Dripless boxes ?

[jerseysportfisher]

So i'm swapping my conventional boxes out, the main reason is no room to get in and service the box. What brands do you guys use ? i have scoured the inter web to compare some of these. The ones I really like are tides and and the volvo box.

 

[MDI45]

Jersey,i know a few guys that use PSS dripless stuffing boxes and they love them

 

[jerseysportfisher]

Jersey,i know a few guys that use PSS dripless stuffing boxes and they love them

I believe they use the carbon discs instead of a lip seal ???? I did a search on them and its 50/50 mixed reviews

 

[Powderpro]

I've used the PSS www.pyiinc.com on the last 3 boats, and they work great, but I don't have any experience with other dripless seals to compare them to. I'm a happy customer, and the bilge is dry.

 

[CEShawn]

I have had two PSS's with no problem... current boat has traditional... I have heard stories about failures, the sad part is if they do fail they can be catastrophic. The traditional packing you can play with a little bit, tighten down, put extra in etc... I agree with the dry bilge bit...but my thing is, what about the rudder! I'm guilty of cranking down the packing in the rudder so it doesnt drip at all, but its not the best idea...

 

[jerseysportfisher]

I have had two PSS's with no problem... current boat has traditional... I have heard stories about failures, the sad part is if they do fail they can be catastrophic. The traditional packing you can play with a little bit, tighten down, put extra in etc... I agree with the dry bilge bit...but my thing is, what about the rudder! I'm guilty of cranking down the packing in the rudder so it doesnt drip at all, but its not the best idea...

pretty sure you can use dripless packing in the rudder gland. My problem is i have about 2 inches from the packing nut to the coupler, and when the nut is off i have about a 1/4 inch of room to work. I know tides you can actually replace the lip seal in the water

https://www.tidesmarine.com/

 

[CEShawn]

See that is why I like the internet, well one of them anyways... never heard of tides... Sorry about the 2 boat owner thing... ha, been there done that... I almost ended up with a 28MM too for some reason...

TwoSorr

 

[F/V First Team]

Strong Seal by Tides Marine
The only way to fly
10+ years of abuse with the original seals, shaft and rudder
Leaks : Zero

 

[Raider Ronnie]

When I saw the "Dripless boxes" title my 1st thought was this probably belongs in the Mermaid of the day forum

 

[CEShawn]

Ronnie, it was tough for me too...

speaking of keeping things above the table...

So do you like gladiator movies? The ship just watched the movie "airplane" so we have a little of that going around right now...

 

[Blitzen]

So i'm swapping my conventional boxes out, the main reason is no room to get in and service the box. What brands do you guys use ? i have scoured the inter web to compare some of these. The ones I really like are tides and and the volvo box.

As a delivery Captain dripless shaft seals scare me, I always make a point to check the shaft shortly after getting underway. There are just to many things with these seal that can bite you in the ass when you are not familliar with the boat.
I would use a conventional box with this packing: Duramax Marine,Ultra X
I have it in my own boat with no problems or drips.

 

[MDI45]

CEShawn,why do you say it's not good to crank down on your rudder packing so it doesn't leak....i think its common for guys to do that...there no friction on the rudder shaft

 

[Super Suck]

"Ever seen a grown man naked?"

 

[CEShawn]

There you go Super Suck... its the only humor we have here right now...

I think what gets me about cranking down on the packing was that is not the intent of the packing. It's supposed to be a wet and there was a reason for that. I've seen some of the newer packing, by who maybe Duramax that says it does not need any water. I pulled my rudder a couple times and definitely saw a little heat there...not sure sometimes if its in those modes when an autopilot isn't tweaked right and its doing a dozen corrections every five seconds...

I also think what I've seen a few times on people that crank down on their packing, maybe its the type, combined with not changing it at some interval, tend to leak and are unable to correct it when it goes in the water. When I have seen when disassembled is how smooth and not longer "presses" to the shaft...

No real answer but idea's and thoughts...

 

[scallywag]

I used Lasdrop Gen II on my 25'general Marine 2"shaft. No problems 10+years.

 

[jerseysportfisher]

When I saw the "Dripless boxes" title my 1st thought was this probably belongs in the Mermaid of the day forum

so what, do you bring your own lube with that ?

 

[jerseysportfisher]

As a delivery Captain dripless shaft seals scare me, I always make a point to check the shaft shortly after getting underway. There are just to many things with these seal that can bite you in the ass when you are not familliar with the boat.
I would use a conventional box with this packing: Duramax Marine,Ultra X
I have it in my own boat with no problems or drips.

I completely agree, however if you can't get to the box to replace the flax or repair under way, it needs to go. If i had 2 inch more room on the shaft i would stay with conventional. I'm in agreement with FV, lots of good reviews on tides. And i really like the option of changin the lipseal in the water

 

[F/V First Team]

After tearing the stuffing boxes out of this re-power job I cannot see why ANYONE that isn't keeping their antique vessel as it was originally constructed isn't using Strong Seals.

So much corrosion and weight, places to leak. Total "fail"

 

[traditions]

I saw a spring break on a dripless last fall,almost sunk on the mooring,know of two more that sunk ,same thing.$200,000 boat riding on a small spring,I dont think so.Nothing wrong with packing you just need to under stand that it has to be broken in when launched,if not you smoke the flax out and it doesnt work.I have to tighten mine about 3 or 4 times at first and hardley touch it the rest of the year.

 

[F/V First Team]

PSS seals are silly, Strong Seal has no spring to release, rides there all the time being awesome.