water lubricated stern gland

[jddevel]

Just be studying an earlier topic discussion regarding water lubricating stern glands. It resulted in me comparing the cost of the various types mentioned and their respective advantages/disadvantages. I noticed that the Volvo type seemed exceptionally inexpensive compared to others. I am surprised as

personal experience is Volvo stuff is normally far from inexpensive. Any comments explanation would

help me. Thank you

[Guest]

Just be studying an earlier topic discussion regarding water lubricating stern glands. It resulted in me comparing the cost of the various types mentioned and their respective advantages/disadvantages. I noticed that the Volvo type seemed exceptionally inexpensive compared to others. I am surprised as

personal experience is Volvo stuff is normally far from inexpensive. Any comments explanation would

help me. Thank you

I have and really like a Radice seal which is a slightly modified Volvo unit. 80 quid as opposed to 200+ for my previous Vetus one, and I much prefer it. Really good bit od kit. Forum Member Cheshire Marine is the expert on these. Full story here:http://destinynarrowboat.weebly.com/vetus.html

Edited October 14, 2016 by Guest

[jddevel]

Thanks for that Catweasel. Valuable link and I`ve read it with interest. Being a sailaway due to be delivered Tuesday not yet sure what has been fitted. Might seem strange but the hulls at Swanley Bridge and I`m in Cornwall so not easily checked out. However I think it`s a waste at this time to change the fitting if not a already of the water variety. I`m on a sharp

learning curve and trawling through numerous topics to improve my knowledge. Filing where necessary.

[cuthound]

I have a Vetus water lubricated stern gland on DQ. It was on the boat when I bought it at 7 years old.

 

I am really pleased with it, just remove an Allen bolt every 100 hours, squirthe a bit of silicon grease in it and put the Allen key back, to maintain a drip free, totally dry bilge.

[Sea Dog]

I have the Volvo stern seal, and a very simple and elegant solution it is. No adjustment necessary, no daily maintenance, and never had so much as a drip from it. A wipe at the lip with a little bit of grease occasionally and remembering to 'burp' it when the boat goes back into the water (to let the air out to be replaced by lubricating water) and that's all it demands.

 

It's cheaper because it's so simple! I suspect if there were lots of manufacturers producing exactly the same thing, the Volvo actually would be the most expensive cos it really isn't a complex bit of kit. It's pure good fortune that I happen to have one in my boat but, unless there was a very good reason why not, it would be my first choice now.

[pearley]

Good explanation of the different varieties here.

 

http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/pages/sternglands.aspx

[Guest]

I have the Volvo stern seal, and a very simple and elegant solution it is. No adjustment necessary, no daily maintenance, and never had so much as a drip from it. A wipe at the lip with a little bit of grease occasionally and remembering to 'burp' it when the boat goes back into the water (to let the air out to be replaced by lubricating water) and that's all it demands.

 

It's cheaper because it's so simple! I suspect if there were lots of manufacturers producing exactly the same thing, the Volvo actually would be the most expensive cos it really isn't a complex bit of kit. It's pure good fortune that I happen to have one in my boat but, unless there was a very good reason why not, it would be my first choice now.

I have spoken to several who use the Volvo to good effect on the cut, seem to be very good. A tip one person gave me was to grease the volvo with a plastic drinking straw, the end 10mm of which is flattened. A plastic syringe body is then connected to the other end containing silicone grease. The flat end is carefully pushed inside of the first seal along the shaft, and grease injected in. Job done.

[Sea Dog]

I have spoken to several who use the Volvo to good effect on the cut, seem to be very good. A tip one person gave me was to grease the volvo with a plastic drinking straw, the end 10mm of which is flattened. A plastic syringe body is then connected to the other end containing silicone grease. The flat end is carefully pushed inside of the first seal along the shaft, and grease injected in. Job done.

Yeah, I've heard that too, but my jury is out. The rubber seal against the rotating shaft has quite a fine lip and Volvo don't say that the grease needs to be injected beyond it. The space behind the lip is fed with water for lubrication purposes through small channels in the stern bearing and I'm not convinced that squirting grease into that space would help much. I can see how the fine lip could be scored by poking the end of a straw under it, so I press grease in with my finger as Volvo suggest. Seems to work.

