[C320-list] stuffing box packing

[Robert E. Sloat]

I have hull 894 (2002) and the same situation with the owner's manual saying 
3/16 inch packing dimension.  When measured using drills the packing was 1/4 
inch.  I used the 1/4 inch Gortex packing from emarine mentioned in an 
earlier string and basically eliminated any leakage to the bilge.  I 
readjust once or twice during the season.  This is the best $15 investment 
made on the boat and it only takes about 20 boat minutes to replace the 
packing.  The hardest part was getting the old packing out and cleaning 
packing off of the threads on the packing fitting so it could screw tight.

This is the 3rd season on the packing.  On thing I noticed is that I could 
only get 2 layers of packing in the fitting and the instructions say use 3 
layers.  I think there were only 2 layers of the original stuff in the 
fitting.
Bob Sloat
Savannah
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Culbertson" <billculb_a2 at yahoo.com>
To: <catalina at thehares.com>; "C320-List" <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 10:10 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] stuffing box packing


Bert,

Jeff describes my situation.  My manual says 3/16" just like yours.  But my 
stuffing box takes 1/4".

The dealer had put 1/4" when I took delivery.  It leaked by season end so 
when I replaced, I replaced with 3/16" per the manual.  When I changed that 
out after the 2nd season, I could see that the rings had a rectangular 
cross-section - not square.  One dimension was about 1/4" - the other much 
skinnier than the original 3/16".

So I used the drill bit technique, found that 1/4" drill bit fit fine and 
snugly, and switched back to 1/4".

 -bill

----- Original Message ----
From: Jeffrey Hare <catalina at thehares.com>
To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 6:55:33 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] stuffing box packing


Bert,

   I believe most people have reported that 1/4" is what actually fits on
our boats, even though the manual says 3/16".  If you've actually used 3/16"
and had it work, then you're boat is seems to be an exception to the norm.
:)

Many folks have switched over to GFO packing material for dripless
operation.

-Jeff

-----Original Message-----
From: BAdams3491 at aol.com [mailto:BAdams3491 at aol.com]
Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 6:27 PM
To: c320-list at catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] stuffing box packing

Don't know what people are saying, but the owner's manual for my 1997 model
says 3/16".

Bert
At Ease
#442