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Cape Dory stuffing box leak

10K views 22 replies 13 participants last post by  Shinook 
#1 ·
Hello everyone, I'm the new owner of a 1978 Cape Dory 28. After moving the boat to it's new home I've now got a steady stream of water coming out of the stuffing box that's causing the bilge pump to go off about every 10 minutes or so. I've crawled down in there and don't see how any conceivable type of wrench could fit in there to adjust the nuts. I've read Mainecruisings page about stuffing replacement, and even bought the recommended tools (pipe wrench and sink drain spanner) but could not get anything to fit around between the nuts and the fiberglass sides of the bilge. Any recommendation on what tools could be used to tighten this guy up? I have some pictures of the shaft, but it won't let me post them cause my post count is too low, maybe I can email them to someone of interested in helping out? Thanks everyone!

-Mo
 
#2 ·
Cape Dory (or more likely Spartan Marine) supplied many of the boats with bronze stuffing box wrenches. Sounds like you don't have the ones for your boat. I use large channel locks for my 330. Also to loosen the cap nut, a screwdriver and hammer usually will work.

Definitely post your question on the CapeDory.org board: The Cape Dory Board • View forum - Cape Dory Discussions

You'll get lots of CD specific help there.

-M
 
#3 ·
Blowinstink-
Yes, if the special wrenches came with the boat I sure haven't seen them. I did register at the cape dory forum but unfortunately it seems to take a little while for an administrator to approve the account. Thanks for the quick reply.

-Mo
 
#5 ·
It actually looks like the lock nut is backed right off.. it's possible that the gland nut has turned itself loose as well and that's causing the leak. If that's the case you can probably tap it around with a long screwdriver and a hammer.. might be able to slow it down some and you should be able to reseat the lock nut the same way.. not ideal but a short term fix maybe. If it's been that way a while you may need some time with a loosening product like PB blaster or Krolls.
 
#6 ·
One thing to take note of: I don't think that is a standard CD Stuffing Box. I know it doesn't look like mine (which has sprokets on the outside of both nut) Here are some photos I pulled from google images for Cape Dory 28 stuffing box. If you zoom in, you'll notice they don't look like yours either:

Google Image Result for http://www.thebaillies.net/jstark/CD28/images/CD%252028%2520stuffing%2520box.JPG

I know that doesn't answer you immediate problem, but it is something to keep in mind (and it may be related to the difficulty you are having in servicing it).

-Matt
 
#7 · (Edited)
As Faster has posted, the lock nut is loose.
It also looks like some glass has been poorly laid up in the bilge, further restricting a tight space.
My personal belief is that you need to make your own wrenches for this purpose. The adjustable spanner that almost everyone recommends (the silver one pictured next to the pipe wrench) is an ungodly awful tool and is totally unsuitable for packing nut adjustment-- just an exercise in frustration. It is not difficult to make your own wrenches out of 1/8" steel plate (available at the big box hardwares). I made mine by modifying a pair of non-adjustable "stamped steel" plumbing wrenches that I got at Home Depot for about $8 each. I cut them to proper shape with an angle grinder then welded handles on them from 1/2" angle iron, attaching them at an angle like all wrenches are made, to allow you to turn the nut from different approaches. Once you make the wrenches, hang them somewhere close to the stuffing box and pass them on to the next owner when you sell the boat.
They don't have to be terribly strong-- once the packing nut is loose and cleaned up, it doesn't take much torque to tighten it properly.
 
#8 ·
After pounding at it for a while with a screwdriver and hammer, I'm letting it soak in pb blaster for the moment. I see in the picture that it looks like the two nuts have separated, but this isn't actually the case, they are very tight together. After the pb blaster has had a chance to work i'll see if i can get them loose from each other and then tighten the packing nut back down, the hammer/screwdriver method seems to be able to apply quite a bit of force to them.
 
#9 ·
Obviously your boat is in the water as the stuffing box is leaking.
Hopefully you are at a slip where you have shore power. I'd think seriously about hooking up a battery charger so your bilge pump does not drain your batteries while you work on this.

I do not know where (geographically) you are located but if the water outside your boat is not freezing cold you can also take a wax toilet bowl ring and use pieces of it to temporarily seal the shaft from outside the boat.

All of this should just help you buy some time until you get the stuffing box repacked and tuned.

Your stuffing box implementation makes me feel sort of good about the way it was done on my boat (see pic).
 

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#10 ·
Caleb, thanks for the reply. Luckily I am in a slip and plugging in the battery charger was one of the first things I did. Also luckily I'm staying on the boat at the moment and don't have to go anywhere so I can monitor the situation. Water is freezing cold at the moment (Portland, OR) so I don't think I'll be jumping in. It sure does seem like a terrible setup down there, but at least I have access to it, after searching for this problem it seems some boats are designed so that you can't even get down to the stuffing box without removing the engine.

-Mo
 
#11 ·
Phew, emergency over. And to think all it would take is the proper tools. Finally got the locking nut loose with a small 2lb sledge and a "demolition driver" full length steel screwdriver. Still will need to repack the box I'm sure, but I'm not planning on moving it in the near future, so got the drip rate pretty much nill for now. Haven't checked it yet with the motor in gear, but will be sure to do that if I do any motoring before I repack it. Thanks everybody for the help!

-Mo
 
#12 ·
OMG, glad you didn't break the shaft log!

I don't know if they make them that big. but maybe a couple "flare nut" wrenches would be the ticket. Maybe you could have something welded up.

PSS shaft seal was the ticket on my boat. But the mere mention of this will start an whole new discussion!
 
#13 ·
OMG, glad you didn't break the shaft log!

I don't know if they make them that big. but maybe a couple "flare nut" wrenches would be the ticket. Maybe you could have something welded up.

PSS shaft seal was the ticket on my boat. But the mere mention of this will start an whole new discussion!
From another thread I have running on the Cape Dory forums, I guess this method is the usual way. The shaft log is metal and not a fiberglass tube so it's pretty tough.

-Mo
 
#14 ·
Hey Celeb D you had something there, a wax toilet ring. My stuffing box drips more than I would like and a hall-out is still a year away. Im going to try your idea of stuffing some wax from the outside. Never thought of a wax seal, but I really think you are onto something here. Thanks for the tip, the out side the box kind of tip. (great)

Brad
Lancer 36
 
#16 ·
I don't know about that, the outside water temp is in the 50's. I had it so tight years ago that it was almost dry and it was wonderful. That shaft was cold to the touch after hours of hull speed sailing(7+kts). I know it is there to lube the shaft but Im going to try this approach and let you know how it worked.

Brad
Lancer 36
 
#19 ·
I just wanted to say I am having the same problem on a 1979 Cape Dory 28. Nearly inaccessible... I also do not have the rubber tube that connects the stern. I'm happy you mentioned that because that had me a bit puzzled.

I have been trying the hammer screw driver method but that has just chipping away at the nut starting to strip it. Additionally it just doesnt feel right banging on a screwdriver near the shaft like that... seems like there has to be a better way.

It seems making your own wrench may be the only way. Although a big enough flair wrench might work.
 
#22 ·
Making big short handled spanners to fit stuffing nuts is no biggy. Drill the layout on 1/4 plate and file away. I use two to take the strain off the hose. The handles can be extended with short lengths of pipe with end hammered oval . Cut one out of thin ply for testing shape. Get the angle right.
 
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