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Two months in the life of a "swinger"

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Initially Posted - 06/06/2005 : 14:47:43

I am so happy! Took the boat out, first time this year because delays due to fixin' keel problems. No more clunk! No more "moving" keel trunk! No more cracks with water entering bilge! We had taken the keel off. Machine shop drilled out the pin hole, welded in new bushing with nylon sleeve - total fit and no more bang. Added four bronze washers between keel and pin cstings - no more side slip. Epoxied plastic shims to both sides of keel - no more bang (helped by new bushing)and no more pressure on upper part of keel trunk. Installed new keel hanger bolt and cable - no more worry. And of course had keel trunk repaired (couldn't do this myself) - no more cracks and bailing. As an encore, I de-rusted keel as best as I could and put on several coats of metal primer and paint (this won't last but it looked good). Life is wonderful again - see first sentence above.

Joerg
2002C250 WK "BerLyn"

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Buzz Maring
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1773 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2005 : 15:06:24

Great job, Joerg ... now you can really enjoy some good sailing ... you've earned it!

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pjeffarch
Navigator

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USA
135 Posts

Response Posted - 06/06/2005 : 23:55:40

Very impressive! I only dream of such a retrofit. Did you do it yourself? What facilities do you have? No wonder you're happy. You're a happy boy.

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Leon Sisson
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1893 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2005 : 00:18:51

Way to go, Joerg! Got any photos of the job you would care to share with us?

-- Leon Sisson

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GeorgeB
1st Mate

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90 Posts

Response Posted - 06/07/2005 : 14:54:23

Joerg
Congratulations That's a big job. I Know I've done much of it my self. I had to have a machine shop drill out the keel and install the bushing. Most of the rest of the job can be done by the owner, just take patience and care. Don't get in a hurry.

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bjoyce
1st Mate

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51 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2005 : 10:55:11

Joerg, Our boat has trunk damage and is in need of the same repair you performed on you boat. I feel confident that I could accomplish this task, but the only thing that concerns me is stripping the bolts or worse yet the straps embedded in the hull that the keel attaches to. Any feedback?

Barry

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2005 : 11:29:44

To answer Leon - sorry, I didn't take pic's. However, hoping that it is of interest, here is a synopsis of the work:
In my case the keel hole was transformed into an elongated irregular opening with a "bell-mouth" on each side. This caused the keel to wobble on the pin and bang around and test the trunk. Over time, the trunk lost the battle.
Marina put boat in sling. We side-supported the keel (had it rest on spacers to create clearance over ground for fork lift), disconnected keel cable and the four castings bolts, and the travel lift lifted the boat plain off the keel. Trucked keel to machine shop. In shop, the egg-shaped hole was ground out to make it as round as possible, using a burr-bit, until it would snugly accept a steel pipe with 1 1/4" outer dia (inner approx 1 1/16"). Cut pipe to width of keel and used reamer to open up the pipe to accept a 1 1/8# nylon lined bushing with a 1" inner dia (bushing was too short for pipe length, so, used three side-by-side). Put pipe in hole and welded each side, filling bell-mouth'. Briefly re-run reamer thru pipe to make sure heat of welding did not compromise opening. Pushed in bushings by hand. Keel pin now fitted perfectly. Also needed to drill out old rusted eye bolt (where keel cable attaches)and inseretd new bolt (from CD).
Return trip to Marina. De-rusted keel: removed loose rust with hammer and wire brushes, applied acid converter and several successive coats of metal primer and paint (I did not fair because (a)it wasn't that bad and (b)I am not racing and (c) wanted to get boat in water before year was over). Before priming/painting mounted two round zincs (from CD)on sides of keel (drilled and taped screw holes). Marked location of shims on keel (instructions with shim kit from CD). Measured inner width of keel trunk at approx point where shims will be when keel is deployed and compared this to thickness of keel where shims were to be affixed. Difference yielded number of round plastic shims to be epoxied on both sides of keel. Measured width of gap between the two keel castings, in the middle where pin is located and compared this to length of new pipe. Difference yielded number of bronze washers to be slipped on pin between keel and castings at time of mounting.
While all this took place, a fiberglass expert repaired the keel trunk. He cut away a small section of the floor to gain access to the foot of the trunk where cracks had developed and where water was entering. He ground away damaged sections and rebuilt them. He then re-glassed in place the cut-away floor section. Some gel-coat applied and it looked like new.
We put keel back in upright position. Inserted pin and slipped on washers and castings. Travel lift positioned boat over keel, lined up as closely as possible with the keel bolt holes (the operator was phenominal). Used "threaded rod" method to "pull" castings and keel the last few inches back into final position. Used new bolts with primer and loctite (kit from CD). Threaded new cable through keel hose and attached to eye bolt. Voila - ready for splash.

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2005 : 11:32:06

Reply to Barry: "stripping the bolts"?? why should that be? did you encounter a problem loosening the bolts?

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bjoyce
1st Mate

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51 Posts

Response Posted - 06/08/2005 : 12:30:58

Sorry If you didn't understand my concern. I retract my statement about stripping the bolts because If I stripped the bolts I could replace them. I would be more concerned about the threads that those bolts go into.
One thing I have learned from owning a boat is that almost every project has a suprise. My luck would have it that I would have no problem fixing the cracks, adding a bushing, grinding the keel, adding the shims and etc, but would have difficulty re-assembling the keel to the hull hence leaving me without a boat to sail. So based on your response I assume your keel went back together lickidy split.

Barry

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JB007
Deckhand

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USA
20 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2005 : 00:20:02

Hi Joergk. Congratulations on your successful completion of the repair of the swing keel assembly and hull.

I was wandering if you would share with us the various out-of-pocket costs you incurred to complete that repair.

Thanks.

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JoergK
Navigator

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USA
140 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2005 : 10:42:15

Cost of repair - depends of course on how much you are willing/capable of doing yourself. Trunk repair: I did not trust my skills at fiberglass work. The marina charged me approx. $1,500 for the trunk repair job. Machine shop: approx $80 for parts (drill bits, bushings etc). The owner is a friend, so all the work there including moving keel cost me only two bottles of (fairly expensive) Scotch. I don't know what a shop would otherwise have charged for drilling and welding. From Catalina Direct: keel lifting bracket & eye bolt $21.95, keel bolts kit $14.95, shim kit $34.00, cable $49.95, zinc kit $13.95. Other expenses: washers to bridge space between keel and castings $12; rust converter, metal primer, paint etc etc - regularly commercially aavailable.

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