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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

Catalina 25 Specific Forum

Keel Pin Replacement

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CKidd
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Initially Posted - 02/21/2004 : 22:45:45

I am planning to replace my keel pin and want to do it myself with the boat on it's Trailrite trailer. I have some ideas on how to elevate the boat to drop the keel, but wondered how others have tackled that problem. Same concern arises on how to apply bottom paint where the trailer supports are. Any past experiences and/or thoughts on the matter would be appreciated.

Chris Kidd

Edited by - on

Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2004 : 00:25:56

Chris,

Does your trailer have rollers or bunks or both? Is there at least 2" vertical clearance below the forward end of your swing keel on the trailer? Do you have a 3-ton or larger jack, at least four 3-ton adjustable jackstands, and some wooden shoring available? Have you seen the photo of the 3/8" all-thread method?

-- Leon Sisson

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2004 : 11:06:42

The C25 is fairly flat just forward of the keel trunk. A piece of 2x10 douglas-fir (or similar) 18" long and well padded with carpet will provide an adequate lifting pad for raising the front end of the boat when used with a bottle jack.

Make sure the trailer is chocked in place and put supports under the front and rear of the trailer frame to keep it from tilting as you lift the boat. Also, never allow yourself to get between a lifted boat (or any such mass) and a 'hard place' without having safety blocking and/or jackstands in place.

If you have rollers, a hand winch (comealong) can be used to shift the boat rearward enough to paint the spots under the rollers. There are some other threads here that describe this process in more detail. The forum search function works pretty well for rooting this sort of info out.

Edited by - on

OJ
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
4382 Posts

Response Posted - 02/22/2004 : 12:32:15

Chris,

I also have a TrailRite trailer for my 1981 C25. Instead of raising the boat. I eliminated 95% of the keel channel (leaving only a short piece for the keel to rest on - on the crossmember at the trailing edge of the keel.) This will allow you to lower the keel with a floor jack described by Leon (but lower it only enough to replace the pin or risk having the keel fall on its side!)
As for applying paint, after making sure the bow is winched snugly into the v-block, I lower each rack one-at-a-time. A hydraulic bottle jack will greatly ease raising the racks back into place.
As always - exercise extreme caution when performing any of the above.
Good luck.

Edited by - OJ on 02/22/2004 12:37:52

CKidd
Deckhand

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7 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2004 : 01:14:06

Leon and Others,

Concerning my trailer, it does has rollers, but there is no room at the forward edge of the keel to lower it any. It's resting on the channel tray there and pretty much along its entire lenght. I have seen the photos using the all-thread, and plan to utilize them to make the change, I just wish I had some photos of how others supported their boat during the process. My first thought was do as Clambeach suggested and jack forward of the well, was just unsure how much stress the hull could take with such a single point load. Still wondering also how to place the jacks. Gives me the willies thinking about one of the jacks kicking out and 2 1/2 tons of boat come crashing down. Anyway, thanks to all for your input. Anymore would be appreciated.

Chris

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2004 : 09:14:34

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by CKidd
 just unsure how much stress the hull could take with such a single point load. Still wondering also how to place the jacks. Gives me the willies thinking about one of the jacks kicking out and 2 1/2 tons of boat come crashing down. Anyway, thanks to all for your input. Anymore would be appreciated.

Chris
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Check out where my dealer puts straps, I think you can support your bow at a single point.
http://homepage.mac.com/fhopper/PhotoAlbum33.html

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 02/23/2004 : 09:32:05

There is a LOT of fiberglass forward of the keel... When I lifed mine it didn't groan, creak, deflect, nothing. I laid a 4x8 across the trailer rails and used a 6 ton bottle jack with the aforementioned piece of douglas fir as a lifting pad. Having the carpet between the block and the hull helps distribute the load further.

When lifted, the hull was on the lifting pad and the aftmost roller sets. (EZ-Loader trailer). It was very stable in that configuration. I went further with mine and also jacked under the aft rollers (tilting them up) to lift the aft end of the boat too... exposing the entire length of the keel so I could refinish it and paint up inside the keel trunk.

Short sections of 2x4 C-clamped to the trailer frame will keep the keel from flopping over. I have some pictures that I'll get around to posting someday.

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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.