Leaking rudder shaft log

timjet

Member
Joined
Mar 7, 2010
RO Number
32060
Messages
73
My Carver 355 ACMY rudder shaft logs are leaking. I can get to the port side barely, but the stbd side has got me stumped. Anybody know the secret. I hope removing the cabinet next to the bed isn't the answer.
Thanks guys.
Tim
 
Tim,
I have A 356 and i would believe it would be the same. You will have to get access through the cabinet. In my vessel, the top just pops off the cabinet, then if you remove the drawer, you can see the area, but for better access, you will probably have to remove the cabinet. I had mine out once in about 15 minutes.

Cheers, Trevor
 
Trevor,
Thanks for the info. I figured out the top of the cabinet pops off right after I submitted this thread. It was not much help. Looks like I'll be removing the cabinet next weekend. Thanks for your help.
Tim
 
Tim, a question for you...do your rudder shafts leak with the boat just sitting in her slip, or when your moving/on plane?
 
I just bought the boat and have not used her yet. The surveyor mentioned the shafts were leaking, but did not seem excessive. I purged and replace the steering fluid which required me to turn the wheel stop to stop several times. I think this aggravated the leak because now they are leaking probably a gallon and a half a day. The stbd is the worse. So they are leaking just sitting in the slip.
 
Thanks Tim, good to know.
The reason I ask, is I have water entering that back bilge area, but only when I am on plane. I have been looking for the culprit for over a year now.
Good luck with your project.
Trevor
 
I have the same problem , I have a 1995 355 and every week when I get to the boat there is always water in the back bildge. Thanks for the info on how to get to the rudder. They are in almost impossible places.

PS hope you don't have to change your hot water tank anytime soon , What a job !!!!
 
I have a 97 355 AC, have you guys tried to access the Starboard shaft packing nut? I had to cut the bottom step off to the aft cabin to make myself an access port. I was wondering how I was going to get to the starboard rudder post. I guess I need to take a look just in case I need to work in there. We should start our own 355 AC site. I have owned mine for four years and have made a few changes. Mine came from a lake, which means everything goes into holding tanks. I converted it to a salt water boat, so now I can go overboard or to holding tanks, then overboard when I want.
 
Saracco,
I am not sure if you saw the post named 'leak' or not, but i found my running leak with the help of others. It is located in the exhaust exits bolted to the outside of the boat. If you are brave, remove the covers on each side of the swim platform and with a flashlight and mirrir, look at the exhaust pipe were it exits the boat while up on plane. I added some silicone to my exhaust and have cut the amount of water coming into the bilge significantly, will do a full repair this fall at haul-out.
 
tim f,

The stbd prop shaft packing gland is easy to get to on my 98 355. The interior steps leading to the aft cabin are easy to remove and give good access to the shaft log. No drilling or sawing required.
Now the stbd rudder post is a different matter. Like Naut Home said you must remove the aft cabin cabinet which is not really that difficult. However after that it still is nearly impossible to get to. I tried for 3 weekends to tighten the shaft log and finally gave up. The $75 I paid a mechanic to do it was worth every penny. My problem is the log is corroded and needs to be replaced.

Tim
 
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