Swing Keel and Pocket
- thepartydog
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Crestview Florida
Swing Keel and Pocket
It's me again.
My swing keel is stuckup. Not only that, but it's also shy and doesn't want to come out of the keel pocket. I've already dislodged one surprisingly large colony of oysters from between the keel and the pocket on both sides of the keel. After two and a half weeks out of the water, there were even two wet ones. Unfortunately, near the keel pin bracket, It looks like the keel has been welded to the bracket and pocket. I say looks like, because I have been able to chip away at some of it. It is like hard packed silt mixed with glue. I have almost chipped away at all of it I can reach, but the keel still won't swing free. If a pressure washer won't finish the job and free the keel, how much trouble is it to access the top of the keel pocket? As long as the top of the keel pocket isn't buried in ballast and foam, I'm not afraid of having to rebuild it. Anyone have any better ideas?
Here are three pictures of the keel and keel pocket so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about:
Not the sharpest picture.
It is almost like the keel is welded to the keel pin bracket.
I have chipped away at some of the junk in this photo.
Darin
My swing keel is stuckup. Not only that, but it's also shy and doesn't want to come out of the keel pocket. I've already dislodged one surprisingly large colony of oysters from between the keel and the pocket on both sides of the keel. After two and a half weeks out of the water, there were even two wet ones. Unfortunately, near the keel pin bracket, It looks like the keel has been welded to the bracket and pocket. I say looks like, because I have been able to chip away at some of it. It is like hard packed silt mixed with glue. I have almost chipped away at all of it I can reach, but the keel still won't swing free. If a pressure washer won't finish the job and free the keel, how much trouble is it to access the top of the keel pocket? As long as the top of the keel pocket isn't buried in ballast and foam, I'm not afraid of having to rebuild it. Anyone have any better ideas?
Here are three pictures of the keel and keel pocket so you can get an idea of what I'm talking about:
Not the sharpest picture.
It is almost like the keel is welded to the keel pin bracket.
I have chipped away at some of the junk in this photo.
Darin
Darin
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
Cut the keel bolt and drop the whole thing out. Expanding rust has probably wedged it in there tight but cutting the bolt and then some gentle tapping of a sledge hammer on the side should vibrate it loose. I have just gone through this myself and should be putting the refurbished keel back into the cleaned up pocket. Just be careful that thing is nothing less than a giant guillotine. Mine weighs in at 900 lbs or so, yours is quite a bit heavier. I believe somebody here has some pictures of this being done on a 26.
- EmergencyExit
- Site Admin
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- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
- thepartydog
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Crestview Florida
Just a newbie here, but I would get crazy with all kinds of implements of destruction and a crowbar before thinking about dropping the keel. From some of the other pics, it looks like a lot of work you could be better off avoiding. Could be just the keel line jammed into the side if the keel got put up (e.g. by a trailer bed) without all of the line being taken up.
I did see one site that had a detailed diagram for a keel dolly that dropped the keel ad allowed you to roll it around and then jack it back into place, but you had to build it first.
Edit: found the Keel-o-matic http://www.dcwi.com/~nybarra/keel.html
I did see one site that had a detailed diagram for a keel dolly that dropped the keel ad allowed you to roll it around and then jack it back into place, but you had to build it first.
Edit: found the Keel-o-matic http://www.dcwi.com/~nybarra/keel.html
- thepartydog
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Crestview Florida
Good News
With much scraping, banging, and prying, we were able to free up the keel and get it moving. The keel bracket looks solid, there is no wobble in the keel movement, so it looks like I get to miss out on the adventure of replacing it.
The keel itself is rusted and covered with oysters. We're going to strip it down. What primer/paint do we need to use? We plan on having the boat in the water most of the time.
Darin
The keel itself is rusted and covered with oysters. We're going to strip it down. What primer/paint do we need to use? We plan on having the boat in the water most of the time.
Darin
Darin
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
"Ya Never Know"
1980 C26
- EmergencyExit
- Site Admin
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- Location: Mississippi Gulf Coast
Oysters......Mmmmmmmm. Sorry, got distracted there.
I'm not much help in doing this the right way. I chipped and ground all the stuff of EE's keel to a reasonable end, then sprayed on a coat of the stuff that turns rust into a hardened primer, can't recall the name. After that it was antifouling bottom paint.
Not the right way to fair and complete it I know, but after 2 years I wasn't in the mood to be perfect on it that day.
I'm not much help in doing this the right way. I chipped and ground all the stuff of EE's keel to a reasonable end, then sprayed on a coat of the stuff that turns rust into a hardened primer, can't recall the name. After that it was antifouling bottom paint.
Not the right way to fair and complete it I know, but after 2 years I wasn't in the mood to be perfect on it that day.
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- Joined: Sun Jul 01, 2007 6:58 pm
- Location: Lower Florida Keys
The name of the product its Paint over rust POR.
Partydog: I'm the kind of person that likes to do something just ONCE. If I had the resources to drop the keel, get it sandblasted, reglass, and anti-fouling paint, that way I won't have that chore in the back of my head.
Gus
Partydog: I'm the kind of person that likes to do something just ONCE. If I had the resources to drop the keel, get it sandblasted, reglass, and anti-fouling paint, that way I won't have that chore in the back of my head.
Gus
1976 Chrysler 22 Halve Maen - Sail # 595
- thepartydog
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- Location: Crestview Florida
- STEVE ROYER
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:27 pm
- Location: Carencro LA
If you have a air compressor you mite want to get a portable sand blaster and a 5 gallon bucket of sand and sandblast it after scraping the big flakes of rust off. You can get a hand heald blaster at lowes or harbor freight for under $40 and a bag of sand at your hardware store.that would be the proper way of cleaning it .Im planing on doing it to mine .I have the sandblaster already.fun fun fun good luck.
- thepartydog
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Tue May 22, 2007 10:50 pm
- Location: Crestview Florida
- STEVE ROYER
- Posts: 54
- Joined: Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:27 pm
- Location: Carencro LA