Stuffing Box Maintenance On Your Boat.
Power boats and sail boats that have an inboard engine and a
prop-shaft that goes through the hull, has a stuffing box that is supposed to
prevent leaks where the shaft goes through the hull. The stuffing box on the
boat needs to be maintained and adjusted regularly. It should be part of your regular boat safety check.
Most stuffing boxes have flax packing in them. Over time the
flax hardens and requires adjustment and eventually the flax needs to be
replaced. A properly adjusted stuffing box should drip several times a minute
while you are underway and this lubricates and cool the packing. It should not
drip at all when at rest. It is necessary to tighten the stuffing box as the
packing wears.
Engine misalignment, worn cutless bearings, or
out-of-balance props will cause the stuffing box to leak faster. The small drip
from the stuffing box will not or should not overwhelm a bilge pump.
The job of re-packing a stuffing box is straight forward and
can be done while the boat is in the water. It is easier when the boat is
pulled out of the water though.
A new alternative to flax packing is Teflon and Gore-Tex
packing. These drip less or not at all.
If the boat has not been used for a long time, you need to
keep a check on the box and note how much it is dripping. Adjust and re pack as
needed. A leaking stuffing box can sink a boat.
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