How to get to stuffing box

[tmsc]

This is probably not an option for your boat, but a previous owner installed a large aluminum Bomar hatch in the cockpit sole of our 33. The cockpit grating covers it so it is not noticeable. It it makes life easier but still not grand. Luckily my 10 year old likes getting in there, but he is growing up so fast he will not be able to help much longer. I guess it will be the younger sister's turn then. I look at a friend's Slocum 43 which had fantastic access and just shake my head in envy.

[rollo_cd26]

My CD-26D has the Westerbeke W10-two engine, so squeezing over the top of the engine is not an option. There is barely 10 inches of space between the lift lug on the rear of the engine and the bottom of the companion way and lots of cables and hoses to remove. There is a former horse racing jockey where I work who is barely 5 feet tall and weighs maybe 130 lbs. $100 and a case of diet beer might do the trick. Otherwise I am going to have to do this myself. I will try to do a test run this weekend to see if removing the batteries will allow me to squeeze in the opening (port side locker door removed).

[Duncan]

There's a thread here, discussing the merits of cockpit sole hatches, which seem like a very sensible and seaworthy improvement to me.

[Chris Reinke]

Just curious, and obviously I totally support the concern for not gaining access in an emergency, what sort of packing gland wrench are you using? Before I installed a new dripless packing gland I used a set of spring loaded "Basin Nut" plumbers wrenches with telescoping handles that allowed me to access the nuts without having to venture into the inner bowels. They are available in various size ranges so you should be able to find the correct size to fit your packing nuts. I am not sure if these would work for you, but you could purchase 2 for less than the cost of beers and dinner for your smallest friend, plus you cauld keep them onboard.

http://www.build.com/index.cfm?page=sea ... sin+wrench

[CruiseAlong]

I have to start by saying I owned a CD26 (not a CD26D) and now a CD31. I am also 5'11" tall.
The CD26 had a full cross bulkhead below the companionway, and a full bulkhead running down the middle (dividing the port and starboard lockers into two) from the engine well to the forward cross bulkhead. Batteries were on a forward shelf in the port locker. Having repainted these lockers and working on fittings around the engine well, I can easily see a problem of going in feet first (pointed aft) with my head/body trying to slip down into the rear of the engine. I found that with my CD31 I empty out both lockers and remove both sail locker access panels to the "center" engine space. I then use one of the panels and lay it down through the panel bulk head opening cutouts. This lay down board forms a fairly flat "platform" which I can slide my body onto feet first. As I move onto the platform my legs and feet extend through the opposite bulkhead opening from the one I entered. More than half of the effort used without the platform is keeping oneself from sliding downhill onto the back of the engine space. With the platform board I can lay across the boat on my side over the engine rear and have nearly two hands to reach the packing gland and rear engine components. Would such a temporary cross laid board help on the CD26D????

[rollo_cd26]

Short answer: Yes, my CD26D has 28"W x 24"H panels cut from the bulkheads separating the middle engine space and the port and starboard lockers. One of the panels could serve as a flat support to prevent the downhill slide into the back of the engine. Still there is precious little room to manipulate tools and materials. I looked at the tools mentioned in an earlier post and these seem reasonable for manipulating the coupling, but doing the packing extraction and seating the new packing would be another problem that could not be done "remotely".

Another post also suggested that yoga lessons would be a help. It so happens that I have been taking yoga for over a year now. I also have found a fellow who is of lesser frame than I, but he had a very sceptical look the whole time. Pulling the engine sounds good now.

[Dean Abramson]

I like CruiseAlong's idea of using the panel as a working platform. I would note however (also in a CD31), that that will put you up a bit higher, and for some tasks (ones that can not be done on one's side) that might result in more headroom issues under the cockpit.

In any event, having BOTH lockers cleaned out and the panels removed is a huge help. If I can put my feet out into the opposite locker, it gives me lots more contortionary options.

Perks in this area are strictly relative!

Dean

[Russell]

Pulling the engine sounds good now.

Pulling the engine really is not a solution. You can repack it that way, but once in the water you will need to make some initial adjustments when you can run the engine and check drip rate, you cant just go removing the engine several times to keep adjusting it. Well you can, but that is just nuts.

I like the bomar hatch idea for access, it had not occured to me that using a premade hatch would do the job, I was thinking along the lines of custom making removable cockpit sole. A premade hatch would do the job nicely. It would make for a toe stubber in the cockpit, but nice excuse for a pretty teak cockpit grate! Though hatches are not cheap, so may not be a solution you want.

[Joe Myerson]

Rollo,

Hamilton Marine has a fairly extensive selection of "inspection hatches" that aren't that expensive:

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... 4,126.html

And Jamestown Distributors carries similar items:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... tion+Hatch

I'm not sure if that's what you're thinking of.

--Joe

[gpb102030]

I have a cd26d i am 6-1 170 lbs and it is not that bad to get to. Take some rope and hold open the hatch covers. IF you are right handed go in from the fuel tank side feet first slide on through on your back use the battery shelf as a foot and leg rest . If you lay on your left shoulder you can then have good acess with your right arm and your left arm some. If it is hot like normal. open up the engine compartment and put a fan blowing on you. it really helps.also hang a florescent drop light in there. i have the spartan stuffing box wrenches and they work great bought them on this sight for 20 bucks used but never used. When you unscrew the end to acess the packing there is limited space only about 1/2 to 3/4 inch use a fishing hook end barb to pick out the packing. then precut the new packing and install carefully. you will need to take the occasional break to allow the feeling in your left shoulder to come back. my cat always seem to like to jump on my chest when i am under there. this is also and excellet time to check the oil in your gear box. the first time you go under it is quite scarry but after a while you could take a nap in there.

[mshopenn]

Why not put a watertight access hatch in the cockpit floor? One that will allow you to work on both the shaft and back of engine.

[rollo_cd26]

Thanks for the advice from a CD26D owner who has met this challenge! The reassurance that this can be done lifts my spirits. I hope the height and weight difference doesn't make this more difficult. The idea of the cat getting in there with me is a good one, maybe I could train the cat to do this. I work in a nuclear power plant and the inspection hatch solution sounds like something we would do at work after a great deal of beating around, meetings, delays, and paperwork. Are the spartan wrenchs essential? It looks like my stuffing box is OEM and since this is a 1" shaft, I was also thinking about replacing the original box witha new one from Hamilton Mariine. It seems like cheap insurance.

[SurryMark]

Rollo,

Hamilton Marine has a fairly extensive selection of "inspection hatches" that aren't that expensive:

http://store.hamiltonmarine.com/browse. ... 4,126.html

And Jamestown Distributors carries similar items:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/us ... tion+Hatch

I'm not sure if that's what you're thinking of.

--Joe

When I went to look at the slam-latch hatch at Hamilton, a salesman did not recommend it a cockpit deck. He said it's not waterproof or particularly strong. There are various ratings for hatches, some of which won't pass muster with insurance companies. Don't know about the relatively inexpensive Bomar at Jamestown

[Joe Myerson]

Mark,

I was actually looking for the Bomar cast aluminum access hatches that you see on a lot of workboats.

I know Hamilton used to sell them--but they don't seem to have 'em any more.

Apparently the plastic models are not strong enough to replace the aluminum products.

Sorry for the inadequate links.

--Joe

[Joe Myerson]

Rollo and Mark,

It looks like rugged, workboat-type cast aluminum cockpit hatches are custom jobs from Freeman Marine in Oregon. These rugged hatches are probably way too expensive for a small CD.

http://www.freemanmarine.com/Hatches3130.htm

But who knows?

--Joe