Rudder Stuffing Box - F-26

[randyp]

I checked my rudder stuffing box for the first time in 10 years. No surprises, but I noticed that water was slowly weeping up the shaft into the bilge. There's never been much and the prop shaft drips an acceptabe amount, but I got to thinking (always a scary thing). Why should the rudder shaft leak at all? It doesn't need water for lubrication, like the prop shaft? I tightened down the packing nut a half turn and this reduced the leakage, but I bet that the packing is hard as a rock after 30 years of never having been changed.

What's the word? Leave it alone? Replace the packing when the boat's out of the water? Should it always have a small leak?

Thanks for any advice from the Trojan Brain Trust!