[C320-list] packing gland & listing to port

Sat Oct 20 08:52:01 PDT 2007

Well, if you do put ballast in, Gerry recommend 170# of lead behind the head sink...

----------------------------------
Regards,
OD

Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld

----- Original Message -----
From: "Chris Burti" [clburti at gmail.com]
Sent: 10/20/2007 06:11 AM
To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.com>
Subject: Re: [C320-list] packing gland & listing to port

Yes... I really am considering adding ballast. It just kills me that I
can't point the same on both tacks. As we haven't loaded Commitment
down with junk, she shows a couple inches of bottom paint below the
design waterline and I can afford the weight if I stick it midships.

But, I am intrigued by Jeff's assertion that the mast is not centered
if the shrouds are equal in length. Since most mastheads are
symmetrical this is how you plumb the mast after verifying that the
base is centered. Now, if the base of a deck stepped mast is not
centered (something you should check because, surprisingly, it appears
to occur often enough) then you do have to make an adjustment as Jeff
suggested, I have measured the base and it is centered, I have plumbed
my mast in the traditional way and I still have a list. Now, if there
is something funky about the masthead...inquiring minds want to know.

Oh, add me to the GFX packing group also...three years and loving it.

Got a couple of comments on the mechanical dripless seal concept...I
know it is debating religion, but it is Saturday and I am obviously
not sailing. I am of the school that thinks it it imprudent to trust
rubber for birth control or keeping your boat afloat. I already have
some down there (intake hoses, shaft log, etc.) and don't care to add
more.

If the bellows fails, your boat will sink unless you can get your rag
and bucket working fairly quickly. The assertion that there has never
been a documented "catastrophic" failure may be true but, is also
unprovable BS. All that it means to me is that the owners got the leak
stopped in time or they haven't had one sink at the dock or where they
could recover the hull and blame it on a burst bellows.

My belief is that the most likely time one of these things would fail
is while the engine is in operation and shaft is turning. Given the
the high quality of the components, the most likely cause would seem
be some improperly stored something tangling the shaft in heavy seas
and damaging the bellows (of course from 'statistical' viewpoint that
sinking wouldn't be 'caused' by the seal, it would be 'caused' by the
skipper's 'negligence', heheheh).Too many boats go down taking water
for "unknown reasons" off shore in just these conditions and the hulls
are never recovered. Some of those must have had dripless seals. It
used to be that a selling point was the fact the Coasites used them...
News Flash..they are now going to GFX as well.

Note that these seals are a proven product and I doubt that if I
bought a boat with one installed that I would be very concerned about
removing it, but I can't see me spending the money installing one
where $10 worth of GFX (in my case it was free...better yet) provides
the same results and no concerns.

I have a dry bilge generally but haven't figured out how to keep from
adding about a quart of water when I pull my speed transducer after
each sail to avoid barnacles.

On 10/19/07, Orlando.Duran at averydennison.com
<Orlando.Duran at averydennison.com> wrote:
> Please tell me you're kidding about putting in 300lbs of stainless steel to level out the boat!!
>
> A good place to store a 1-2gal gas container is in the anchor locker, it has an 'exhaust' hole..
> ----------------------------------
> Regards,
> OD
>
> Sent from my BlackBerry Wireless Handheld
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Chris Burti" [clburti at gmail.com]
> Sent: 10/19/2007 12:54 PM
> To: C320-List <c320-list at catalina320.com>
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] packing gland & listing to port
>
> Yes...the [port list is 'normal'. On my "to do" list is scrounging
> about 300 pounds of stainless scrap to level it out.
>
> Don't leave the gasoline on the boat as a precaution. I only carry it
> aboard when I leave on a cruise intending to take the dinghy. Not only
> is it a bit safer, it is always fresh. I recommend the anchor locker,
> it is vented better top and bottom.
>
> On 10/19/07, Moondancer5 at comcast.net <Moondancer5 at comcast.net> wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Now that I've had the boat back for a bit, and the weather has been highly cooperative, I have a couple of questions on what's normal. Thanks in advance for all advice!
> >
> > Not having had a cruiser before, we did not realize the amount of leaking from the packing gland was abnormal, until we were splashed this spring and the bilge pump wasn't working... after our marina adjusted it, we had our little incident with the powerboat wake and the whole engine had to be reset on the mounts and the shaft re-aligned, and at the dealer the bilge was dry. After the boat was delivered back to us there was quite a bit of water in the bilge (and the auto pump hadn't been left on). Now we see that after every afternoon of sailing, the shaft still drips after the engine has been shut off. I don't imagine that adjusting the d**n thing after each sail is normal, I had heard it should do is shed a drop of water every minute while the engine is running, and none after it's shut off. What's normal?
> >
> > And, I notice (and noticed before the accident) a slight (but distinct) list to port. Is THAT normal?
> >
> > One more while I'm here: Where do you store your gasoline tank for the dinghy when it's not in use? When at our marina in the slip, we put the Zodiac on a rack and the outboard on the rail (which has totally messed up the nice little slot there where we had the Lifesling mounted, now it won't fit in there with the outboard on the bracket). We are putting the gas tank in the starboard stern locker, I believe the a/c compressor is in that area too. is that safe?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > Susan
> >
> >
>
>
> --
> Chris Burti
> Farmville, NC
>
>
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>

-- 
Chris Burti
Farmville, NC

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The information transmitted is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any computer.