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Swing keel pin

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steephen
Navigator

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100 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/24/2003 : 19:37:58

Me again. I am getting ready to inspect the swing keel pin by raising the boat up a bit and dropping the keel down with house jacks. Has anybody done this before? Is it a hard time getting the old pin out? Should I get or do they make a stainless steel replacement instead of soft bronze? I have seven or eight jackstands holding the boat up; will that be enough to allow me to remove the supports under the keel?
Thanks to all.
Stephen Z on "Little Wing"

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tojohnso
Deckhand

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11 Posts

Response Posted - 05/24/2003 : 21:35:15

If you are just replacing the pin, I think I would use the threaded rod method. I do not know what you mean by a house jack, but any 1 ton jack would work. When lowering it you need to keep it centered and upright and make sure you do not lower it so far that it comes out of the keel housing. I would think keeping the bronze pin would be better. I just finished installing a stainless steel bushing in the cast iron keel and a new bronze pin. I wish the factory would have done that from the start, but at least I will not have to worry about it again. I removed the keel from the boat, but be forwarned it is a big job and one not to be taken lightly. Be careful, the keel is VERY heavy

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Steve Kostanich
1st Mate

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88 Posts

Response Posted - 05/25/2003 : 11:41:06

Stephen,
Definitely use the all-thread rod method to lower the head of the keel. All it involves is taking four sections about 12" long of 3/8" coarse all-thread rod, and remove (one at a time) each bolt that holds the keel bracket to the hull. Screw in a section of rod with a coupling nut against the bracket and jam a pair of standard nuts together at the bottom end to hold the rod from turning as the coupling nuts are backed off to lower the keel. When all four threaded rods are in place, simply back off the coupling nuts and the keel slowly eases down out of the trunk, under pretty much full control. You need to ease the keel cable at the same time to drop the heavy end of the keel, so the tip will not bind into the aft end of the trunk. This whole process is shown somewhere in the archives of this Board. Good luck.

Steve Kostanich C-25 Equinox 1119 sr/sk

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Brooke Willson
Admiral

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USA
983 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2003 : 08:40:51

I'm not a metalurgist (nor do I play one on TV), but my understanding is that you CAN NOT use stainless steel underwater because it requires a free flow of oxygen to resist corrosion. Underwater the oxygen would be restricted and the pin would quickly corrode. Bronze, on the other hand, doesn't require oxygen to resist corrosion, which is why you always see bronze on underwater fittings.

That's what Don Casey says in This Old Boat, as does Royce's Sailing Illustrated, Vol I., p. 180.

Once again, when in doubt, follow the instructions: Frank Butler put bronze fittings on the boat for a reason.

Brooke

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2003 : 09:12:52

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>Frank Butler put bronze fittings on the boat for a reason.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

Yeah, but he forgot to do the To-Hulls! <img src=icon_smile_dissapprove.gif border=0 align=middle>

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>Don Lucier<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d904b3127cce9f7cd9ffdf1d0000003010" border=0>
North Star SR/FK

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2003 : 09:21:06

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>I do not know what you mean by a house jack, but any 1 ton jack would work. <hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote>

A house jack is used to,...well,...jack houses! My father has a bunch of these up at his cottage and he uses them to jack up the house if he needs level it or to repair/replace any pilings that the house sits upon.

<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>Don Lucier<img src="http://www.catalina25-250.org/c25sm.gif" border=0>
<img src="http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b2d904b3127cce9f7cd9ffdf1d0000003010" border=0>
North Star SR/FK

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steephen
Navigator

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100 Posts

Response Posted - 05/26/2003 : 16:32:09

Thanks, all. I will try the threaded rod method; now if I can only get the old bolts loose. They don't leave much room around them for the socket wrench...
I assume no collar/hole liner comes with the new pin, and that there's just a hole in the keel?
SZ

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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.