Another keel question

adamh · Post by **adamh** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:35 pm

Since I have been unable to take my boat out yet, I have not been able to experiment with the swing keel. The question is: do you sail with the keel all the way down or do you lower it to a certain point and let the winch/cable carry a portion of the weight. The P.O. advised me not to lower it all the way down because it sometimes would get stuck. Just curious if anybody else had this happen.

Chrysler20%26 · Post by **Chrysler20%26** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:44 pm

The C-26 has a locking swing keel. When it works right, if you sail in deep water keep it down, other wise just let it down two turns of the winch.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 1:45 pm

Same here, shallow water or light air couple cranks down, if even that.

One reason the locking keel (the head of the keel wedges into a like-shaped wedge space in the trunk) can be crud like barnacles or shells. As the keel wedges in they grind up in the space between the keel and the trunk wall and cause a jam..

adamh · Post by **adamh** » Thu Mar 14, 2013 6:23 pm

Thanks for the input guys. This is the first I have ever heard about the locking keel. When I first bought the boat home and prior to cleaning, there was a #&%! load of zebra muscles caked in around the keel. If winter ever decides to concede I can get the tarp off maybe shove a wire up into the trunk and clean it out.

EmergencyExit · Post by **EmergencyExit** » Fri Mar 15, 2013 12:08 pm

The manual/brochures used the word "locking", but probably "wedging" is closer to truth.