[C320-list] Sterngland adjustment question

[Rick Sulewski]

Graeme, 
I have used  adjustable wrenches over the past 18 seasons with no issues.
There are some inexpensive horseshoe type adjustable wrenches available at
some hardware stores that reach deeper than using a pipe wrench. But, even
the cheaper low quality china manufactured pipe wrenches will also work as
long as you can open up the jaw to 2 inches and then adjust the jaw to snug
against the hex nut.

Only need to snug the packing nut against the narrower locking nut ring. Do
not need to over tighten the metal gland which I believe is brass, so it is
already rather soft by its very nature. If the drip rate is too fast, just
release the ring nut that  is jammed against the larger packing nut and
crank another 1/4 turn on the packing nut and then lock-in the narrower
locking ring nut against the packing nut. Usually I retighten the nut at the
beginning of each season, but having installed Gortex packing last season,
no adjustment was necessary at the beginning of this season.

Rick
1995 320 #277

-----Original Message-----
From: c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com
[mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf Of
sailorlew at aol.com
Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 7:41 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Sterngland adjustment question

I believe the nut sizes are 1 7/8. Use Goretex packing & you don't have to
worry about a drip rate anymore.


'
http://www.emarineinc.com/products/GFO-Packing%2C-1%7B47%7D4-in.%286-mm%29-2
-foot.html
Lew


-----Original Message-----
From: Graeme Clark <cg at skyflyer.co.uk>
To: c320-list <c320-list at lists.catalina320.com>
Sent: Thu, May 30, 2013 6:42 pm
Subject: [C320-list] Sterngland adjustment question


Looking at the manual one part says that the stern gland stuffing box should
be adjusted to 1 to 2 drops per minute (engine off)  and another part says 4
to 15 drops per minute, which seems rather a lot - anyone care to give some
advice?  

Secondly we have in the past had a contractor do this adjustment because we
don't have any wrenches big enough.  This is getting repetitive and
expensive so I want o buy some wrenches but have no idea of the size of the
nuts (I'm currently 450 miles from the boat!). Does anyone her know the
correct size? 

I watched one contractor and he tested/measured the water loss rate only
when the engine and props haft were turning, but not user what would be an
appropriate rate in that case?

Thanks in anticipation of the answers!

Graeme
#303, England.