stuffing tube installation help

[460_f100_dude]

the hole size for my stuffing tube is bigger than my stuffing tube of course do i want to seal it up w/ somthing or what i wanna stop and let the boat idle for a little durring runs or can i? please help i havent installed my tube yet but am very close to doing so i plan on using a fiberglass repair kit to install it or is that not a good idea please help!

 

[Propjockey]

What type of hull and how much bigger is the hole?

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

Dude,

What type of hull are you talking about? If it's in a V hull with surface drive, you need that hole to be larger so water can get out of the hull.

Just checking,

 

[460_f100_dude]

its a mono hull, surface set up i dont want the larger hole in there becasue of when i slow down to idle or when it stalls i will be puting in a auto bailer for water to get out

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

Just trying to help. Sounds like you got it all figured out.

I'm outta here

 

[460_f100_dude]

yes but how should i go about patching the hole in the hull i made it bigger thinking it would be what i wanted do i use the fiberglass or do i go buy some bondo filler or would that vibrate too much and crack heeelp! to many options

 

[izitbrokeyet?]

What’s your hull made of? Is it polyester, epoxy, ABS, steel, wood, recycled beer cans, kryptonite?.....

If we're going to going to fill the drain hole; we’ll fill it with something permanent

 

[Ron Olson]

If you want a temporary fix to see if you have the tube and strut where you want it, use some Goop or Shoe-Goo to fill the void. I use the stuff to hold my tubes in place and haven't spun or lost one yet. I don't like to have any more holes in my boats than I need to have. I have enough trouble keeping water out!

 

[ScottVanSlooten]

From pass use of auto balers my 2 cents says they are junk . Leave the hole a little big as long as you are moving the water will not come in and if your boat dies in a race and fills with water then it sets lower in the water and if you get hit more likely to get less damage . Scott

 

[460_f100_dude]

its fiberglass w/ gelcoat, ill seal the hole temporarily w/ silicone to see how i like it and how much water i take on, then i will fill with epoxy and fiberglass, but how close to the strut do i install the tube all the way to it or what ?

 

[Propjockey]

Try this...get a piece of 2" masking tape about 3 - 4 inches long. Cut an oval in it with an X-acto so it will just slip on the tube. From the outside, slide the tape over the tube and up to the hull and press it smooth. Flip the boat over and from the inside, fill in around the tube with epoxy. When it sets, peel the tape off and sand smooth.

 

[460_f100_dude]

Thankyou prop jockey you are ton of help but one more thing how close do i install the tube to the strut i dont want too much unsupported cable do i, i have a strut extender that extended the strut and extra 1 and a half or so thanks Darren

 

[Propjockey]

Hmmm...not sure on that one. Since I don't race (and I'm CHEAP!), I make most of my own hardware. I build mine so the stuffing tube goes through the strut itself.

Mount a drive dog, prop and nut on the shaft.

Slide this assembly through the strut and see if the solid part of the shaft extends forward (toward the transom) past the strut. If it does, I'd say as long as the stuffing tube is close enough to the strut so that the end of the solid prop shaft is inside, you should be alright. I don't like to see ANY exposed cable.

In the picture, the brass you see forward of the drive dog is the actual stuffing tube. I set it up so the end of the tube is flush with the end of the strut and the drive dog (actually the teflon washer in front of the drive dog)bears on both.

Anybody else have a theory?