[C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11.

[conneelythomas at aol.com]

Ok, Anyone have a way to replace the packing gland ?? My is 7 years old and have about 600 hours on the engine .  Should I replace it ??
Also , as a side note I have just replace my exhaust riser.   It needed it!!  Tom 916






-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Seastream <robert.seastream at comcast.net>
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Sent: Sun, Apr 11, 2010 12:58 pm
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11.


I'll bet any money the source of your leak is the packing gland, located where the prop shaft exits the hull. Needs tightening, surprised Catalinas' reps didn't catch it. 
Additionally, always, always, always have your bilge pump on auto, unless your boat is on dry land. I've never (boating since the '60's) heard of anyone doing otherwise. 
 
Bob Seastream 
Intuition # 906 
Newington, NH 
 
On Apr 11, 2010, at 10:22 AM, jim brown wrote: 
 
> Also check around the rudder post and post packing. 
> 
> --- On Sun, 4/11/10, sail0983 <sail0983 at aol.com> wrote: 
> 
> Check the cap on the port side "Vent Loop" that is accessible > through the port cockpit locker. When my boat was new that cap was > not secure and ended up with a water in the aft cabin. 
> 
> Dave Marchant 
> Illumination #983 
> Solomons, Md 
 
> From: "Stephen Cox" <scox at timmin.com> 
> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Leak on New 320 Mk11. 
> Date: April 11, 2010 4:57:51 AM EDT 
> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com 
>> Hi all, 
>> I have had a water leak appearing in the bilge since new on 
>> hull no.1162. 
>> It appears to be salt water and appears even when the boat 
>> has been tied up at the marina for a few days with no rain. 
>> (definitely not rain water) Have put food dye in both water 
>> tanks , and water in the bilge is clear so have eliminated 
>> fresh water. 
>> The water is first spotted under the aft. floor section 
>> where the water tank valves are located .It then appears to 
>> make its way to the 2 forward sections of the bilge. 
>> Initially after 3-5 days it used to only cover the keel bolts 
>> but recently has got worse ,now covers 90% of bilge height 
>> after 1 week. 
>> Have had to turn on auto bilge pump. 
>> Water also comes in with sea cocks off. (except engine) Cant 
>> see a water path from engine bay or stern land to that 
>> section where the water appears. 
>> The Catalina Agent has had a couple of shipwrights have a 
>> look ,and they fixed other leaks which were there( rainwater 
>> related),but this main leak is still there. 
>> It has been 12 months now and am seriously considering asking 
>> Catalina to take the boat back if they cannot find/fix the leak. 
>> 
>> Anyone got any ideas? 
>> 
> 
> David, 
> 
> Water from the stern gland area will flow down past the freshwater > valves to 
> the bilge, even if you can't quite see how. 
> 
> My Mk II has always had water issues from the stern gland. I had it 
> adjusted a couple of times after purchase by the dealer but it still 
> proceeded to let in water for a few days after running the motor. I > have 
> tweaked it myself on several occasions and this summer on haulout I > tried 
> replacing the packing and doubling it up, but the extra ring was too > much 
> and I couldn't get the gland screwed back on with enough thread > engagement 
> without all but locking up the shaft. IMHO one turn of packing is not 
> enough. So for now I put up with it dripping for some time after > running 
> the engine. Next haul out I hope to put a dripless seal in to get > around 
> this and finally, hopefully, have a dry bilge. 
> 
> I have a BEP Power Monitor which will monitor current usage on one > battery 
> and voltage on up to three. Alternately, the third battery voltage > can be 
> flipped to keep track of the bilge pump usage. This reports the > number of 
> times the bilge pump has run and the total run time since the count > was last 
> reset - very reassuring when you think you have leakage issues. 
> 
> BTW, I think you are very brave to not have your automatic bilge pump 
> switched on at all times. I live two hours away from my boat and > wouldn't 
> like to drive that far after a call from the marina without knowing 
> something was trying to keep the boat afloat. By the way, the > obvious fuse 
> on the control panel for the bilge pump doesn't do anything, at > least on my 
> boat, as that fuse is switched by the 1-2-both switch. As it came, > there is 
> a line fuse behind the electrical panel and the bilge pump is wired 
> effectively direct to battery one, independent of the 1-2-both > switch. It's 
> a glass fuse not a two pronged spade type - you might want to get some 
> spares. I swapped mine out for the common fuse type on the boat so I > had 
> plenty of others to use if needs be. 
> 
> Stephen Cox 
> Canberra AUSTRALIA 
> Tegwen #1141