[C320-list] Dry bilge?

Allan S Field allan.field at verizon.net
Tue Nov 25 16:30:29 PST 2014


Scott - An immediate fix could be the leaking port lights.  Try cleaning the
gaskets with ArmourAll cleaning wipes. The theory is that the stuff in the
wipes makes the gaskets swell.  All I know is that I do this twice per year
and have never had a leak in the 13+ years we have had the boat.

Allan S. Field
Sea Shadow - #808
Columbia, MD

-----Original Message-----
From: C320-list [mailto:c320-list-bounces at lists.catalina320.com] On Behalf
Of Scott Westwood
Sent: Tuesday, November 25, 2014 6:55 PM
To: C320-List at Catalina320.com
Subject: Re: [C320-list] Dry bilge?

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.
 > > >
 > >
 > >
 >
 
 



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