CD28 stuffing box

[Rockinar]

I have water in my bilge I suspect is coming from the stuffing box on my 28. Would like to change it either way. I tried to climb in there to have a look. Visually I thought I could. Physically..NOT HAPPENING, Im too big, and Im not really that big. I have no ability to change the packing, change zincs on the heat exchanger, probably can't change tranny oil either. What to do? This has to be the worse design in history.

[Jerry Hammernik]

The stuffing box is designed to leak. A drop every 8 or 10 seconds is what I shoot for. This keeps the prop shaft cool. There are some that are designed to not leak but I'm assuming yours is the standard. If you post a couple of pictures the wisdom of this board will help determine what you have and what to do.

[Nebe]

It probably just needs to be tightened.

You could buy an aluminum access hatch made my bomar and mount it on your cockpit sole. It will give you access to everything behind your engine, plus give you some added storage space.

[BernieA]

I'm what some would call stocky, and we'll leave it at that. Needless to say, I can't fit into either lazarette. When I adjust the stuffing box, I lay a towel over the engine and squeeze as far back as possible, then use a long cold chisel and hammer to make the adjustments needed. If I need to change the stuffing, I will probably need to remove the exhaust pipe to give me enough horizontal room to reach all the way in there. Probably also need a pulley system so my crew/wife can pull me back out (if she doesn't decide to just leave me there).

Bernie
CD28 Pinafore
Sequim Bay WA

[rollo_cd26]

I share your disgust for the compromised and totally inadequate access to this area of utmost importance. Your CD28 must be similar to my CD26D. I am 6'5" and just limber and long armed enough due to practicing yoga to bend and slither into this awful Gehenna and check the stuffing box. I replaced the 25 year old flax and bees wax packing on mine with a Teflon and graphite material years ago with tools I made myself since there is so little space between the end of the shaft tube and the packing nut. It took me 8 hours to do it. This job is best performed and likely only to be done during haul out. I have a set of the Spartan bronze wrenches to do the adjustment. Still, it is an awful strain and you have to be careful not to lose your tools into the "abyss" under the transmission and the nether region of the bilge. Lanyard all tools! Best to find a mechanically skilled child to do this.