Shaft leak

[rappareems]

Launched the other day only to find the bilge at the floor boards two days later...water coming in at the shaft... slow but steady... its not the stuffing box.  I am back on the hard and my man (former Junior sailor of mine now 40) will be tackling the job.  Any suggestions as to what to look for when we pull the shaft?  My man says, "see what Stu and Ron have to say."  Of course we are open to any and only suggestions.

Mark Cassidy
Olcott, Lake Ontario

[jmcdonald]

Just had to replace the rubber hose between the prop tube and the stuffing box.
One cut/crack about 1 inch long. Steady leak. Might take a look at yours.

[Noah]

If indeed it is as you said, "leaking from the shaft but NOT the stuffing box..." I would guess it could only be a few suspects.
1. Loose hose clamps
2. Crack in shaft log hose
3. Crack in fiberglass shaft log itself or where it is glassed to hull.
Not much else there, unless strut bolts leaking; but unlikely.

[Ron Hill]

Mark : Just replace that rubber hose from the molded hull tube to the packing gland. 

As I recall there have been a number of posts on the very topic mentioning which hose to use.  check WiKi

A thought

[rappareems]

Thanks all... my guy gets back in town Monday... he was hoping it is the rubber hose, he replaced that once before some years back.  If it's fiberglass, he is nervous but that is the nature of the beast.  I'll let you know.

[KWKloeber]

Mark

CTY used, at least on the C30, typical exhaust hose, not log hose, which is heavier (6 ply vs 4 ply, IIRC.)
Obviously it should be replaced with the heavier hose.

[Stu Jackson]

Sorry to hear that the C30s were built wrong. 

For those of you wondering where to get the right hose, I remembered the name Buck Algonquin and found a link from former C34IA Commodore Ken Juul with a link to their website.  Herer's a link to the hoses and clamps section for stern tube hose:

https://www.hydrasearchrecreational.com/hose-fittings/

[Noah]

CD also has them. They carry two thicknesses of hose.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-30/engine/props-etc/stuffing-box-hd-hose-kitw-clamps-1-58quot-id/?SearchResults=1

[Ron Hill]

Mark : I'm suspect that you may well have a cracked log tube because " he replaced that (rubber?) once before some years back"!!

Just make sure that it is thoroughly inspected before you take on a simple rubber tube replacement!

A thought

[KWKloeber]

Sorry to hear that the

C30s were built wrong. 

https://www.hydrasearchrecreational.com/hose-fittings/

THANKS!!! for that link Stu. Now I know where to get the correct one!!!
(the problem is that the log angle didn't let the thicker hose fit, but all it takes is to clean out some of the leftover sloppy fiberglass work with a Dremel, then the heavy hose fits.) 

[Noah]

Ken-interestingly, Catalina Direct references the C30 clearance problem and still sells the thinner hose to address this issue.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-38/engine/props-etc/stuffing-box-hose-kitw-clamps-1-58quot-id/?SearchResults=1

[KWKloeber]

Noah, Ah ha!  I know of many who easily worked around the "design fault" and went to the correct hose.  IIRC the Atomic 4 models didn't have that issue but when Gerry D stuffed the diesel into the box the shaft angle changed.  At least that's what I THINK the deal was (but CRS.)

[rappareems]

Well, pulled shaft yesterday and alas, Noah and Ron were right it is a fiberglass issue not simply the rubber shaft hose.  Going to have another guy look see this morning.... any suggestions?

Mark

[Noah]

The replacement part is available, if your old one is cracked bad enough to be unrepairable. However, I do not know enough about what is involved to install it or repair it to advise you. Good luck.
https://www.catalinadirect.com/shop-by-boat/catalina-30/engine/props-etc/shaft-log-fiberglass/?SearchResults=1

[Ron Hill]

Mark : send us a picture! Can you slide the hose further back to cover the crack and then clamp the rear of the hose? 

If you can't, can you mat and glass over the crack and slide the hose up to the "patch" and the clamp with no leakage?

A few thoughts