Which sealant is best for the cutlass bearing/shaftlog?

[rescuesailor]

I am getting ready to reinstall the cutlss bearing and shaft log in my True North 34 cutter. It consists of the cutlass bearing housing, which has four bolts to secure it to the deadwood space in the hull. A three foot stainless steel pipe that screws into the cutlass bearing housing and the end of the shaft packing gland. The shaft packing gland also screws onto the pipe and is then secured with two lag bolts. Obviously both ends need to be sealed. With the packing gland first having to be screwed on and then lag bolted whatever sealant i use here will be smeared in order to make it snug. There fore I believe that the key to prevent water intrusion will be at the cutlass bearing housing. Which sealant would you use? I have been thinking about 4200. I do not like the idea of 5200 because of its permananet status. I really am worried about leaks here.

[Rachel]

My Alberg 30 had (what sounds like) a similar arrangement. I'm nearly positive it was sealed with polysulfide (i know for sure that's what was on the inside end, and believe it was sealing the outside section as well). There was no evidence it had ever been tampered with post-builder, nor were there any signs of leakage - so it seems that the polysulfide worked well. I'm not sure they had polyurethane as an option though, at the time (late 60's).

[rescuesailor]

Northstar thanks for the great info. My only reservation is going to be the packing gland on the inside due to fact it will have to be rotated to tighten onto the shaft log. I am thinking of making a beveled edge on the edge of the fiberglass hole of the deadwood to place the sealant in. Maybe this would keep it from being smeared so much.

[Rachel]

I'd like to see it too - in re-reading I'm thinking maybe it's completely different than I first visualized it.

By the way, here is the outer part I was referring to earlier. The sealant used on it was polysulfide (in addition to fasteners). However on the inside the stuffing box attached via a hose, not by threading it on. As I mentioned above, I now think yours might be very different.

[rescuesailor]

Sorry it took so long to get a picture uploaded but I had to dig out my camera. I am concerned about leaks and plan on using pipe dope rather than teflon tape on the threads. Dont want stale water between the ss pipe and the deadwood hole. I don't think salt water will cause problems with either but I have always had better luck with pipe dope. I am not sure what lines that cavity or even why they used the pipe in the first place but I feel I should put it back the way it came out.

[rescuesailor]

That's a great idea about swabbing the deadwood with epoxy!