Rudder tube drip

[Jimbo]

I have seen this discussed on this board but never a resolution. While motoring I get a drip out of the top of my rudder tube. This is just a solid glass tube, no stuffing box or anything. While not the end of the world it is annoying. So the question is how have other people addressed this. My thought was to possibly thread a zerk fitting inti the tube and shoot it full of grease. It certainly would not hurt the rudder post and in all likelihood would stop the water flow. Ideas? Jim (just watching the ice on malletts bay thinking of projects

[John Vigor]

I hate to admit this, Jimbo, but when I have the same problem I just squeeze some Morey's Red grease down the shaft from the top with my fingers and thumb.

It's crude, it's messy and it's awkward, but it works for a few months at a time. There's not much pressure behind the incoming water. It's just lapping over the top because the water outside has risen to the level of the top of the tube. So the little layer of grease that you can push down there holds it back.

I actually have a nice teak cockpit grating that keeps your feet dry if this happens, but it's in my garage at home because it's so darned heavy, and in any case teak is much too nice to scuff up with your feet all the time.

Cheers,

John V.

[Jerry Albright]

I fixed the same problem on my CD27 with white cotton string and white lithium grease. I simply tied the string at the top of the rudder post making several wraps, applied the white lithium grease, followed by more string and grease. I would put maybe 10 to15 wraps of string on and rub the grease in along the way, then tie it off.
The repair would last for months before it would start to fray, the white string and the white lithium grease was not really noticeable against the white rudder tube. A cheap and easy fix, my favorite kind.

Smooth Sailing
Jerry Albright

[Cathy Monaghan]

Hmmm, our CD32 has a stuffing box for the rudder shaft. I wonder why Cape Dory didn't use one for these other models as well?



Cathy
CD32 Realization, #3
Rahway, NJ
Raritan Bay
.....still scratching my head.....