This is one my nightmare leaks – the kind I’m convinced will immediately sink the boat. Probably not entirely accurate, but still… the thought of a leak that I can’t contain scares me. So when an alarm goes off telling me there is too much water coming onto the bilge, it has my attention.
After a quick investigation, we discover a leaking dripless shaft seal (or as I’ve been saying, “our dripless seal is no longer dripless”). We get plenty of good advice leading to our first (and primary) decision: can we change this seal in the water (scary procedure) or haul out again in the boatyard (expensive procedure)? Scary vs. Expensive… And since this seal is all that lies between the propeller shaft and the ocean, it isn’t exactly optional.
After a lot of thought, we decide to avoid scary and haul the boat out for some relief from the water and some experienced help. It turns out to be a very good decision. Complications arise immediately… pulling the prop shaft back, removing a bear of a coupling, and some part restoration and fabrication are just a few of the obstacles we encounter.
Follow along as we clean up the dungeon of a bilge, make some fiberglass repairs, and replace our dripless shaft seal.
Just a reminder: We upload as regularly as we can… but only if we genuinely have something to post. We know that’s not exactly “algorithm friendly” but it feels right to us. Unfortunately, this means we may not show up in your feed as often as you want us too. To make sure you don’t miss an episode, please subscribe to our channel.
You can also find and connect with us here:
- All Our Links = https://linktr.ee/sv_garuda
- Follow us on the ‘Gram = @herb_svgaruda @heather_on_sv_garuda
- Buy us a beer = https://svgaruda.com/why-we-cruise/