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Leaky stern gland...can't get at it to fix it. Ideas? Or recommendations for someone to fix it (nr Rugby)?


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My stern gland has been overly drippy for a while-well aware the packing needed replacing-but suddenly last week the drip started going mad. The bilge pump is going off automatically (doesn't take a lot to set it off so maybe a few litres at a time) at intervals of less than an hour (so that adds up to a significant amount of water coming in). I think what has occurred is that the prop has bumped a few things under the water rather hard when I was cruising, which has jolted everything about, and that in combination with the packing giving up the ghost is causing the significant drip.

So anyway, plan to replace packing, tighten everything up; should be simple. But no. My stern gland is set into a really narrow bilge-very little room either side-and I can't get at it with a wrench. Using a hammer and chisel to loosen the nuts does not work either (I think I just can't get it at an angle or enough of a grip on the edge of the nut to get any purchase, or I just don't have the right technique- in any case, it just doesn't budge), neither does a strap wrench.

Looked online and many suggestions of making your own tool (not helpful-not really in my capabilities even if I wasn't in the middle of a trip from London to Manchester). Any feasible suggestions? Bearing in mind I can't order anything online that I can't pick up.

If I can't work out how to do it myself I'm guessing the other option is to find someone to fix it (and I imagine someone 'proper' would insist on taking it out of the water to do so)-currently in Rugby on the Oxford canal-but that seems like a lot of money to waste for a ten minute job just because I can't get the nuts unscrewed.

Any help really very much appreciated.

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2 minutes ago, jennywren said:

My stern gland has been overly drippy for a while-well aware the packing needed replacing-but suddenly last week the drip started going mad. The bilge pump is going off automatically (doesn't take a lot to set it off so maybe a few litres at a time) at intervals of less than an hour (so that adds up to a significant amount of water coming in). I think what has occurred is that the prop has bumped a few things under the water rather hard when I was cruising, which has jolted everything about, and that in combination with the packing giving up the ghost is causing the significant drip.

So anyway, plan to replace packing, tighten everything up; should be simple. But no. My stern gland is set into a really narrow bilge-very little room either side-and I can't get at it with a wrench. Using a hammer and chisel to loosen the nuts does not work either (I think I just can't get it at an angle or enough of a grip on the edge of the nut to get any purchase, or I just don't have the right technique- in any case, it just doesn't budge), neither does a strap wrench.

Looked online and many suggestions of making your own tool (not helpful-not really in my capabilities even if I wasn't in the middle of a trip from London to Manchester). Any feasible suggestions? Bearing in mind I can't order anything online that I can't pick up.

If I can't work out how to do it myself I'm guessing the other option is to find someone to fix it (and I imagine someone 'proper' would insist on taking it out of the water to do so)-currently in Rugby on the Oxford canal-but that seems like a lot of money to waste for a ten minute job just because I can't get the nuts unscrewed.

Any help really very much appreciated.

Quite often a hefty wallop on the propeller disturbs the stern tube where it screws into the stern post collar. Check if its leaking there, as well as the gland.

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As Bizzard says, try to see where the water really is coming from. If this leak becomes a problem then have a look down the weedhatch, theres a good chance that the water will be too murky to see anything but you might be able to wrap some plastic around the prop shaft where it comes out of the tube, might help a bit. I have had some success with Sylglass tape, the fabric sort with  browny green sticky stuff in it, it used to be sold in garden centres for repairing greenhouse glass. horrible mucky stuff but it has its uses.

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Just now, dmr said:

Can you get to the nuts with a deep socket and extension bar, with a coupling if required?

.............Dave

That's what I was wondering - assuming that they're not now all chewed up by the chisel work. 

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It is not one with bolts either side. The gland and locking nut go around the stern tube. Like the first picture on this page: http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/pages/sternglands.aspx. There is only about an inch or two gap either side of it, hence why I can't get anything round it.

I'm fairly sure the leak is coming from the gland though. Did check for seepage elsewhere and can't see any.

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4 minutes ago, jennywren said:

It is not one with bolts either side. The gland and locking nut go around the stern tube. Like the first picture on this page: http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/pages/sternglands.aspx. There is only about an inch or two gap either side of it, hence why I can't get anything round it.

I'm fairly sure the leak is coming from the gland though. Did check for seepage elsewhere and can't see any.

In that case you would back off the lock nut to tighten the the gland nut. 2 large spanners, stilsons or if not of the hexagon type a special spanner maybe required for the gland nut.

