I made a drawing for the Keel Pin Brackets

N41EF · Post by **N41EF** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 12:48 pm

So, was laying under the boat Sunday to finish sanding the very bottom of the hull to paint, and though wow, the brackets on my 32yo boat look great!, too great. So I sanded a bit, and a bit more, and found out the looked great because they were bondo. Once I dug the bondo out you could see the pin because the entire bottom of the bracket is crumbling away.

Luckily I just bought the holy grail (Stainless brackets from another member) that I had planned to do this fall, just not this early.

So, it looks like this weekend I'll be jacking up the boat to do keel brackets and paint the keel.

Prior to messing them up I broke out the drafting kit and took a pretty accurate set of measurements and made a set of drawings that any machine shop should be able to use to make brackets, either from stainless or mild steel. If I hadn't found the stainless set I have I'd prob do a steel set and the have the plated or powdercoated prior to install.

I email a copy of the drawing to Capt Scott and Windward so they can post in the doccuments section. I have a 2meg jpeg that I can email to anyone else who wants a copy.

My first observation was how small the original bolts and nuts arre. Mine was covered my several layes of RTV trying to seal them, but most of the metal is gone.

Engineering wise, I don't think the keel could have fallen out the bottom assuming the keel pin didn't fail. Even if the brackets were gone the hull should support the keel, but it would leak like crazy, oh wait, mine was leaking. Maybe I won't need the second bilge pump now.

Guess I'm not going to the lake this sunday like I thought I was.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:02 pm

Thank You very much!

I will be posting that drawing in the Document section of our site!
Hopefully tonight!

For those that are not aware we have collected a pretty good set of documents and have them posted on our main page!

http://www.chryslersailors.com

Just follow the links!

When I went to inspect the C20 I recently aquired I spent quite a bit of time in the C20 Manual that was kindly provided by a member here! I was able to identify any key parts to the C20 that I needed to insure were on the boat! Very helpful it was!

I have a huge problem with falling instantly in love with a boat I'm intrested in so the manual was instrumental in keeping my mind focused and looking at details! I did not take it with me, just memorized key sections of it!

Scott

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:10 am

I think it could fall off, I remember reading a post ware it did. The C-22 did not sink, but did have a meager lick. Good that you looked, best wishes getting it fixed.

John K · Post by **John K** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 11:20 am

I believe that unfortunate individual experienced a pin breakage. Since reading about his experience, I've wondered if perhaps his boat got dropped on the keel or it had run aground on the rocks. Regardless, great job! I'm looking forward to seeing the drawing.

CaptainScott · Post by **CaptainScott** » Tue Apr 24, 2012 7:43 pm

I have just uploaded the C22 Keel Pin Drawing!

You may need to refresh your browser to see it!
It is in the Documents page!

THANKS AGAIN!
Scott

John K · Post by **John K** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 2:13 am

Good job!

sauerleigh · Post by **sauerleigh** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:25 am

Nice sketch. Any chance you might have a measurement for the bolt circle. The average guy will have a rough time drilling and tapping 3/8" SS plate.

N41EF · Post by **N41EF** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:42 am

Some say.... The bolt circle is not standard, but when I look at pictures of people's nasty rusty ones they look like a standard 6 holes on a set radius. When I get mine out, assuming there is enough left to measure, I'll post an update.

I was supprised to see such small bolts holding the old brackets in. They look to be 1/4-28 stainless, mine had a stack of washers under the nuts inside the boat. Make me think they used a standard bolt they had lots of, and shimmed them.

I also wonder about what sealant they used at the factory. Mine had what looked like a whole tube of white sealant squirted around the bolts inside. Pictures of other people's boats make it look like the factory did that. My intention is to clean and sand the glass mating surface, then paint on a coat of epoxy and let it set, then use 5200 to put a thin bead around all of the bolt holes, insert each bolt half way and put a squirt of 5200 on each bolt as I shove it in to seal the bolt to the bracket.

Bhacurly · Post by **Bhacurly** » Wed Apr 25, 2012 5:40 pm

Just a thought,

5200 is a more permanent goop and will make for fun times down the road,,, have you considered 4200?

Just curious really. I used 5200 and have noticed some rust on a couple nuts on the starboard side bracket. No leaks, but I am dreading having to take them off. It's been 6 years now...

John K · Post by **John K** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 5:30 am

Your thread about cutting the pin with a reciprocating saw strangely disappeared while I was trying to post in it and the date of the general sailing forum on the index page went to Dec 31, 1969. I was going to post this link. I'm pretty sure this will cut through the stainless pin like butter. http://www.amazon.com/DEWALT-DW4844-6-I ... B00004RH9Z

sauerleigh · Post by **sauerleigh** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 6:18 am

A good quality bimetal (Milwaukee) blade should cut through SS but you'll need to run the saw as slow as it will go. Too fast, too much heat and the teeth will lose their temper. I'm not certain a carbide coated blade will work well on SS, they are best for ceramics, brick and fiberglass, they more or less grind their way through the material rather then cut it.

N41EF · Post by **N41EF** » Sun Apr 29, 2012 3:24 pm

Okay, maybe it's the engineer in me coming out, but both of my old brackets have the same bolt pattern, and using the old drafting kit again, it seems that the pattern is 8 holes on a 2 and 5/8 diameter. Picture a compass rose with the 4 points, four holes drilled on the four points and then holes drilled NW, SW, SE, and NE. Now, rotate the pattern 22.5 degrees such that NNE is up, and don't drill the two bottom holes. My brackets had 1/4 inch holes, that were not tapped as some had asked.

RTV was the only thing holing mine in, the metal had rusted 75% away and someone had put washers under the nuts to try to tighten them up. It also had a whole tube of RTV trying to seal it.

My snubber was completely RTVd in and the plunger couldn't move. it had leaked to the point that the wood inside has rotted away. I plan to tape over the hole from inside, and fill it from the keel pocket with the stranded filler, then put two layers of bi glass over it to seal it.

I've taken a dozen or more pictures on lifting the boat and getting the thing out, once I get it in I'll do a thread.

Thanks everyone for your input.