Prop shaft Packing leaking

[Gbracer]

Put the boat in the water yesterday to give it a pre season drive, noticed quite a bit of water dripping out of the packing seal, on my 2006 226 v drive.
I understand how to tighten the packing to slow the leak down but how the heck do you get at it, jambed way under the trans/vdrive housings in the bottom of the boat, need to be super agile and small to get at it, anybody got experience doing this got some helpfull tips.
Thanks

[NautiqueJeff]

No helpful tips, but I agree they are a pain to get to on a v-drive boat.

[charlesml3]

How much is it leaking? If it's just dripping, then ignore it. Was that boat equipped with a drip-less packing? I can't remember what year they became standard.

-Charles

[bturner]

This is one of the few jobs I'll pay to have done. I just don't bend that well anymore to make working on that kind of stuff worth it for me.

[Gbracer]

almost a steady stream I will have to look at it again as I did not pay that much attention to it, it is not a dripless one, I dont think I would change it over either, the drippless work great until they fail then the boat sinks !!!! Im going to have to take the floor out to get down in there, might be super dry from being in the garage all winter,
Neverless it's going to be a bitch job.

[bturner]

It certainly will be. Good time to take on that kind of project though. Please post pictures and any tips you learn along the way for the rest of us to learn from if you can..... Good luck!

[charlesml3]

OK, it's not a dripless style. If it's POURING out then yes, it needs to be tightened a little. If it's just dripping then leave it alone. It's supposed to do that.

-Charles