Small Sailboat Cruising's video: Inboard Motor Installation Installing a Stuffing Box All Details

This is a very detailed video for the technically minded on every aspect of how I installed the stuffing boxes, aligned the propeller shaft and installed the inboard motor in Moonlight, a traditional sailing trailer boat. Read More https://sailingmoonlight.com Many of my trips in Moonlight involve transiting the broad expanses of places like the Great Sandy Strait, so fo me an inboard is not a luxury but a necessity. When the wind fails as it often can in this region, the currents are too strong to negotiate under oars, and the distances are too great. The existing installation has served me well over the life of the boat, but recently the motor has been getting very noisy, and the shaft has started whipping around in a very disturbing manner. It wasn’t until I started probing around, that I realised just how bad the problem was. If you look closely you can see the pillow block has detached itself from the keelson, so it is not providing any support for the shaft. So with the Christmas break coming on, there was a perfect window of time to steel myself to the task and get the project underway. I couldn’t bring myself to dispose of this old piece of Huon Pine, so I used a lot of epoxy to rebuild it. I’m using Dulux Metalshield pressure pack for convenience. Normally you struggle to get the needed build with spray packs, but this product is an exception. No primer required, and it dries tough but still flexible. It is an experiment, and time will tell if I made the right call. The motor was clattering a bit, and quite noisy, so I needed to check the valve clearances. While I was at it I recapped the spark plug. Turns out the tolerances were all correct to the manufacturer’s specs after a lifetime of use which says a lot for Honda engineering. This design is as old as the boat, Honda has not changed it much in 40 years. The Coupling consists of two cast iron flanges and a rubber “spider” element, which performs well under compression and flexing. The modular design allows for a simple fitting and easy maintenance and the rubber element absorbs shock loading and compensates for any minor misalignment of the shaft. For some reason, the bolt holes in the engine bed no longer line up with the engine mounting holes. I made up a template and bored slightly oversized holes to allow for aligning the shafts. I was surprised at how much things had moved around over time. The bearing fits into the housing by twisting it into place. Oil impregnated jute packing for the ⅝” stuffing boxes is still the same as it has been for 100’s of years, and it is easily acquired from any decent marine store. Once it is packed in there, the stuffing box can be reassembled and tightened just past finger tight. Don’t overdo the tightening as I did the first time around, creating a build-up of heat. It just needs to be packed tight enough to stop any major leaks. A drip or two is a sign you have it right, providing some cooling for the bearing. In this installation, there is no stern-tube, but the shaft hole is packed full of grease. Follow Christopher sailing trailer boats, wooden boat projects, fibreglass boat restoration projects on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sailingmoonlight We have a healthy and growing community conversation about all things sailing, and you are welcome to join us on Sailing Beat https://www.facebook.com/groups/sailingbeat/ Follow Sailing Moonlight on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sailing_moonlight_dinghy/ Get Updates on Twitter: https://twitter.com/dinghymoonlight Christopher is staying fit, mentally sharp and extending his life on Superfood Sea vegetables. Convenient healthy grub for authentic sailors crammed full of zing. If you use my personal coupon code CHRIS you will get a 10% discount. https://seaweed.ph/ref/1/ These videos are made possible by people like you. If you would like to get early access to videos and behind the scenes insights, consider supporting the channel via my Patreon link: https://www.patreon.com/sailingmoonlight Discover how I can help you realize your dreams and attain complete freedom through life coaching. I am available as your mentor regardless of where you live, on land or sea. https://businesspilot.com.au www.linkedin.com/in/christophersly 00:00 Intro 2:30 Flexible coupling 4:30 The Thrust Bearing 6:30 The Pillow block 16:30 Packing the Stuffing Box 26:00 Watch how she runs There are some affiliate links on this page that give us a small commission. All our music is licensed from Artlist https://artlist.io/Christopher-1171683 unless otherwise noted. Predict Wind is an app I use and highly value. See just how helpful it is for sailors like you and me. Go to https://www.predictwind.com/?ref=christophersly Copyright 2021 Vinsek Pty Ltd