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Custom-made Stuffing Box Wrench


Ralph D. Stetson wrote in the December 1986 Mainsheet:

The problem with the stuffing box on the prop shaft is that it's hard to get to, the space around it is limited, and the adjusting nut is often seized by corrosion to the lock nut. Needless to say, special tools are required so that you don't tear up the rubber hose housing.

drawing of custom-made stuffing box wrench A machine shop can, using 1/8 to 1/4 inch cold rolled steel, cut the two (2) wrenches. The overall length is 8". The angle between the jaws is important, but does not need to be precise. Roughly 15 degrees is required. Lay out the design on light cardboard and cut it out. The dimension "X" on the sketch must be free to fit easily on the faces of the nuts. Squeeze the handles together to loosen.

On my boat, #298, Spi-Sea, the prop shaft and the rudder post have different size nuts, so I made a pair of wrenches for each.

It should be noted that these wrenches can also be made of aluminum.
Offshore Sailing book cover Offshore Sailing by Bill Seifert with Daniel Spurr

We went to a Windjammers lecture to hear Bill Seifert and I was impressed enough to buy the book on the spot. I've heard a lot of people talk about ways to improve a boat, but I've never heard one person suggest so many good ideas that I hadn't considered. Part of the charm is the specificity of the suggestions. Everyone says you should secure your floorboards, hatchboards and batteries. Bill shows good suggestions on how to do so.

The suggestions are very practical for the do-it-yourselfer, too. Many show how to make or adapt inexpensive solutions. Tip #12 on closing the deck blower vents is one that will pay off for me without ever going offshore. I'll implement that one to stop the wintertime storms from finding their way belowdecks.

Besides modifications, the book also includes advice for operating offshore, cooking, boat selection, dealing with bureaucracy, and more.

Bill Seifert has worked at Tartan, TPI, and Alden Yachts. He's a veteran of many Marion-Bermuda races and now runs his own yacht management company. His tips are born of experience--not of book-learning--and it shows. He obviously knows his stuff.

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