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dropped keel... how do I contact catalina engineer

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jlguthri
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/19/2008 : 19:41:39

My keel cable snapped at the sedge. Boat sits tied in aprox 3 feet of water. Bottom is very soft mud.

Keel came to rest at an aprox 45 degree angle. Aprox 2.5 (perhaps more) feet of the keel was submerged in mud.

Apparently keel had scissored into this position with boat motion.

Most concerning: Keel remained fixed. The boat was free to twist. This caused the keel trunk to twist and move aprox 0.25-0.5 inches in hard wind or movement of weight on the boat.

Visually, there was no apparent damage. No stress cracks, aside from epoxy work joining keel trunk to cabin sole. No leakage. I am amazed.

We were able to affix another smaller stainless cable to the broken hardware and raise the keel. We then used a 2.5 Ton strap to tie the keel up in case it breaks again. We plan to hull the boat out of water via travel lift for complete keel hardware replacement.

How do I contact Catalina's Engineers to ask what do I need to look for? Does anyone here have any experience or advice to look for damage?

Thanks in advance..

----
Joshua Guthrie
www.westmouthbay.com

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 19:47:50

I'd carefully examine the keel hinge assembly when you get the boat out of the water. Other than that it sounds as if the keel trunk is sound... you'll be able to see more from the outside. Might find an experienced marine 'fiberglass guy' or marine surveyor to look at it.

I'm not quite as surprised as you are to not find structural damage. When you think about how the keel is normally stressed during heeling, it's very similar to the loading produced by having one end stuck in the mud. (loaded from the side).

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jlguthri
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:04:33

Yea... but it's very disconcerting to see you boat starting to stick out of the water like a lolly pop....

Very scary twisting....

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triley
Captain

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USA
251 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:11:46

How long was it in this situation? If not long, I wouldn't worry too much until I got it out of the water. I had mine stuck at the dock this way for the better part of a day before I got it up min the same way you did. The I got under it( actually a friend with good breath) and pulled the pin, loosed the cable and replaced it with the cable I had replaced it with. Worked fine, and has been great for the last four years. I have replaced the cable every other year since then, though!

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jlguthri
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:21:34

I don't know. When I checked on the boat I normally walked in, and just checked real quick inside.

We only noticed it yesterday because the wind was blowing 30 knots and saw saw the trunk cover moving around...

Probably not long... because I've not noticed the boat sticking further out of the water and leaning on low tides..

I'd say less than a month :)

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triley
Captain

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USA
251 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:26:34

If you have it up now, you can replace the cable pretty easily, but you may be having issues if the trunk cover has been moving around. I didn't have a tide, though I had some wind and it was only for a day or two.

I'd try it, though. Can you get the boat back on your trailer?

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jlguthri
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:30:05

Not really. It's a homemade deal trailer. I'll have to get it hauled via travel lift and brought home.

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jlguthri
1st Mate

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USA
93 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 20:34:06

However, we replaced the cable already with a smaller sized cable (no proper swedge, just a loop through the existing hardware with a 2x4 with a hole drilled in it to keep me from raising it to far to damage the hull.... this is why we felt it necessary to put a strap on it... i don't have much faith in our cable...

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John Russell
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3444 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2008 : 22:17:10

Sometimes, you get a lot of terrific information on this forum and still never get your question answered.

Try their [url="http://www.catalinayachts.com/"]website[/url].

Their phone number: 818 884-7700.

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