A question for those who installed a packless seal system

[David Discenza]

I'd like to know how you solved venting the seal. Two feet above the waterline would put the vent hose at the top of the companionway in my '93 34'. Thanks to all who reply.

[waughoo]

My dripless is not vented.  It seems to work fine and have not had any issues.

[David Discenza]

Waughoo, does yours have a vent on it? If it does, did you just cap the vent?

[Noah]

The "new styles" have vents. Don't know what year they changed. Mainesail has an article on his  "Marinehowto" website I believe, discussing venting fittings. Some folks I have read vent up under head sink or into cockpit locker.

[Ron Hill]

Dave : You could vent by using a small hose and going up into the starboard cockpit locker or vent into the head under the sink.

A few thoughts

[Patches]

I have a Mark 1.25 (hull no. 1016), and vented my PSS dripless into the sink cabinet in the head.  I epoxied a piece of wood high under, and to the right of, the sink, to what is essentially the back side of the liner that forms the forward wall of the aft cabin.  I ran the vent hose from the PSS vent nipple to a Taco Hy-vent air vent, as recommended by Mainesail in his article on the "Marine How To" (yet another invaluable piece of writing on how to do things correctly on your boat.):

https://marinehowto.com/installing-a-pss-shaft-seal/ 

I then used a small conduit clamp to mount the vent hose to the piece of wood I epoxied in place. 

Working perfectly for 18 months now.

Patches

[waughoo]

My pyi is an older one without the vent fitting.

[David Discenza]

Patches,
Thanks for providing that link and for your solution. I think I will do the same. It sounds like your boat is a mirror of mine. The port lazarette is behind my head.

[Jeff Kaplan]

The installer really messed up, as he put the vent hose into the heat exchanger, which is actually done on speed boats, not slow boats, which caused quite a squeal sound and excessive heat on the shaft. I went to the web site and found this to be true. I replaced the vent hose  with about 6' of hose,  drilled a hole in the head sink in the corner and routed it up thru there. Never a problem. Easy fix, hose must vent above the water line.

[David Comando]

I have an older PYI or PSS dripless on my 1986. I did replace it a few years back with the same one, non vented. I do be sure, excuse the what comes next, to "burp" the fitting to remove any air caught in the bellows when the boat is launched, or after a diver, (me), cleans the bottom. I have had no issues with this. If you don't "burp" it, it will get hot and make a harmonic sound like a finger going around a wine glass.

[WTunnessen]

Mine is not vented and when I asked if it should be I was told by the yard it's not necessary on engines our size. I think I checked with PSS to confirm but don't recall 100%. You do need to burp them when you haul out and check the bellows periodically after a few years to make sure they are not dry and cracking.

[wingman]

Mine is not vented and when I asked if it should be I was told by the yard it's not necessary on engines our size. I think I checked with PSS to confirm but don't recall 100%. You do need to burp them when you haul out and check the bellows periodically after a few years to make sure they are not dry and cracking.

ours is vented to lazarette/locker behind wheel. We still have to burp after haul out so may be clogged?