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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 250 Specific Forum

Swing Keel Weight for WB250?

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dvdfishel
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Initially Posted - 10/04/2017 : 03:00:10

Hello group,

Can anyone tell me the approximate weigth of the swing keel on the water ballasted model?

Also, what height above the ground should I block up the boat to best remove and service the keel? I do not have a trailer but can have the boat lifted and blocked.

I plan on installing a new keel hanger and shim kit to stop the excessive play that I guess was a flaw in the original design or result of normal wear. I believe a tight keel will improve performance and reduce the chance premature failure since it is clunking back and forth now at every turn.

What else should I do while the boats out?

Thanks for any insight

David Fishel
#848 WB250 2005
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zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 11:03:18

The weight of the center board is around 100 lbs. When you detach the centerboard suspension and up-haul cable, you will want to block, brace and secure the centerboard

Two to three feet is required to remove the centerboard suspension, detach the up-haul cable mechanism and drop the center board.
To work more comfortably you may wish to add more working height

1) Epoxy the centerboard around the suspension shaft. More than likely your mounting hardware and shaft does not need to be replaced

2) Before you remove the centerboard measure the free space between trunk and centerboard by sliding a piece of wood into the trunk.Install shims in the specified location. Make sure they fit properly in the trunk.

3) Replace your up-haul cable and hardware Consider using a stronger than steel 5 m/m Vectran cable available at West Marine http://www.applied-fiber.com/vectran-cable-assemblies?st-t=adwords&vt-k=vectran%20rope&vt-mt=e&vt-ap=1t2&gclid=Cj0KEQjwjdLOBRCkoYX9vtaFv-UBEiQAWPn4YDg2CmY6fsrwALBo5VQp_r573gArx9lVFkybHR5c1DAaAnPH8P8HAQ

Henk & Johanna
"Floating", a few off your "barnacles".
"Someday Lady" '95 C250WB #151 ('03 - 2016)
"Sea ya" 30ft Bayliner (04-2018 - 09-2018)
"Mariah" '96 C250WB #191 (05-2019 - 15-05-2023)
"Lady J" '00 C250WK #499 (05-2021 - 09-2022)

doublereefed
Navigator

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167 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 11:07:21

I'm following along... I have a '95 that has a centerboard that is very difficult to lift. Can you provide more info and context on this step. I'm not fully following you.

"2) Before you remove the centerboard measure the free space between trunk and centerboard by sliding a piece of wood into the trunk.Install shims in the specified location. Make sure they fit properly in the trunk. "

'95 C250 WB #61
Midway, UT

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 11:38:14

Your centerboard is suspended more or less in the middle of the trunk but depending if shaft spacers (washers) are used perhaps not entirely. So, at the suspension point measure the distance by sliding on both sides of the centerboard a 2" or so by whatever thickness it will allow you, piece of wood up into the trunk and move it forward vertically in the trunk. If it sticks you know it is too thick.

The walls of the trunk may be bumpy or not be entirely straight. When the center board is lowered the shims move into to trunk and thereby eliminating the play (clunking) of the centerboard between board and trunk walls. If it is too tight the centerboard won't come down all the way and... you'll have a hard time pulling the spacers out of the trunk and haul the board up again.

BTW We're by far not an experts but this is what worked for us... others may have much better ways to solve that annoying clunking

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 12:02:16

Here are some installation illustrations of another (not mine) C250 WB

dvdfishel
1st Mate

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35 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 13:15:24

Thanks for the info and pictures! At only 100 lbs this seems manageable.

I have also noticed my boat sails better when I am powered up with the keel part way up. This is after replacing the rudder with the HDPE Rudder Craft rudder (much better) and tuning the mast per discussions on this site (it had a 24 inch rake when I purchased it and I almost lost my dog when I first broached! Yikes)). Although the steering is much improved I still have aggressive weather helm in the gusts but its most likely my lack of experience and not reefing sooner. I did add cockpit reefing ability by leading the jiffy reef line to a double rope clutch combined with the main halyard so I can reef better in the cockpit when I am sailing single handed. I also added a block at the reefing point in the luff to reduce effort needed and add the proper tension back at the clew.

Perhaps I will smooth the keel and reduce the forward blunt section to more of a foil shape to work better when its partway up. From the pictures the keel look like a fiberglass overlay. Any thoughts?

Thanks for the advise from everyone... without the good advise from this site I probably would have sunk the boat already )

David Fishel
#848 WB250 2005
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</b>

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 16:22:15

You'll observe that the spacers shown in the photo's were "glassed in place". Our friend, the former owner of the 1995 C250 WB "Seabear", suggested that the plastic spacers supplied by Catalina Direct do not glue well to a fiberglass hull. Hence the fiberglass matting and resin.

On Someday Lady we successfully epoxied our "home made", spacers to the centerboard.

zeil
Master Marine Consultant

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Canada
1297 Posts

Response Posted - 10/04/2017 : 17:25:29

quote:
I have a '95 that has a centerboard that is very difficult to lift.

One probable cause could be a "frozen", turning ball as per photo below. Take a minute to observe. The photo is taken from the top of the black "radiator type", up-haul tube located behind the companion way and looking down through the tube right into clear water below our floating boat...

You'll notice the turning ball in the center of the tube with a groove in the center to guide the up-haul line. If the ball is "frozen", due to corrosion, dirt, etc. to its mounting shaft, (bronze to stainless?), it may/will be difficult to raise the board if that is the case.

Or, if the problem did exist for some time could it be that a rut is chafed into the ball and therefore does not turn especially with using a more abrasive SS cable?

Could it be that the up-haul line is caught between the hull and turning ball?

Does Catalina Direct sell a retro insert device complete with a turning ball to eliminate this problem?

Perhaps someone could pipe in to clarify the following questions
1) How do you replace an existing turning ball which is located in an impossible to get to location plus it seems to be permanently fiber-glassed
2) Does the turning ball need to be removed when installing a retro fit up-haul device

Further we noticed that the block below had a lot of friction and was replaced by new open block

Edited by - zeil on 10/04/2017 17:28:11

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The Officers, Staff and members of this site only provide information based upon the concept that anyone utilizing this information does so at their own risk and holds harmless all contributors to this site.