Water in Sail Drive Oil

[Sailing Off]

Hello, We recently learned that we have gotten water in our sail drive oil (milky colored oil). Most likely a bad seal. We need to move the boat about 60 miles to get hauled out and have the seal replaced. My question, is it safe to run on the non-effected engine and only use the effected when docking? Or, if anyone has another option, we are happy to take any suggestions.

Thanks in advance

[team karst]

Put the bad side in gear, its motor off for the long leg.

[SailingHarmonie]

Water in the gear oil is a problem, but it’s more a corrosion problem than a wear problem. Corrosion doesn’t care if you are using the engine or not.

Use the engine as you need to, and get it fixed asap. Which sounds like your plan.

Welcome to the happy world of saildrives.

[Tin Tin]

I don't quite follow the comment about effected and non effected. Are you on a catamaran with 2 engines - in which case you are fine to run just one engine and use the other briefly for docking.


In any event, depending on saildrive model you can remove (suck out with a hand pump) some or all of the bad oil and replace it, if you are using the proper SD oil it will absorb some of the water (turns it milky) but you should be fine for short distance.


Depending on where you are it might be worth diving down and seeing if fishing line is wrapped around the shaft between prop and housing, removing this by unwinding it may alleviate some of the ingress of water if that is the cause.

[Captain Bill]

You'll be fine using the affected drive for docking. Do not use it at high speed. I once had just a small amount of water in my drive oil and was trying to make a bridge opening to get to my haul out in time, so I ran it at full speed for only a couple of minutes. The oil got hot and the water flashed to steam and the pressure inverted every seal in the unit. I did not make my haul out time on a Friday and the unit filled with water and sat until Monday. $3500 later I had all new bearing and seals. I think the only original parts left were the case, shafts, and gears.

[ggray]

I had this happen maybe 20 years ago.

Sucked out all the oil I could...maybe 1/3 of it...and replaced with good oil. Ran the engine in gear 30 seconds. Then repeated process 7 or 8 times. The oil was fine by then.

Installed a small header tank connected to a tube I inserted in the fill cap, and I felt comfortable to run it until I hauled out.

The header tanks are still used to this day