C-28 Shaft Packing Replacement

[jkhiser]

Replacement of shaft packing on Cutwater 28.

Packing replacement was due. Colleen at Diversified Marine did the work, with some assistance calls to Fluid Motion. I did not capture who helped her with information from the factory.



There was not sufficient clearance to get packing removed and installed due to the length of the stuffing box hose. There was also not sufficient clearance to access the shaft coupling nut to allow removing the shaft.



The stuffing box hose was split, allowing insertion of a cut down wrench to free the coupling nut. Coupling was rebolted to the tranny, then shaft removed with shaft hammer.




Stuffing box and shaft coupling were cleaned up in the shop.



On reinstall, the shaft tube was undersized. Caulking had been used to build up to diameter of the stuffing box hose. All old caulk was ground off, and a short section of hose was used as mold for new thickened epoxy. This was faired out.




All reassembled with new packing, new hose, clamps, and shaft key



The new hose was cut shorter to allow simpler packing replacement in the future.



Shaft alignment will be completed once launched.

Whether or not the packing replacement was “due,” it was time to get all the corrosion cleaned up before, among other problems, the coupling nut became permanently frozen.

Pictures at: gallery2.php?g2_itemId=71190

 

[BB marine]

Awesome display of pictures and description of work performed to replace packing in a inboard Cutwater. I know clearances are tight in the compartment for packing removal. I have a C26 which is slightly better than your C28. The difference is the length of the gland hose used. Once again quality control comes in to play here. The technician that did the initial install at the factory cut the hose too long and installed it anyway. The boat design with a double taper prop shaft should be designed to have the gland positioned so there is significant room to slide the shaft back to access the coupling nut. I believe the design is there but poor quality control in confirming the install was done properly was never done. With engine installs in tight clearance compartments this simple measurement confirmation ( hose maximum length) and confirmation that the shaft coupling separation clearance is sufficient for coupling nut removal ( boat building 101) was never done. What you experienced has not been a common issue. Why? (1)Cutwater and Ranger Tugs are actually a fairly new boat manufacturing company. The oldest Cutwater is 9 model years about the time packing may need to be replaced. (2) Many probably have the right length hose installed.

When I worked in the industry as a marine service technician I would see installs similar to yours. Access how to repair it properly, write up the estimate with add on expenses and give it to the boat owner. First question was, "is this normal?" Answer "No" " Somebody screwed up when they built your boat" Call the Factory. Sometimes the owner would call the factory, Sometimes with good news ( warranty assistance) Sometimes bad news (it's out of manufactures defect warranty)

I know that the packing in a C28 can be replaced without all the additional work that was done on your boat. It is tight but there is just enough clearance. The C28 that I'm referring to had the same room as I do just over 2". From looking at your pictures you had less room. The final install picture looks the same as what I have and the C28 that I looked at and the owner changed the packing. ( He had a difficult time but was able to do it.)

Thank you for posting. This will help many other Cutwater owners when they need the job done.