[C320-list] Dry bilge?

[sailor3952 at charter.net]

Thanks Captain Sloat for the detailed info on the GFO packing.  I plan 
to repack with this before spring launch.
Kaare Wold
Sheet Music  #945
Sturgeon Bay, WI


On Tue, Dec 30, 2014 at 8:51 AM, Robert Sloat wrote:

> Been away from the action for a while.  Agree with Jeff on the GFO 
> solution.  As I have said many times in the past on posts, the best 
> $15 investment ever made on my hull 894 (2002) was the Gortex GFO 
> packing.  I replaced the OEM packing with the GFO and bilge has been 
> dry since installation which is about 10 seasons.  After launch in the 
> spring readjust the packing gland in the slip after a few minutes 
> underway with the engine on to no drip and that is all.  Occasionally 
> feel the packing gland after motoring and it is just a little warm and 
> no drips.  Maybe this spring will replace the GFO out of prudence.  I 
> still have some left from the original purchase. Check out 
> http://gfopacking.com/ <http://gfopacking.com/>
>   Bob Sloat
> Savannah 894 (2002)
> Waukegan Harbor, IL
>
>> On Nov 25, 2014, at 2:02 PM, Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:
>>
>> Not that there isn't already enough things going on in this topic... 
>> :)   My
>> first hand experiences are:
>>
>>       PSS Shaft Seal:
>> I had the older style non-vented PSS installed for 6 years.  Worked 
>> fine,
>> pretty dry, but burping it did let a few drops dribble in.  This 
>> could
>> result in black water carbon spray line across muffler, floor and the 
>> boards
>> above, so if you have a PSS, always be sure to replace the boards 
>> before
>> revving the prop after burping.  You could (like Al Ahlman 
>> discovered) end
>> up with a nice black line across your aft cabin roof.  The PSS set 
>> screws
>> don't need much bite to hold the SS ring in place, but would bite and 
>> hold
>> better in Bronze than SS if anything.  Best bet is to clamp on a 
>> doughnut
>> zinc to back up the SS PSS Shaft ring.  This is helpful for two 
>> reasons.  1)
>> in case a set screw doesn't grab well, the bellows can't cause the 
>> ring to
>> creep away over time.  2) If you need to add more pressure to the 
>> between
>> the carbon block and the SS ring, this will give you a nice reference 
>> point
>> and something solid to gently pry against when making fine 
>> adjustments to
>> the pressure.
>> I also got the new vented PSS upgrade kit shipped to me for free (but 
>> never
>> used it).  Still have it new in the box, along with my original PSS 
>> which is
>> still in fine shape.
>>
>>    SS Prop Shaft:
>> Upgrading the prop shaft from Bronze to SS is recommended when you 
>> upgrade
>> your prop to a heavier folding or feathering version.  Other than 
>> that, no
>> real need to replace the bronze with SS (especially just for a PSS). 
>> Newer
>> boats all have SS from the factory anyway.
>>
>> The Prop shaft is easily removed without dropping the rudder, but you 
>> have
>> to remove the stuffing box/PSS AND the cutlass bearing first in order 
>> to get
>> enough side to side deflection to clear the rudder.  It scrapes buy 
>> barely
>> but it does with a bit of effort.  I've personally done this twice 
>> myself
>> (two different C320s).  If I can do it, any bozo can.
>>
>>     Gortex GFO Packing:
>> I have been using the GFO Packing instead of the PSS for 7 years now. 
>> The
>> drain hole leading under the engine pan has a small piece of duct 
>> tape over
>> it so nothing drains to the bilge.  The GFO has run quiet, cool and 
>> really
>> 100% dripless since then. The only time I need to mop water out of 
>> that
>> section is when I empty the junk from my raw water strainer and 
>> forget to
>> use a Ziploc baggie around it to contain the spills.
>>
>> All things being equal, I like the stability and simplicity of the
>> traditional Stuffing box with GFO more than I did the PSS.  It also 
>> provides
>> a third point in between the coupling and the cutlass bearing to help
>> prevent shaft whip or oscillations.
>> With the vented version, be sure that when revving it or moving in 
>> reverse
