Keel Hauled (vital C18 keel repair information)

[Ivana]

Mr Dywer,

You need the qld boys to come over and help you with that keel - let me tell you it is much easier hacking into a careel with some dutch courage and mates to egg you on.

Answers to your questions and some thoughts;

- give her another few sails and see if you get any more water - if the keel case is in really good shape and the pin is not the source., well....

- the keel pin is accessble from both sides. You use a chisel to chip away around the glass on both sides. You should be able to see a bulge on both sides where the pin is. Support the keel, tap out the pin. No need for sleeves, if the hole in the glass is still round and snug suggest some good sealant like sikaflex and make some cover plates and screw on to side of case to capture the pin. if the hole is a bit odd shaped and the obvious source, dry out, remove any loose material, wrap pin in alfoil, re-insert, then apply epoxy resin and glass layers (I used chopped strand matt). Then once dry, knock out the pin, remove foil, then apply sealant and cover plates as above.
- if your pin is shot, you can get a new one cut from stainless rod - I went to a place near the yatala pie shop - cost about $15

[PaulD]

Cap't Cook - that is joyously spot on.

If the water keeps coming in when it's launched again then yes it will be a suausage sizzle with chisels and FBG!

I'm repairing the skeg presently and should be wet again in a few weeks.

However Salamander is taking me on board for Myora this Sunday - can't wait!

[Ivana]

Another keel has been removed in QLD - can you guess who's it is?

[maxm]

Sounds like QLD is becoming the Careel keel repair centre par excellence! Keep haulin' em out fellas!

BTW if nobody minds too much, I'd like to move this whole thread to the Technical Articles section. If ever there was a technical article, this has got to be it. The real article.

[paul trotter]

David Dowling?

[IanLee]

Yes Max, good call!

[Ivana]

Max- no objection - any excuse to keep it near the top

Trotts, DD was a good guess and there is talk of keel shaping action, two pack, lots of practice races and gang tactics to bring down the southerners.....

[maxm]

Wow! I moved the thread to the Technical Articles forum and managed to leave a shadow of it in the General Discussion forum. So now you can get to it in either one. The wonders of modern technology!

Now...

Who is DD? What happened to this keel? I seem to have missed something here. Please explain!

[Dave D]

Hi Careelers,
Yep the keel is out of C18/156 and all the mushy ply has been removed. Is there a medal for performing this feat of endurance?

I also found that you can get the keel out solo in a day, but did need help to get it off the back of the boat.

I've cut some 12mm ply, put 3 coats of Evidure into it using 50% then 20% thinners. The plan is to put a stainless plate on either side of the keel case embedded into the ply to support the pin.

I've got some pics to post soon. Maybe a montage when the job's done.

Also plan to shape the keel and install some wings just to assist with upwind performance. But as someone mentioned in a previous thread, it is usually the lump on the tiller that has the most effect on the boat's performance.

We also took delivery of a hatch from David Rose which will be installed after the keel is back in. The original quote was $448. However, the final price was $412.70 including postage from Sydney to Brisbane. Yet another theraputic project to do over the winter months.

The boats name is Kasra but I'm thinking of changing it to "Therapy", but not sure if the name has already been taken?

Thanks for the great source of intel on how to go about restoring these great boats. Looking forward to the Nationals next year. Go the Cane Toads.

[maxm]

The boats name is Kasra but I'm thinking of changing it to "Therapy", but not sure if the name has already been taken?

Not according to the incomplete list I have. I think I have seen a largish catamaran on Pittwater called "Hydro Therapy"

[Dave D]

Many thanks Max. Guess I'll have to read up on how to go about the name change without bringing bad luck to the boat.
Cheers,
DD

[IanLee]

A job to do in winter?? I though you guys claimed that Sir Joh had abolished those things up your way?

[Ivana]

As another queenslander has done the deed, I felt this irrestitable urge to move this post to the top....

[John h]

Is there a way of telling if there are problems with the keel, other than water leaking in?

[jamesw]

Things that I can think of: one: look carefully at the front of the keel slot under the boat. If you can see any cracking or other damage (generally from the keel being let down too fast and hitting the front of the slot) you may have a problem. Other damage along the area of the slot could also signify damage. two: look at the pivot area, if you can see rust (yes stainless does rust) then you might have a problem. Three: If water has got into the ply then one would expect the ply to have expanded and either put pressure on the keel making it hard to get up and down or the cabin which would indicate a bowed wall.