steering rudder leaking

[edonthelake]

i have an '89 Bu' Skier i recently purchased. i have noticed that the steering rudder leaks into the bilge area. how much is acceptable?

[Baddog]

I'm going to go with "no water should be leaking through the rudder through hull". More details. How much? always? More when at speed?

[JeffS]

Provided it's coming out the top of the rudder box inside the boat - and not from around the flange that sandwiches the outside and inside of the rudder assembly with the fiberglass hull in the middle...

It's not "normal", and it indicates that the rudder stuffing box needs to be rebuilt.

With that said - mine leaks too. My rudder also has a little more than 1/4" play.

I leak a fair amount, between the rudder stuffing box, the shaft seal which needs a twist of the wrench, and swimmers and skiers getting in the boat dripping wet. Run the bilge every hour or so, and pump out 3ish gallons of water.

You're not going to sink at 3 gallons per hour.

And that I know of - the rudder can't fall out.

Don't take what I say as any sort of sound advice though - I only know 7 things.

I plan to take care of the rudder and steering cable this fall as part of layup.

-Jeff

Edited July 18, 2009 by JeffS