Welcome thoughts please - shaft seals - Tides Marine or PPS?

[BrisHamish]

Hi everybody from Brisbane, Australia.

I need some new shaft seals (long story, please don’t ask, its too soon...), and the candidates are Tides Marine or PPS. The cost is about the same, but if I am buying new ones I prefer to try and choose wisely.

Your views pls. Good, bad, ugly or anything else?

For PPS, I would either need type A or the new ‘Pro’ model.

Thanks in advance to everyone.

H.

 

[FF]

To me "shaft seals " are old outdated tech.

A std stuffing box with Duramax . or similar seems to have no flaws for our sized boats.

 

[O C Diver]

I have the PSS system on two boats. My charter boat has had it for 13+ years with around 5,000 engine hours. Have replaced the bellows once as I felt it was time. Had Tides seals on the shaft and rudder on my trawler. Switched the shaft seal to a PSS as I liked the seal wear area off the shaft better. The rudder seal is still a Tides. Will be replacing the seal this fall as it occasionally weeps. It's 16 years old, so it's time. Nothing else will fit there without major modifications, so I'll put the same back.

Ted

 

[Marlinmike]

Cannot speak to Tides, but we have PSS for 20 years, close to 3000 hours and no issues.

 

[kapnd]

I’m with Fred on the old fashioned shaft seal gland stuffed with modern Teflon packing. They are Ultra reliable, drip free and user friendly.
Dripless shaft seals work fine, until they fail, Mr. Murphy will have something to say about when and where, and good luck with repairs at sea!

 

[BruceK]

To me "shaft seals " are old outdated tech.
A std stuffing box with Duramax . or similar seems to have no flaws for our sized boats.

Stuffing boxes seem to have 2 types,(though there may be others).
1. The type with 2 large narrow hard to hold nuts, as large as or greater than the circumference of the "box".
2. The type held together by 2 longitudinal bolts,tightened with nuts requiring common size spanners.
The former is a PITA to adjust,especially as often well buried. The latter looks relatively easy to adjust. If it was a contest between 1 above and a seal, I`d go for the seal. If 2 above, the old "box" method might very well be preferable.
I suspect it will be easier to replace a seal with a seal,than change the system. As in the OP`s current thinking.

 

[boatpoker]

We installed a Lasdrop GenII about two years ago and like it much better than the PYI as it does not use bellows, instead it has much longer lasting silicone hose.

 

[FF]

"I’m with Fred on the old fashioned shaft seal gland stuffed with modern Teflon packing."

Teflon has a problem in that it is quite hard , so a metal flake iff the shaft can be captured and will wear the shaft.

The more modern packing does not have this flaw.

 

[bglad]

PSS or Tides Marine are low maintenance when working properly but might prove to be a problem if you do not have convenient access to haul-out facilities. Also, may not tolerate the wobble of a bent shaft or engine misalignment as well as a regular packing gland.

Here are some things I have noticed regarding your two choices:

Tides Marine seem to be consistently reliable eventually dripping providing warning they are giving up. Spare seals can be installed on shafts, so they can be replaced on the run. They do not seem to sling water as they leak which avoids corroding everything around them.

PSS shaft seals seem a little more robust but if your boat sits a lot they may build up corrosion on the collar face and leak until they get some running time on them. If the bellows tension is not adequate they unload and shower the engine room. Make sure you do a full power run after installation. I have come behind some new installations that apparently skipped this step and required further adjustment. I suggest a spray shield since in almost every case there is a black ring in the bilge around them where a very slight leakage is spun outward. A circular disc of black oxides and salt that can make a mess in your tidy engine space corroding metal and fuzzing wood.

 

[jleonard]

I have installed Tides seals on two boats. 7 years on the first and 12 seasons on my current boat. Never had a problem on either.

 

[bglad]

Regarding my comments below about Tides Marine seals I should have said "if" they leak. It is inevitable but based upon my experience not typical until they are at end of life.

PSS or Tides Marine are low maintenance when working properly but might prove to be a problem if you do not have convenient access to haul-out facilities. Also, may not tolerate the wobble of a bent shaft or engine misalignment as well as a regular packing gland.

Here are some things I have noticed regarding your two choices:

Tides Marine seem to be consistently reliable eventually dripping providing warning they are giving up. Spare seals can be installed on shafts, so they can be replaced on the run. They do not seem to sling water as they leak which avoids corroding everything around them.

PSS shaft seals seem a little more robust but if your boat sits a lot they may build up corrosion on the collar face and leak until they get some running time on them. If the bellows tension is not adequate they unload and shower the engine room. Make sure you do a full power run after installation. I have come behind some new installations that apparently skipped this step and required further adjustment. I suggest a spray shield since in almost every case there is a black ring in the bilge around them where a very slight leakage is spun outward. A circular disc of black oxides and salt that can make a mess in your tidy engine space corroding metal and fuzzing wood.

 

[Panacea123]

Had PSS seals boat is a 2002 I’ve owned for 3 years.
Had a rattle I could never find.
Recent haul out I had them checked, yard said they were done and badly worn, no adjustment left. Never leaked but was always afraid of a failure.
Was going to go with traditional packing but was talked into Tides.
Installed 2 extra seals which can be changed in the water.
Rattle gone! Could have been a disaster in the making.
The lack of being able to service PSS in the water concerned me as I travel the Bahamas for extended periods where haul out is not readily available.
In hind sight i wish I would have gone with my first instinct, traditional packing.
Have done many in water packing replacements over the years.
The ability to change Tides with an extra seal is a nice feature, but I have to wonder if the extra seals will be dried out by the time I need them?

All that being said PSS have a good rep and have not heard of many issues.