[C320-list] Shaft packing

[resloat]

Jim-Below is a copy of 2006 C320 correspondence on packing gland material. 
I replaced mine in 2006 with the GFO stuff and have basically a drip free 
install.  Maybe once a season, I will retighten the packing gland if any 
water drips through.  On my 2002 hull, I don't think the gland and locking 
nut are 1 7/8".  I bought the largest Channel Locks I could find which work 
well after you get one of them aligned on the narrow locking nut.

I pre-cut the GFO packing by tightly srapping it around the shaft in the 
boat and using a razor blade cut the packing at an angle so it was a tight 
fit around the shaft.  Only two layers of packing fit in initially.  A year 
later I was able to put another layer of packing.  All my work was done in 
the spring on the tarmac.  If you do it in the water get everything lined up 
before doing the repacking.  The hardest part was getting the old flax out. 
I used a heavy duty dentist pick and a bent nail to get the old packing out. 
It had hardenend over 6 seasons.

BEGINNING OF COPY
Karl-I have the GFO packing that Bill refers to in the link installed in
hull #894 and it is the best $18 investment made on the boat.  It is
basically dripless and takes only a few minutes to install.

Packing size for my boat is 1/4 inch even though my owner's manual says it 
is 3/16
inch.  The
link tells you what size to use depending on the space between the shaft and
the inside of the stuffing box.  I measured mine by unscrewing the gland nut
and finding
a drill size (1/4 ") that snuggly fit in the space between the shaft and the
stuffing box.  Use the smooth part of the drill that goes into the chuck for 
the measurement.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Culbertson" <billculb_a2 at yahoo.com>
To: "C320-List" <C320-List at catalina320.org>; <kmielen at iwon.com>
Sent: Monday, February 06, 2006 4:29 PM
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Packing Replacement


> Karl,
>
>   Order online from:
> http://www.e-marine-inc.com/products/gfopacking/packing.html
>   Stay completely away from various stuff stocked in marine stores and
online at other sites with "gore" in the name.  They are NOT the same thing.
I tried them, they don't work well.  But this stuff is excellent.
>
>   Also - MEASURE.  Do not rely on what the manual says.  Some folks on the
list have 3/16" packing - others have 1/4" packing.  The manual says 3/16"
but mine (#859) is definitely 1/4".  I got fooled and put in 3/16" one year.
It dripped unacceptably but more importantly when I removed it at the end of
the season to replace with something which performed better, I noticed the
ring cross-section was now rectangular instead of square.  One dimension was
1/4" and the other much less than 3/16".
>
>   See the picture on the above link for what to measure.  An excellent way
to do this that was suggested on this list is to (carefully) use drill bits.
Keep increasing the size until it won't fit.  Don't scratch anything but the
drill bit is much more accurate than a ruler or tape measure.
>
>    Bill Culbertson
>    Harmony #859
END OF COPY

Bob Sloat
S/V Savannah #894 (2002)