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Advice needed: Haul out and bottom job is eminent!

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OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 05/03/2003 : 04:00:00

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>
I also have the crack in my keel where it meets the fiberglass. I was told that it occurs because the fiberglass and the iron keel move(expand and contract) at different rates in temperature variations.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Shawn, this may be true with a fin keel (isn't this referred to as the "Catalina Smile?") but with the swing keel the fiberglass hull and the cast iron keel are isolated (for expansion and contraction purposes at least) from one another by the keel pin hardware.

Patrick, not to alarm you but I'd research this crack a little further, maybe even with a call to Catalina. I think this crack occurs when swing keel models encounter mud and then the boat turns or spins putting excess pressure in the keel connection area of the hull.
The correct way to fix any crack in fiberglass would be to (1) grind to the bottom of the crack (2) flairing the area out and (3) layering in progressively larger pieces of cloth until you reach the original shape and thickness.
Good luck and please share any research.

Edited by - OJ on 05/03/2003 04:07:46

Edited by - on

luckystar
Navigator

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USA
236 Posts

Response Posted - 05/04/2003 : 13:56:03

OJ,
Come to think of it, I did have a grounding like that last year in mud or muck that spun the boat around. And I repaired it exactly the way you said. I ground it out to the bottom of the crack and used fiberglass mat and resin. I cut the strip small for the first one and pressed it into the deepest portion of the crevice with my putty knife and put progressively larger pieces on top until I was back to the pre-ground level. I ground it out about three inches all around the area to the roving and fiber and also up into the swing keel trunk edge. I have sanded the area almost flat now and will be using a fairing compound to make the whole repair "disappear". I feel good that I took this approach and to those of you out there that were, like me, scared to do fiberglass work, I can't tell you how easy it really is. Just follow the instructions and put a little artistic effort into making the repair look just like it did before you started grinding. I'm now confident that I can do my topside gelcoat work.

The weather is not cooperating with me down here and I have one more coat of fiber bondo to do on the blisters that I ground out, sanding fair, washing and acetoning the bottom and then paint. I'm hoping to put back in this coming weekend, but with thunderstorms all this week, sheesh!

The thru hull transducers were nothing at all, as well. Nothing to be afraid of. Just follow the instructions, use plenty of 5200 and be thorough.

I'll be updating my lucky star website link below with the new "latest projects" section and will include all the pics with notes!

So far the worst two things have been the sticky that's been left by the duct tape I used to hold the "dust curtain" on the gunwhales and drilling/grinding out the lower gudgeon bolts and and replacing with the new heavy duty one and backing with the glassed in backing plate with 1 in. washers, lock washers and nylock nuts. I think it's stronger that ever before now and WOW, those delrin bushings really make the rudder smooth! I recommend them. I decided not to do the upper as it was firm and why fix it if it aint broke, eh?

Oh, and P.S. I may be commiting swing keel-ucide but after inspecting my keel and components, I decided NOT to replace the eye bolt, the keel bolts or pin at this time. The turning ball and cable I'm still contemplating, but they both look perfect as well. I know that crevice corrosion could come back to haunt me, but I'm planning to haul out first of next season to touch up paint, work on the mast and compare the closeup pics I've taken of all the above parts to use as a comparison for whether or not I'll make those upgrades then, which I probably will. I just had soooooo much to do on this haul out, I feel pretty good that she'll last another season without incident. I will say this though, I'll be leaving the keel down almost all the time now. It's just too much wear and tear on this precarious assembly to constantly go up and down. Four and a half years ago when I got her, no problems existed. I've sailed the hell out of her and used that swinger a lot. The cockpit doesn't drain properly when the keel's all the way down and no one onboard, so that's why I've always left her up halfway.

Patrick Burnett, Little Rock, AR
S/V Lucky Star #2707 1982 SK/SR 
<img src="http://www.proxycreative.com/clients/luckystar/luckystar_0602_sm.jpg" border=0> 
http://www.proxycreative.com/luckystar.html

Edited by - luckystar on 05/04/2003 14:05:24