Bob and his mate attended our DIY Introduction to Boat Systems class last year. Now they are both able to use their newly learned skills while cruising on their Ranger Tug on the Ohio River. Yesterday, we received his request for a phone consult about the packing gland on his boat…
Bob emailed: Thanks for your quick response. I have some questions about adjusting a packing gland. Can I send you a pic of the packing gland in my boat, that will be the basis of my questions.
Absolutely! We are able to see so much more from a photo. So, we set up an appointment as soon as Captain Chris was available. Luck was with us and he was able to respond within the hour. Bob emailed the photo you see here for Captain Chris to take a look before the call.
Replacing the Packing Material
The boat was on the hard and being prepped for spring commissioning. Bob wanted to be proactive. His goal was to replace the packing material, actually flax. Before he started to replace it, he wanted to confirm the steps with Captain Chris.
Fortunately, Captain Chris took a keen eye to the photo and noticed that the locking ring was loose. He also saw that one of the hose clamps was bad and needed to be replaced as well. Seeing that the clamp was crooked it was likely that the worm screw saddle was broken. Yup! Bob will need to change out the broken hose clamp too. So having the right spare parts is part of the preparation when getting your tools together for most DIY boat maintenance.
Seeing Is Believing
Captain Chris talked Bob through removing the old and installing the new packing. Then they discussed how much to snug it down. But sometimes just talking isn’t enough. Captain Chris has the real deal in his workshop equipment and seeing is believing. So he switched the phone call to a Facetime consult and could now show Bob how-to on our own shaft seal demonstrator.
Having a cruising coach accessible by phone or FaceTime can keep you confidently cruising without unnecessary delays. Next time you wonder how-to or what is that? Ask Captain Chris 772-205-1859 or click here for your own consult.
