Chrysler Sailors Forum

I recently picked up a C-22, I haven't had a chance to sail her yet, and I was wondering abouth the condition of the swing keel hinge. I see where people replace the pin, and I was wondering how one determines when that needs to be done. I took the inspection cover off toward the center of the boat, and it was full of water after sitting on the traler for several monthes. The water may have leaked rainwater from cracks on the mast step before I repaired it, or if the water may have been in the boat since I got it. The cover was very tight. Also the wench that raises and lowers it has a rope on it and I was thinking of replacing it with SS cable. Having the keel drop off in the middle of the lake would be a bad thing.
Carl

Hey Carl...excellent choice of boats.

When the boat is under sail and hits some chop, the keel will move. I truly do not believe rope will last more than a short time under that kind of stress. The elements will eventually corrode the rope anyway. If it breaks with the keel up, it will swing down and will likely punch a hole in your hull. That would be bad.

You have a good idea to replace it with stainless steel cable. I may have a picture of what mine looks like when it's replaced. Let me know and I'll try to find it.

As to the water in the boat, you will only find out for sure if your swing keel bracket is leaking by sitting her in the water. You may can get a hint that it is a possible problem by visually inspecting both sides. If they are rusty, corroded, or flaking metal, odds are they should be replaced. If you want to see what a bad bracket looks like, go here:
http://www.clearintent.net/C22
Another tell-tale sign would be rusty stains around the port side keel bracket; look inside that locker.

My brackets were in really bad shape, as you will see. When I pulled back the cover, mine also had water in it from the leaky bracket. I figured out that water would migrate along boat's hull, effectively in a "bilge space".

I'm not sure how water could find it's way through a cracked/leaky deck and into the bilge of this boat. IMHO, it's coming through the bracket. If so, I am sorry. It's a pain to fix.

As an alternative explanation for your mystery-water, you may have a leaky rudder post assembly. When our boat bobs around, a small amount of water will seep around the fitting. This water can find its way into this bilge area.

Let us know what we can do to help (except drive out there and do it for you).

Hi and Welcome Carl,

Thanks for your tips on the fiberglass on the other thread. Should be moving into the part of things here soon.

Wished I'd seen Trey's picts before cutting into my Keel pin. I just redid the pictures on my website,, some folks didn't realize there was more than a couple on each page. I had water in that bilge area also,, nowhere else in the boat,, but as you can see in my picts there was rusty "bathtub ring" evidence in other places. You can see the rust in the port side keel bracket locker easily in a couple that Trey refers to.

I believe the cracks in my Keel trunk were from a cable snap,, I'd recommend changing it out. Much easier than what I'm doing now!

Trey, thanks for the description putting the brackets back in,, notes taken!

Billy
http://naturalbornflyerz.com/chrysler_22.htm

Aargh! Nice to see some action on this forum, and some new members!

Billy, your site is super-dandy. I'm enjoying it muchly.

FWIW, my keel pin leaks a bit too, and methinks I'll swap it out this coming summer. I'm keeping my boat (Ms. Fortune) on dry land in order to sort it out properly. Hopefully we'll still be able to get them swanky SS keel brackets from Trey.