Author Topic: Stuffing Box, it is possible to change in the water for a Bavaria 50?  (Read 3502 times)

rafa

  • Swab
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Boat Model: Bavaria 50
  • Boat Year: 2002
Dear sirs, someone knows if it is possible to change the stuffing box in the water.
My Bavaria 50 is dripping about 5 lts/hour and I have to change it, but there isn't any crane to take the boat out of the water.
Best
Rafael

Symphony

  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Posts: 1106
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Boat Model: Bavaria 33
  • Boat Year: 2015
Assuming it is the type that has replaceable gland packing, the first thing to do is to adjust it as 5l and hour suggests a very large gap (in packing terms) and wear is unlikely to be that severe.

Anyway to answer your question - yes. You need to be well organised with all your new packing rings ready, cut to size, at least 3 and possibly 4 will be needed. Undo the nut and slide forward. Remove the old rings, using a screw to cut into them and pull out. Have a big rag ready to staunch the flow of water while you prepare to press the new rings in. once the first one is in the water should virtually stop. You might let 20l or so in, so not too much for the pump to deal with. When they are all in push the collar and nut back down and tighten. You may have to adjust a couple of times to get it just right with no drips when stationary and the odd drip when motoring.

Salty

  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Posts: 1216
  • Karma: +3/-1
  • Boat Model: Bavaria 36
  • Boat Year: 2002
Do remember if your boat has a gland packing type seal, that the seal should not be 100% watertight all of the time.  The very slight leakage that Symphony referred to is there to prevent overheating resulting in friction burning of the packing material in way of the prop shaft and leading then to excessive leakage.

JEN-et-ROSS

  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Posts: 326
  • Karma: +4/-0
  • Boat Model: Bavaria 38 Lagoon
  • Boat Year: 1990
Does the stuffing box not have a 'greaser' ? ???
Assuming it does, then just pump in loads of grease before removing the old packing and it wont leak at all while you re-pack the stuffing box. ;D

IslandAlchemy

  • Old Salt
  • *****
  • Posts: 480
  • Karma: +4/-1
There's not much room between the gearbox coupling and the stern tube, so not something I would attempt while in the water.

Theoretically you can do it, but having replaced mine a couple of years ago, it's not something I would try in the water (unless you can get someone under the boat to stuff and hold an old towel in the gap between the propshaft and stern tube.

rafa

  • Swab
  • Posts: 13
  • Karma: +0/-0
  • Boat Model: Bavaria 50
  • Boat Year: 2002
Thank you very much for this advices, I will try to have someone underwater in the moment of the change.