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Date Posted: - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 12:46pm
Author: Jared Kibele (Jared Kibele)
Subject: M 31 Shaft size and Gore GFO packing

I'm going to haul out this weekend and, among other things, replace my stuffing box packing. Can someone tell me the prop shaft size for the Mariner 31 or, better yet, what size packing it takes?

I'm going to try and get some of the fancy GFO packing: http://www.emarineinc.com/products/gfopacking/packing.html It sounds like it'll drip less and last longer than the normal flax stuff. Have any of you used it?

Thanks,
-Jared

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Replies:

[> Shaft size -- Randall, M31, Murre, - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 2:13pm

Shaft size is 1 1/8th on my boat.

I had a "dripless" gland installed about 4 years ago. I was amazed to find that it does, starting a couple years ago, drip freely when the shaft is turning and after. I was quite miffed until I also realized that after sitting for some time the packing reseals itself around the shaft, and over several days, the dripping goes to zero. It is wearing out, so each month it drips more and takes longer to reseal, but the pumpout is never more than a few gallons (knock on wood).

The gland is a real bitch to get to, so I'd opt for the longest lasting most maintenance free technology you can find.

RR


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[> [> drippy packing gland around shaft -- Lyle Harris, - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 3:04pm

I have the same situation with my M31, Greywolf. just back from two weeks in the San Juans. We had a day of solid 25 knot wind on the nose and ran the motor for 10 hours straight. I checked the bilge after 4 hours of pounding into the waves and was shocked to find it full, nearly to the flooring. I thought we were sinking and started investigating. Turns out there was a fine spray of water being whipped into the bilge from the shaft collar and I couldn't determine why without shutting the motor down (not an option at that time). I tried to "burp" the gasket while in motion with a boat hook, and that didn't help. When I finally arrived to my harbor and shut the engine down, I was surprise to find absolutely no dripping at all. I'd had the bilge pump off rather than in "auto" mode during the trip. If it had been left on, as it is while I'm off the boat, the bilge wouldn't have filled.
cheers,
Lyle Harris.


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[> [> [> I always expect water -- Jared Kibele, - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 5:45pm

I'm pretty pessimistic about stuffing boxes. The first boat (an islander 36) that I spent much time on had a very leaky stuffing box and an unreliable bilge pump. During my second day on that boat, there was water above the cabin sole. ...and that poor boat ended up sinking at the dock a couple of years later for the same reason.

I installed a second bilge pump on my boat with it's own float switch and redundant wiring. The second pump has the switch mounted a little higher in the bilge and it has an audible alarm so, theoretically, the second one never pumps unless the first one fails and, if it does, it makes an annoying noise to let me know the first one is not doing it's job. In reality, I need to get the switch up a little higher still because it sometimes goes on before the first one.


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[> [> [> San Juans -- Andy Culver, - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 6:01pm

M31 Kahagon. An M31 anchored in Massacre Bay ,Orcas Isl. a week or two ago, was that you?


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[> [> [> [> San Juan passing -- Lyle Harris, - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 6:56pm

We were not in massacre bay, but we did see a Mariner leaving Friday Harbor about 10 days ago as we were coming in from Fisherman's Bay. We didn't hail the boat as we had a lot going on and headed in the other direction...
Our trip touched Port Townsend, Fisherman's Bay, Sucia Island, Deer Harbor, Garrison Bay, Cattle Pass, and Mcavey bay on s. Lopez.

We also saw a Mariner on the West side of Blake Island a month ago with maroon trim and dodger. Great looking boat, but the owner was on Blake island, so we didn't get to meet.

Our M31, Greywolf has green trim below the toerail, buff masts with Hatteras tips, and currently has no dodger (we're making a new one). It's rustic, and arguable a fixer, but I really needed to sail it to keep my interest in the project. It was a great trip.


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[> [> Thanks for the info -- Jared Kibele (Jared Kibele), - Wednesday - 09/ 9/09 - 5:35pm

Thanks for the info on the shaft size. I decided to go with this 'GTU' stuff: http://wptinc.net/wpt_products.html. It sounds very similar to the 'GFO' stuff and I've found nothing but favorable reviews of both on the internet. West Marine carries the GTU variety and I didn't plan quite far enough ahead to order the GFO.

I'll let everyone know how it works out.


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[> [> [> gfu packing -- James (m-31" Pyxis"), - Thursday - 09/10/09 - 12:43am




I just went back in the water 2 days ago. I replaced my flax with gfu. I motored for about 7 hours since and found it seems to work great No drips when I am not in gear and very few when in gear. I used 1/4 packing on my 1 1/8 th inch shaft. I also changed the hose that holds the gland. Not a bad Idea if you have time.


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[> [> [> [> 1/4 packing sounds more likely -- Jared Kibele (Jared Kibele), - Thursday - 09/10/09 - 12:46pm

I picked up the 3/16 packing last night and thought, "hmm that looks awfully small". I'll probably have to take it back and exchange it. I figured the specifications they gave might be for a different stuffing box. Oh well.

I do plan to change the hose while I'm at it. Do you have any specifics for what kind of hose I should get? I've got my fingers crossed that the hose is widely available.


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[> [> [> [> [> Hose type -- james (m-31" Pyxis"), - Friday - 09/11/09 - 2:11pm

I got the thickest walled reinforced hose I could get at the local Napa.


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