>> that back pressure doesn't cause the water to squirt out the top of 
>> the vent
>> hose.  I've seen that happen first hand also and was really surprised 
>> even
>> though it was led well above the water line.  I suppose it was 
>> because it
>> was such a small diameter hose it didn't take much pressure to force 
>> water
>> up a couple feet like a little mini fountain.  Not much water, but 
>> way more
>> than just a few drops.
>>
>> Cheers!
>> -Jeff Hare #809
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Allan S Field
>> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2014 9:21 PM
>> To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dry bilge?
>>
>> Martin - I think what was said about the rudder was that it did not 
>> need to
>> be dropped and the shaft didn't have to be removed to install the PYY 
>> shaft
>> seal.  But if changing out the shaft, I would imagine the rudder 
>> would need
>> to be dropped. - Allan
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On 
>> Behalf
>> Of Martin Rosenberg
>> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2014 8:57 PM
>> To: C320-List at catalina320.com
>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dry bilge?
>>
>> Sliding the shaft back a ways and removing the Shaft coupling to 
>> install the
>> PSS is a LOT LESS work that removing the shaft (and then probably the
>> cutless bearing). Someone on the list said that the rudder does not 
>> have to
>> be dropped to remove the shaft although I really don't see how the 
>> alignment
>> will allow it. Then 'they' say that the coupling should be reground 
>> and
>> fitted to the new shaft.
>> Martin Rosenberg
>> Avalon  #823
>>
>> On Mon, Nov 24, 2014 at 7:52 PM, Pat Ireland <cherie320 at gmail.com> 
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Just a thought - there might be valid logic in replacing the bronze 
>>> with stainless, considering that the process of installing the PSS 
>>> requires partial removal of the shaft.  So, if you are in for a 
>>> penny, why not spring for the whole pound.  Same might be said for 
>>> engine mounts, cutlass bearing, and prop.  But then again, there 
>>> might not be quite enough ink in the pen to write the check for that 
>>> bill.  Cheers Pat, 801
>>>
>>> On Mon, Nov 24, 2014 at 4:21 PM, Allan S Field 
>>> <allan.field at verizon.net>
>>> wrote:
>>>
>>>> My Question to PYY:  I have a Catalina 320 sailing vessel. There is 
>>>> "chatter" on our list-serve that if installing a PSS shaft seal, 
>>>> one
>>> should
>>>> change out their bronze shaft for stainless steel.  Just wondering 
>>>> if
>>> there
>>>> is any science behind this recommendation and what PYI recommends. 
>>>> Thank you!
>>>>
>>>> PYY Answer:  Hi Allan,
>>>>
>>>> This is false information and there are no issues what-so-ever 
>>>> installing the PSS Shaft Seal on a Bronze shaft. It's been 
>>>> happening for nearly 30 years now.
>>>>
>>>> Hope this helps and please let me know if there is anything else 
>>>> you
>>> need.
>>>>
>>>> Best regards,
>>>>
>>>> Justin S. Romesburg
>>>> Director of International Sales
>>>> PYI Inc. / Seaview
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On 
>>>> Behalf Of Doug Treff
>>>> Sent: Monday, November 24, 2014 7:50 AM
>>>> To: c320-list at lists.catalina320.com
>>>> Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dry bilge?
>>>>
>>>> CORRECTION - my mechanic recommended that I replace my bronze shaft 
>>>> with stainless when I get the PSS installed.
>>>>
>>>> ---
>>>> Doug Treff
>>>> doug at treff.us
>>>>
>>>> On 2014-11-22 10:35, pat reynolds wrote:
>>>>> I agree with Allan on the pss shaft. I replaced my original 
>>>>> because the company recommended a change every so many years.  The 
>>>>> original bellows looked fine when I removed it.  As far as the 
>>>>> mechanics suggestion that a bronze shaft be used, I can only think 
>>>>> that that was because bronze is softer than stainless and the set 
>>>>> screws might hold better.  A poor suggestion since I replaced my 
>>>>> original bronze shaft with stainless after getting a line caught
>> around it and bending it.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>