Jeff, are so welcoming and friendly, they have offered us the use of their internet, swimming pool, hobie cat, kayaks, and best of all great coffee, and the use of the toilet! The two mascots of the hotel - Springer spaniels Lucy & Riley loll around, waiting for a friendly scratch and a throw of the tennis ball. Simon & I shipped Aria's damaged sails back to Nassau yesterday to the only sail maker in this remote part of the world, and will wait here until around next Tuesday for their return (keeping our fingers crossed). Then we plan to head over to Long Island and then up through Eleuthra to meet Tracy & Jerry by May 15th somewhere in the Abacos.
In the meantime we happen to have arrived for Bahama Regatta Week - the biggest sailing event of the year in the Bahamas. Traditionally built boats, made by hand by each owner, are raced all week long. Boats are shipped from all over the islands and the competition is fierce. There are three classes - A,B,&C - starting at different times during each day of the event. The town is crowded and filled with partying Bahamians - it is amazing how loud and raucous the arguments over who's going to beat the hell out of who are... the shouting gets very intense. The rivalries go back to 1955 when the races were started to help keep the traditional Bahamian working boats alive. One of the favorites - Tida Wave - which has won many times over the past years - was out yesterday, and we followed it around the bay on one of the photographer's boats. I'll try and get some photos from him and send them out...(I've already dropped our camera in the water... hope it will dry out and work again... )
Needless to say we're having a fantastic time... the water is indescribably beautiful, the colors and the range of blues, greens, turquoise, the clarity are unlike anything I've ever seen.
A big Happy Birthday to you, Cog! did you know your birthday is on St. George's Day?
Hugs and kisses - we miss you all, and wish you could be with us ....
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