into the bilge. I’m not particularly crazy about
this. This is neither a defect with Aquadrive
nor a defect with the slip-ring shaft seals; it’s
simply the way these two mechanisms hap-
pen to function together.
In fact, I don’t see much wrong with old-
fashioned stuffing boxes, except for the has-
sle of replacing the flax periodically. My per-
sonal preference is a standard stuffing box
with the new Teflon-impregnated packing
material. This packing is virtually dripless
and lasts many times longer than old flax.
Flexible Self-Aligning
Stuffing Boxes
I also prefer to use the flexible (self-aligning)
hose-type stuffing boxes (Figure 3-13). These
Chapter 3: Transmission Geometry, CV Joints, Stuffing Boxes, and Engine Mounts and Beds
Figure 3-12. PSS shaft seal (Courtesy PYI, Inc.)
Figure 3-13.
Flexible stuffing
box (Reprinted
with permission
fromBoatowner’s
Mechanical and
Electrical Manual,
Third Edition, by
Nigel Calder,
2005)don’t become a shaft bearing that has to be
aligned. Of course, there may be circum-
stances where you want to have a bearing—
an intermediate shaft bearing—at the stuffing
box location, as we saw in Chapter 1. In this
case, you would use a rigidly mounted stuff-
ing box.
The hose on flexible or self-aligning
stuffing boxes must be tough stuff. Use only
heavy-wall, 5-ply minimum hose. Not only
can you not afford any leaks here, but the