What is a shaft seal on a boat?

Dripless shaft seals are a mechanical miracle product for boaters. A dripless shaft seal system prevents water from entering the bilge as the boat moves while keeping water out of the bilge. Every boater, no matter the size of boat or vessel, wants a dry bilge. Typically, water is the most common lubricant used in shaft seal systems.

However, the innovative industry leader, the Norscot Shaft Seal, uses a lubricant instead of water which allows their housing to run much cooler than if using water, while lubricating the rubber seals inside giving them a much longer life and you, as the boater, many more hours on your boat cruising worry-free.

Whereas most shaft seal brands depend on either exterior water or water from the exhaust manifold to lubricate the seals, the Norscot uses Automatic Transmission Fluid (ATF) housed in a 1-pint reservoir mounted above the waterline, allowing ATF via gravity to flow into the housing. Unlike other brands, Norscot does not depend on pressure from water injection or a vacuum to lubricate your shaft while keeping water out of your bilge. The bronze housing is designed for simplicity and efficiency featuring a tight tolerance to the shaft sealed by 3 nitrile rubber lip seals.

This innovative use of alternate lubricant offers 3 unique advantages:

• ATF as a lubricant is superior compared to water for this application being able to manage heat from friction while extending life to its nitrile rubber lip-type oil seals. 
• If in the event you need to shut down one engine (for twin screw vessels), your lubricant source is not affected. It’s an independent system needing no external fluids to operate.
• The Norscot lubricant is always clean from impurities and sea water conditions like silt, keeping the shaft seal and the shaft itself free of debris, damage, and excessive wear.
  

More questions on how the Norscot Shaft Seal can give you more peace of mind as a boater? Contact us now!