[Ex Brummie]

My conventionally greased stern gland only requires a turn at the end of each day, has only needed repacking twice in 29 years, and is still leak free.A small tub of Morris grease lasts around 2 years with 10-12 weeks cruising at least each year. The Aquadrive correctly installed obviously is well worth the original cost. With the amount of grit in the mud you stir up, I would be very wary of water lubricated stern glands.

[Mac of Cygnet]

I have the Volvo stern seal, and a very simple and elegant solution it is. No adjustment necessary, no daily maintenance, and never had so much as a drip from it. A wipe at the lip with a little bit of grease occasionally and remembering to 'burp' it when the boat goes back into the water (to let the air out to be replaced by lubricating water) and that's all it demands.

 

It's cheaper because it's so simple! I suspect if there were lots of manufacturers producing exactly the same thing, the Volvo actually would be the most expensive cos it really isn't a complex bit of kit. It's pure good fortune that I happen to have one in my boat but, unless there was a very good reason why not, it would be my first choice now.

What he says. I've not touched mine for twelve years. Is this tempting fate?

[Guest]

My conventionally greased stern gland only requires a turn at the end of each day, has only needed repacking twice in 29 years, and is still leak free.A small tub of Morris grease lasts around 2 years with 10-12 weeks cruising at least each year. The Aquadrive correctly installed obviously is well worth the original cost. With the amount of grit in the mud you stir up, I would be very wary of water lubricated stern glands.

I have had traditional greasers, and water lubricated stern glands. My early Vetus one was OK, the later one not. The Radice and Volvo are superb on canal boats, lots of them about. I don't come out in favour of either traditional or water lubricated. If I was buying a boat, I would be happy with either type.

Tales abound of water gushing in if the water lubricated seals fail, but when I took ours off afloat, there was not a great gush of water by any means. Conversely I saw a boat this summer were there was some sort of catastrophic failure of traditional stern gear, and water was coming in quite quickly. Thankfully it didn't sink.

[jddevel]

Thank you all. Puts one mind at rest. Motto, watch and maintain where necessary

[Guest]

Thank you all. Puts one mind at rest. Motto, watch and maintain where necessary

The drop of silicone grease is important in Volvo/Vetus/Radice units. If they start to drip badly (as my well used Vetus one did) change it. Difference is Volvo/Radice around 80 quid, Vetus around 250 quid. The later vetus can have the seals replaced for a few quid, but the bearing behind the seals was worn on mine. Volvo/Radice is also less complicated and quicker to fit, important when changing afloat.

I have had the gearbox out this week, and wobbled the prop shaft at all angles, pushed it backwards and forwards and stood on it, and hand on heart, not a drop of water came in thru the Radice seal. As you might have realised, I am a fan of the Radice unit! Might try a Volvo one sometime though just for the hell of it.

Another type is the PSS seal which employs carbon discs, and there is no seal on the propshaft, hence no wear. These are in the Vetus price range.

Edited October 16, 2016 by Guest

[Sea Dog]

 

Tales abound of water gushing in if the water lubricated seals fail, but when I took ours off afloat, there was not a great gush of water by any means.

The inlet channels for the lube water are quite small, small enough that rag around the shaft will stem inlet to no more than a tiny trickle for boot change purposes. I can only see the seal failing due to the lip wearing through too little maintenance or in extremis due to age hardening, else maybe through poking it with a flattened straw! Those failures would manifest as a drip which, as you say, otherwise doesn't happen at all. I have a small plastic (ex pork chop or something!) tray under mine as a tell tale for my daily check, but it's always as dry as a kangaroo's jock strap. Mind you, I have those trays under a few of my potential leak spots and that's how I like them.

[Guest]

The inlet channels for the lube water are quite small, small enough that rag around the shaft will stem inlet to no more than a tiny trickle for boot change purposes. I can only see the seal failing due to the lip wearing through too little maintenance or in extremis due to age hardening, else maybe through poking it with a flattened straw! Those failures would manifest as a drip which, as you say, otherwise doesn't happen at all. I have a small plastic (ex pork chop or something!) tray under mine as a tell tale for my daily check, but it's always as dry as a kangaroo's jock strap. Mind you, I have those trays under a few of my potential leak spots and that's how I like them.

I tore a strip off a bin bag last time and just wrapped that around and bunged a cable tie around it. Doubt if it did much to be honest, but even so the bilge pump easily coped with the water coming aboard.

A bilge alarm has always been on my "to do" list, but will perhaps get around to it when we move aboard proper.