Teddy Buoy …Stern glands

People generally knock social media but sometimes it is just brilliant. As previously mentioned the boat is taking on just a very little water. It’s not serious but needs to be resolved asap.

I went down to Teddy Buoy today to confront the issue but close scrutiny revealed I didn’t know what I was doing. Nothing new there I hear you say.

In the various boats I’ve owned or encountered I’ve met several types of stern glands but never one that looks like this.

For the benefit of the uninitiated, the stern gland is a grease-packed bearing that allows the propeller shaft from the engine/gearbox to go through the hull of the boat in order to rotate the propeller. At the same time, if it’s working properly, it should not allow the river to ingress into the boat and sink it.

Faced with a lack of knowledge I posted the question of stern gland maintenance on the Freeman Owners Facebook group and within an hour I had full instructions on how to repack and re-grease it to its former duty. h

Some have said, if I don’t know what I’m doing, I should take the boat out of the water before I attempt this task. That’s never going to happen!

Wish me luck.