Stern Tube and Rudder Stock Deep Hole Drilling
Understanding the Components and Their Requirements I have worked on stern tubes and rudder stocks for shipbuilding and marine repair. These are large components that need precision bores for propeller shafts and steering mechanisms. Every vessel I have worked on demands different bore geometries, but the fundamentals remain the same. A stern tube houses the propeller shaft where it passes through the hull. The bore needs to be concentric with the shaft seal surfaces. If the bore is off by even 0.2mm, the seal wears unevenly and leaks. I have seen this happen on a vessel that was dry-docked after only six months because the bore was out of position. The repair cost was over fifty thousand dollars, not counting the lost operating time. That experience taught me to take alignment seriously. ...