Shaft log question

We launched my friends 10.8 meter Trojan. The port shaft log no drips at rest. The starboard shaft log is dripping about 30 drops per minute. We tried to tighten the shaft log but the nuts will not turn at all to tighten it. Is there any adjustment on this shaft log? Has anyone repacked one like this? If so is there anything special about this type? The first photo is the starboard log and the second is the port log which is fine.

Greetings,
Mr. C. We have the same set up on our boat. The starboard log either needs adjusting or re-packing, Both simple, straightforward tasks. The FIRST thing you have to do is free up those seized nuts and bolts. You may be able to tighten enough to stop the excess leakage. In any case, you WILL need them free to re-pack at some point. I would suggest double nuts as well.

From the picture, the distance between the two flanges indicate your packing is either all gone or not much left. The dark ring on the shaft in the first picture is where that flange should be.

It looks like the outer flange has bottomed and that's why it will not tighten.

Can you back the nuts loose? Or are the nuts frozen or galled?

I'd back the nuts off, pull the outer flange off and poke an awl in there to see how much packing you have.

There should be at least 3 to 4 layers of packing in there.

The other possibility is PO used dripless packing and it's all squeezed out and you are left with only the two outer layers of packing

There were double nuts on the starboard log but only single nuts on the port log. I agree that it needs double nuts. The starboard was repacked about 3 years ago and has not been adjusted since so the mechanic must have bottomed out the flange at that time. I have never repacked this type and wasn’t sure how it could be adjusted or not.

Also it was teflon packing that was used in the repacking.

Looks like a repacking job is in order. It can be done in the water, but make sure you have the right size packing before you start and that your bilge pumps are working well.


Then use Gore GFO packing which will last forever.


David

I've been using Western Pacific Tradings Moldable Drip-less packing for years.

The advantage of the moldable is that it can mold itself around grooves and other defects on the shaft and can be adjusted to reduce dripping significantly. The packing has low friction compounds in it so water is not required for lubrication. Mine drips very little - maybe one drip in 30 seconds at rest and one drip a minute while underway. I use a non contact thermometer to monitor packing temperature and it runs cold when properly adjusted.

After one layer of regular teflon packing is inserted, the moldable, which is like clay, is stuffed in, then a final layer of regular packing.

The two outer layers squeeze the moldable packing together as the nuts are tightend and also keep the moldable packing from oozing out.. The new packing will need to be monitored initially under way and adjusted until the moldable is working properly.

His boat is a planing hull and the Western Pacific packing has a max RPM speed that will be exceeded by his gas engines. He is going to have a mechanic come look at it and see what needs to be done.