Does your stern tube drip

[Laurie Booth]

Does your stern tube drip when your boat is moving?

 

Edited November 29, 2013 by Laurie.Booth

[Kwacker]

Yes, but my doctor is working on a solution.

[Rod a mod from Tod]

Can we have a "sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't" option.

[IanM]

Can we have a "sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn't" option.

 

Agreed.

 

Normally cruising forwards for hours doesn't seem to make ours drip however a lot of reverse either in locks or manoeuvring does cause it to start dripping.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Hi ya,,

Drip while moving. No.

But sometimes I get a bit of muck inbetween the seal rings after I have taken to the ground for a tide or two. but after a quick 'burp' all is ok again. Might then get just an initial spray when first put in gear. But that's it & very happy. No problems after 6 years.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Grace and Favour]

Ours always drips when moving

 

 

But then - - it IS Vetus stern gear!

[Beaker]

Ours dripped when we first bought the boat (August), to the extent that the previous owner had placed an enamel bowl under it.

This was OK until one day after a few hours cruise, I forgot to turn the greaser; on returning to the boat after a few days, the bowl was overflowing into the bilge.

I tightened up the stern gland slightly, it's been bone dry ever since.

[Guest]

Ours always drips when moving

 

 

But then - - it IS Vetus stern gear!

Is the alignment OK and have you put silicone grease in it? Vetus sterngear is usually quite good on being waterproof. You can replace the seal quite easily and it should be done at a service interval (never done mine in ten years/2000 hrs sailing though.)

Edited November 29, 2013 by Guest

[Phil Ambrose]

Mine only drips a little when moving, I thought this was normal

 

Phil

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Mine only drips a little when moving, I thought this was normal

 

Phil

Yes,1 or 2 drips a minute is perfectly normal & acceptable on some shaft seals, I would guess you've got very little to worry about Phil.

I always do the ankle test,,if they are dry, all is well.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[matty40s]

No.

only time it did was when I got a cycle tyre wrapped rond it at Hamstead lock and was trying to get to the side somehow.

[pearley]

We have a Volvo Penta stern gland which will drip after a lot of reversing or if it is very cold - rubber stiffer? Bugger to get the grease into it. Going to try a small syringe next time.

[Kae]

Yes it does, but that's because I haven't tightened it recently...

[PhilR]

I reckon the stern tube greaser should be given a turn at the end of every day when cruising. Maybe less than half a turn .......... you should soon get used to the *feel* of the resistance and judge how much.

 

It is normal for stern tubes to drip a bit when under way, but the aim is to be watertight when the engine is stopped.

A lot of people seem to over-tighten the stern gland which usually causes problems. The nuts on the stern gland should not be much tighter than hand tight, maybe ¼ to ½ a turn more with a small spanner. If the bearing feels warm after ½ hours running the gland is too tight. I'm sure someone will be along with other opinions, but this has always worked for me.

[Grace and Favour]

Is the alignment OK and have you put silicone grease in it? Vetus sterngear is usually quite good on being waterproof. You can replace the seal quite easily and it should be done at a service interval (never done mine in ten years/2000 hrs sailing though.)

Ah! - - interesting..

 

Mine's always leaked from new (as in brand spanking new) - as it's water lubricated I'd just assumed that there would always be a flow when it was running.

 

(Which leads me to worry that the shaft may not be properly aligned (?))

[Keeping Up]

Mine doesn't drip for a couple of weeks but then I have to tighten the nuts again. I've recently found out that the reason is the stern tube and prop shaft both need replacing, urgentl.

[Chop!]

Ours dripped a lot (almost sank boat when it was put back in the water after being on brokerage and the marina never greased the stern gland)

Underway it dripped and increased when we stopped until we pumped lots of grease in.

We have fitted a new drive shaft, cutlass bearing and stern gland and corrected the mis-aligned engine.

Now it's all hunky dory

Edited November 29, 2013 by Chop!

[Wiz]

For some reason it only drips when not moving

Mine was dripping but just finger tightened gland and it stopped

[mark99]

Never dripped one drip underway or when moored.

[boots]

We have the Vetus also - never had a drip yet - even when the engine was out of alignment

[Phil Ambrose]

Yes,1 or 2 drips a minute is perfectly normal & acceptable on some shaft seals, I would guess you've got very little to worry about Phil.

I always do the ankle test,,if they are dry, all is well.

All's well, dry feet

 

Phil

[Mac of Cygnet]

We have the Vetus also - never had a drip yet - even when the engine was out of alignment

 

Ditto. Rubber enclosed, water lubricated. Never put any grease in 'cos I can't see how. Eight years. This is, of course, tempting fate. A few years ago, someone here said that when they fail, they fail 'catastrophically'.

[Stilllearning]

At the end of a day's run, stern tubes drip a bit, which is natural and fine, because the shaft and the tube are both warm and there is some expansion.

Don't grease it right after you turn the engine off. Wait a few minutes till it's all cooled down, then turn the greaser till you feel the back pressure, and hey presto, no drips. Easy. I used to teach hire boaters this trick each week.

[George94]

Many people think they should drip slightly. If not, you might have over-tightened the gland, which will lead to over-heating and wear.

 

Keep a container under the stern-gland and, if your bilge is reasonably ventilated, the drips should evaporate away.

[Doorman]

George94, on 29 Nov 2013 - 10:53 PM, said:George94, on 29 Nov 2013 - 10:53 PM, said:George94, on 29 Nov 2013 - 10:53 PM, said:

Many people think they should drip slightly. If not, you might have over-tightened the gland, which will lead to over-heating and wear.

 

Keep a container under the stern-gland and, if your bilge is reasonably ventilated, the drips should evaporate away.

 

Many people are correct George, but if your conventional stern gland is free from drips and no overheating is encountered, then I wouldn't worry too much.

 

As a time served mechanical engineering fitter, I've had to replace many a pump shaft where an over-zealous fitter or worse still plumber, had tightened the gland nuts 'to stop the leak'. Indeed, on our first boat i had to replace the shaft, cutlass bearing and gland as the stainless steel propshaft was so very badly scored due to overtightening of the gland, instead of correcting the misaligned engine.

 

The periodic drops of water indicate that the gland is being cooled correctly and shouldn't be mistaken as a tap or valve gland, especially considering the rpm of the prop shaft when whizzing past moored boats!

Edited November 30, 2013 by Doorman