Sail Drive Bellows Service Life

[belizesailor]

Volvo recommends that sail drive bellows (the big rubber seal between hull and sail drive) be changed every 7 years. Ive been involved in changing a few, including my own, and other than those that were physically damaged, Ive yet to see any that had just died of old age...most well beyond the 7 year mark.

Both of mine, well past 7 years, were still in visually excellent condition: very flexible, no cracking or other age related signs of wear. So good that I kept them as spares.

Curious about the experience of others?

[ggray]

17 years and counting.

[Kijit]

We just changed ours and it looked fine. We have had the boat for 10 years and don't know if it had been changed previously or not. Boat is a 1994.

[belizesailor]

Yeah, follows my experience, thats a very durable rubber formulation. I changed one at about 10 years, it was fine, but ran outta time to do the second one...just now got around to changing it at 17 year mark...its fine.

I think the biggest reason to change them is to pull the sail drive and related bits for inspection. On Volvos at least the clamp ring tends do develops corrossion issues well within the 7 year recommended window. Related bolts in the engine bed can develop issue, galvanic corrosaion on sail drive etc...

So, I still think is worthwhile pulling the sail drive, and not hard to, on an extended schedule 7-10 years.