Association Forum - Was New Swing Keel Assembly Entirely Necessary?

Assn Members Area · Join

Home.

Association Forum

Ships Store

Cruising

Racing

Technical Tips

Photo Gallery - New

Boat Search - Updated

Manuals & Brochures

Swap Meet

Links

Officer Flag Line & Staff

Bylaws & Constitution

Members Area

Join the Association

Notice:
The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.

Association Forum

Username:	Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?

All Forums

Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Was New Swing Keel Assembly Entirely Necessary?

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Author

Topic

RAG Sailor
Navigator

Member Avatar

USA
144 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/29/2014 : 09:22:39

Apparently one of the POs made a modification a number of years ago to help preserve the original keel hanger assembly. Last week before my mechanic began the project I got a call from him telling me that I was missing pieces from the new kit I received Catalina Direct. He called the missing pieces bushings. So I called CD and asked what I needed. I was told that there were no additional parts and that I had the complete order.

At some point in the past, the PO added (what I call) fender washers (made of nylon) to each side of the keel to remove the space between the hull cavity and the keel. I thought that the new hangers (which came advertised as oversized would fill that void when installed. It turns out that it did not and that my mechanic re-installed the washers, thus creating the same set up as before. In his opinion (and I concur) it is a better situation rather than having the hangers meet right up to the side of the keel (as I thought would happen) and have metal against metal. After all, the hanger is made of soft metal, enough to sand down (which are the instructions from CD to fit them in the space) to size. What will metal against metal be like? Below is a photo of the new casting with spacers:

One thing I was aware of over the last few months that I owned my boat was that I never noticed the clunking of the keel that everyone talks about. Now I know why. And, between the spacers on the pivot pin and the new discs glued to the keel (see picture below) my assembly should remain quiet and durable for years to come.

I’m sorry I went through the time and expense to replace the whole assembly. Had I been able to pull the boat and inspect it before, I would have left it alone. Unfortunately I’m not on a trailer so for me to pull the boat is an expense and if I am going to pull it I might as well make the update (which is what I did). Any future owner should appreciate that if I sell her. My question is this: Is adding those spacer washers/bushings a better fix than changing out the whole assembly? Should that have been the recommended course of action first before the wearing began? Obviously there have been many older swing keels whose assembly have worn out but if you have one whose assembly is still good, should you only add the spacer bushings and the discs to the keel? Apparently it made my original assembly last 33 years! Take a look at the photos. The old casting and pin are in pristine shape. There is absolutely no wear. Has anyone else added the side washer/bushings?

Good to be back at sea!

Edited by - RAG Sailor on 04/29/2014 09:55:35

jduck00
Captain

Members Avatar

USA
313 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2014 : 14:24:16

Given your case, I would have reused the hangers. That's just my 2 cents. In my case, everything was too worn to think about reusing. I do like that I was able to fit the new hangers to the keel. I've got the keel back off again and I'm adding a ss washer to both sides this time. The hangers were a great fit but scraped the paint off the keel.

As far as the new castings being better at had preventing clunk, I don't know that they are, but I think they are a good part of the overall fix. I don't know about your casting, but mine has more craters than the moon. I fit them fairly well to the keel, but it was by no means a mated surface. If I still had excessive clearance between the keel and the shaft, I think it would probably clunk.

Edited by - on

dmpilc
Master Marine Consultant

Members Avatar

USA
4593 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2014 : 15:38:22

I did the disk addition to my C-25 keel when I bought her, already planned a haul-out for a bottom job as she had been in the water for several years. You probably didn't need to change out the hangers and pin, but, it can't hurt to have changed them as you did, and it will be a good selling point when that time comes. The fender washer spacers are an added benefit to help eliminate keel klunk. In that area, you should be set for as long as you own the boat, especially if you have her in fresh water. Depends on how often you raise and lower the keel. On our C-22, it was over 20 years before we touched the hanger bolts and pin.

While you were doing all that, did you replace the keel cable, and possibly upgrade the cable connector in the keel while you had her out on the hard?

Edited by - dmpilc on 04/29/2014 15:46:01

Dave5041
Former Mainsheet Editor

Members Avatar

USA
3758 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2014 : 16:49:31

Your pin was getting worn, so that was a good replacement. The rest didn't hurt, except for the exchange of money. I added fender washers when I sleeved my keel. I used thin nylon washers next to the keel and stainless outboard against the hangers. I haven't had klunk for years.

Edited by - on

RAG Sailor
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
144 Posts

Response Posted - 04/29/2014 : 17:22:31

As some of you may know from previous posts, I'm in Memphis and the boat is at Pickwick Dam Lake, 100 miles away. I was not there when the actual job was done. I was handed the old parts when I picked up my boat. I was just surprised how little wear there was on both the hangers and the pin. By the time I shipped the items back to CD plus their restocking fee(?), I really didn't spend much extra changing them out.

JDuck, if I am reading your response right, your hangers come right up to the keel. Mine didn't. The hangers were shaved down very slightly just to fit the position in the keel housing. What you see as the space between the keel and the hanger is untouched. There is a good inch on both sides. I don't know if my 1981 is different from yours.

Edited by - on

Frank Law
Navigator

Members Avatar

USA
159 Posts

Response Posted - 05/10/2014 : 13:53:42

When I replaced the hangars and pin I use big stainless washers1 on each side and one of the nylon washers on each side about 3years ago .

I had a noticible clunk when lowering the centerboard , that turned out to be a worn pivot pin hole in the keel . That was fixed by having a custom built pivot pin sleeve which was thicker than the one from Catalina direct. After much filing and epoxy the sleeve was in place and was very solid.

Frank Law
ABOUT TIME
1983 # 3519
SR , SWK

Now for sale. will be putting it on swap meet

Edited by - on

Topic

New Topic

Topic Locked

Printer Friendly

Jump To:

Association Forum

Notice: The advice given on this site is based upon individual or quoted experience, yours may differ.
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.