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14 minutes ago, jennywren said:

It is not one with bolts either side. The gland and locking nut go around the stern tube. Like the first picture on this page: http://coxengineering.sharepoint.com/pages/sternglands.aspx. There is only about an inch or two gap either side of it, hence why I can't get anything round it.

I'm fairly sure the leak is coming from the gland though. Did check for seepage elsewhere and can't see any.

For that type of gland you almost certainly need a special C-spanner as suggested above. Otherwise you might be able to get a stilson wrench on if there is space. Can you post a photo?

In the meantime, water coming through isn't an issue while the boat is moving - you can easily pump it out, but when you stop, turn the greaser down until the stern gland stops dripping completely - turning the propshaft half a turn or so (with the engine stopped and the gearbox in neutral) will help distribute the grease around the shaft. That way then at least you won't be taking in water while the boat is not moving.

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19 minutes ago, David Mack said:

For that type of gland you almost certainly need a special C-spanner as suggested above. Otherwise you might be able to get a stilson wrench on if there is space. Can you post a photo?

The gland illustrated by Cox Engineering clearly has hexagons on the relevant parts so a C spanner will be no use at all. If however the packing nut and lock nut are round with square cut outs in them or holes than a C spanner is the proper tool for the job.

If a C spanner is required  a brass drift in a slot or hole at an angle may do less damage than a chisel.

The OP says space to the sides is very limited so a pair of stilsons or large water pump/gland nut pliers may not fit the space. An old fashioned chain wrench with the chain around the nut(s) and the "grippy bit" above the gland might fit though.

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I think 2 big C spanners or adjustable wrench of that type is precisely what I need, just finding suitable ones I can get hold of proving tricky. Possibly found suitable ones at Screwfix, just going to go measure my nuts to make sure it is definitely the right size and then (fingers crossed) I will be sorted.

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3 minutes ago, jennywren said:

I think 2 big C spanners or adjustable wrench of that type is precisely what I need, just finding suitable ones I can get hold of proving tricky. Possibly found suitable ones at Screwfix, just going to go measure my nuts to make sure it is definitely the right size and then (fingers crossed) I will be sorted.

Just a thought - but have you thoroughly searched the boat ?

Whenever I have sold a boat (or anything) that required 'specialist' tools I made sure that they went with it.

Check around the 'engine hole', under the bed, wherever the tools are kept etc. you may just find the correct tool for the job was left by the previous owner.

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19 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Just a thought - but have you thoroughly searched the boat ?

Whenever I have sold a boat (or anything) that required 'specialist' tools I made sure that they went with it.

Check around the 'engine hole', under the bed, wherever the tools are kept etc. you may just find the correct tool for the job was left by the previous owner.

That's an inspired thought, borne out by my experience when we bought our boat ten years ago. There were all sorts of useful items in the 'secret' locker under the step.

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29 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Just a thought - but have you thoroughly searched the boat ?

Whenever I have sold a boat (or anything) that required 'specialist' tools I made sure that they went with it.

Check around the 'engine hole', under the bed, wherever the tools are kept etc. you may just find the correct tool for the job was left by the previous owner.

Alas, I have. I gave it a good clear out a few weeks back and discovered all manner of helpful things stowed away in various hidey holes (spare gas regulators, etc) but no suitable tools.

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1 hour ago, David Mack said:

In the meantime, water coming through isn't an issue while the boat is moving - you can easily pump it out, but when you stop, turn the greaser down until the stern gland stops dripping completely - turning the propshaft half a turn or so (with the engine stopped and the gearbox in neutral) will help distribute the grease around the shaft. That way then at least you won't be taking in water while the boat is not moving.

Thanks for the greasing advice. Did exactly that and it seems to have stopped dripping-hadn't thought to turn the prop shaft to spread the grease and it's obviously made a big difference.

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35 minutes ago, jennywren said:

Alas, I have. I gave it a good clear out a few weeks back and discovered all manner of helpful things stowed away in various hidey holes (spare gas regulators, etc) but no suitable tools.

No chance you disposed of something that didn't look like any tool you recognised as a 'tool' ?

(A C shaped spanned with a 'nipple' on the end ?)

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If you are anywhere near uxbridge i have a small adjustable C spanner that you can borrow if you need it, one should be sufficient to undo the lock nut and then the gland should turn out by hand - I had this set up on my previous boat.

Just re read the Op and noticed you are in Rugby! 

Edited by BWM
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  • 1 month later...

Sorry if this is too late but you need two  "C" Spanners.

Mine are 2 inch diameter . They are the same size as the collet of a wood workers lathe.

  got them from a woodworkers  supply company, but i do not remember the address.

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