[C320-list] Dry bilge?

[Scott Westwood]

I can't thank everybody enough for all the responses.  My thoughts (Since I'm cheap) is to try the adjustment approach first.  Next time we haul it probalbly re-pack it too.

If it becomes an issue I have plenty of comments to work with.

I know I have more questions coming.  We need a chart plotter, Auto Helm, I want to re-do my pedestal(clean it up), some portals leak ever so slightly during driving rain....  Pleasures of boat ownership.

boat was still a great price.

Thanks,

Scott Westwood scottwestwood at bellsouth.net H (919)-362-8538C (919)-618-7185

--------------------------------------------
On Tue, 11/25/14, Jeff Hare <Catalina at thehares.com> wrote:

 Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dry bilge?
 To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
 Date: Tuesday, November 25, 2014, 3:02 PM
 
 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.
 > > >
 > >
 > >
 >