Victoria Shadow Association Members' Forum

Mark_Bloomfield

Guest

Victoria 34 Stern Gland

Symphony's stern gland needs repacking. It is a traditional stern gland packed with PTFE impregnated flax, it has got to the point of maximum adjustment. After having given it a good look at, am I right in think that the engine would need to be moved to replace the packing? The engine is a Yanmar 3GM and when the packing nut is removed there is no room to remove the compression spacer to be able to extract the old packing, the packing nut is hard up against the shaft coupling.

So my questions are:

1) Has anyone done this and do they have a cunning plan to enable the packing to be reliably replaced?

2) Has anyone fitted a PSS stern seal and what do they think and did they do it themselves?

3) An even better solution...?

Thanks, Mark

Simon_Bound

Guest

Re: Victoria 34 Stern Gland

Hi Mark

I replaced the standard packing on Caladh last year.Do I need to tell you what it's like in the stern locker/engine compartment of a Vict.34  ? !!!

I had to first make space so I could "move" in the engine comp. by removing the calorifier cover (if you have one fitted in the standard place) and then the wooden partions from the stern locker to the engine comp. This is now nearly standard practice for me to do anything down there.

I then had to undo the nuts (Allen key type) attaching the gearbox flange to the gearbox so the prop could move back to allow me to get to the packing gland. You may want to remove the prop to give you even more space. I didn't so it was still a fiddly job. I managed to get out 3 circles of packing but I don't thing there were more although who knows .....

I was going to replace with "Dripless Packing" that I got from the USA but almost as I was due to fit heard a horror story about it siezing a prop so ended up using standard stuff again.

All in all not so much difficult as fiddly, somewhat time consuming and aching on muscles that haven't been used in years. It's nice to get the stern gland area nice and clean again though.

Best regards
Simon (simon@boundsonthewater.co.uk)

Mark_Bloomfield

Guest

Re: Victoria 34 Stern Gland

Hi Simon,

Thanks for the advice and inspiration! I have removed enough to get everything apart, not so bad once you have a proper plan of action. Fortunately Dick Walters who owned Symphony before us had coated everything liberally with grease so, although there were signs of corrosion, all came undone without too much hassle. I had visions of having to drill out rusted in bolts.

Still not sure whether to go for a PSS or stick with the existing system. Either way I will replace the rubber tubing between the gland and the shaft log as it must be twenty years old by now. Interesting to hear your comment about the drip-less packing.

On another note we have really enjoyed reading your reports on your voyages. They make fascinating reading and are supported with great photographs. I am looking forward to hearing more about the Greek Islands which I fell in love with when working on the film Shirley Valentine over twenty years ago!

Best wishes,

Mark