Steering post leak

[realtorknox]

I have an '86 Albin 27 with a steering post leak. Looking for information or section view of the post and seals as well as any part numbers/suppliers for parts sourcing. Thanks, Randall "Manatee" North Ft. Myers,Fl

[Jay Knoll]

Randall

I have the same problem and I'm still working on a fix. Last year we replaced the cutlass bearing on our 27FC and while the rudder was dropped I asked the mechanic to try to figure out what was causing the leak. He told me that the keyway on the shaft was especially long and extended up into the area where the the packing sat in the stuffing box. He said that the open edge of the keyway was cutting the stuffing thus contributing to the leak; he said that he silver soldered the unnecessary part of the keyway and that should have fixed the problem. It didn't completely fix it, I still had a leak, albeit slower than before the repair but it still made a mess of the aft locker. This spring we repacked the stuffing box and I've been tightening down the nut, it seems dry for awhile, then I'll start to get a small leak, crank down the nut again, don't know if I'll ever get it completely dry.

Good luck

Jay

[realtorknox]

Thanks for the advise Jay. My neighbor suggested tightening packing nut. I am starting a new topic asking if the key can be removed and nut tightened while in the water. Thanks again. Randall

[Hobbit]

I also had what appeared to be a steering post leak in my 27 FC.

After partially disassembling the steering post I discovered that the leak was in the hull itself not the steering post mechanism or key slot.

The hull on my boat appeared to have been laminated with balsa at the rudder. After I removed the rudder post assembly and cut back the inner glass layer a checkerboard pattern of the coring was readily apparent. It was soft and rotted. The rudder post flanges could not be tightened. It seeped constantly and further tightening of the flanges just exacerbated the leak.

I posted earlier on the topic. I am not sure the post was clear without an accompanying picture to clarify it. I was having difficulty posting pictures with the editor at the time. I think the answering poster did not understand how I fixed it, but there also did not seem to be much interest so I didn't bother to follow up.

If you continue to have issues and want more detailed information drop me a PM. I will get an email notification and answer. I do not peruse this website often so it could be weeks before I see a quick reply.

Hobbit
Hood Canal, WA

[Hobbit]

I should add that my previous post on this topic provides an very close but not exact diagram of the steering post assembly on my '87 FC. It is a generic diagram but helps visualize the moving parts.

I still have a bit of moisture in the center hold on occasion, but it is coming from a leak on the port side gunnel. There are some cracks where past dock rash damaged the edge where the hull and deck are mated. When I wash the deck I get a bit of moisture traveling down the inner hull on the port side through the port aft hold and draining into the center hold.



Correcting that will be next winters project.

[realtorknox]

Jay, I wanted to let you know my steering post leak was eliminated by first removing rust and tightening in on packing. Thanks for your advise. Randall "Manatee".

[Jay Knoll]

Randall

Glad things worked out for you. I just put another ring of packing into the stuffing box and things seem dry -- at least at the dock we'll see how it works underway

Jay

[Mtnracerx]

I seem to be getting some weepage around the top of the shaft in the aft bilge. Im assuming it may be related to the flax. Any ideas on what size flax the A27 Sport had?