Rudder Packing Adjustment

QUOTE(beachbum @ Jun 9 2009, 10:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>sounds to me like you figured it out all by yourself...wasn't so hard was it??? How bad is it seeping? Tighten it up and see if it still seepes. If it does you may have to re-pack the housing. That's something that should really be done out of the water. If you tighten it down and it's still only seeping a little, I wouldn't worry about it till you pull it in the fall.
Thanks!!! That's more or less what I kind of figured, but nice to get some conformation.

It's not seeping too badly, and I think it may have been repacked recently (this is my first year with this boat), so I'm not expecting it to need much. knock on wood!!!

That ground seems to be redundant, that, I'm guessing, wasn't put back at some repair or maintenance service. Everything within range already seems to be grounded, so I haven't been real concerned about it.

Thanks again.

Could that wire reach the nut/bolt on the actual rudder shaft??

The thru-hull looks to be grounded, but that's really isolated from the rudder post by the packing (even if it didn't leak). There should be a different wire that would protect the rudder and shaft.

And just as a reminder for others.... while you can (and probably should) torque the packing on a rudder so it doesn't leak at all, you should NOT do that for propeller shafts... they SHOULD leak a little bit to keep the packing cool and lubricated while running.

PS.. don't forget to tighten the jamb nut!!

QUOTE(Convincor @ Jun 25 2009, 08:43 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>AP, Mine look very similar (but older). Same thing though. The lower nut tightens the packing material and the upper nut holds the lower in place. That simple. I may replace the packing for next year. Mine leaks a little bit. Not sure how much they are suppose to leak or not?
Thanks. Believe it or not, I haven't even touched it yet.

When given the option, bilge work is like yard work -- best done on weekdays. Haven't had any weekday opportunities lately.

QUOTE(KMC @ Jun 28 2009, 10:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I would not expect a rudder shaft to leak at all. It's very likely you will not have to replace the packing, only retighten it. They rarely wear out, as there is really no wear to speak of. Unlike a prop shaft, they do not need a trickle of water to provide cooling and lube.

As long as the nuts are tight (so they don't loosen anymore by themselves) and the leak is small enough that an extended period without relying on the bilge pump doesn't put your boat at risk, then there is NO hurry to address. I wouldn't waste a second of "good boating weather" attempting to resolve it.
You're reading my mind!