Is the iron keel in the 30 O'Day (early 80's models) encapsulated completely or are there bolts showing in the bilge?
Keel on 30 O'Day
- Thread starter colinhulse
- Start date
On my 1985 O'Day 31 (which is really just an extension of the 30) there are keel bolts and nuts in the bilge. I would assume it is the same as the 30.Is the iron keel in the 30 O'Day (early 80's models) encapsulated completely or are there bolts showing in the bilge?
Our 85 ODay 28 was a lead keel, so possibly a different construction from the iron ones that I've heard they used in the earlier 80s.
Sorry for being unclear. We had exposed bolts on our 85 with lead keel. I just meant that although mine and Richard's bolts are exposed, that might not match earlier models with iron keels.
Our 34 with iron keel has exposed bolts.
I am curious about something else - most if not all the larger O'day's I can recall seeing do not have the keel to stub joint faired, there is just an indentation where you can see the bedding compound. Curious why it is not faired, and if anyone has had success fairing it, or if it is just going to be prone to cracking?
I am curious about something else - most if not all the larger O'day's I can recall seeing do not have the keel to stub joint faired, there is just an indentation where you can see the bedding compound. Curious why it is not faired, and if anyone has had success fairing it, or if it is just going to be prone to cracking?
The bedding compound should be flexible and it shouldn't "crack." If a bunch of fairing compound was slopped on and hardened, depending on what it is, it is probably brittle and that is what would crack if there is relative motion of the keel. I'd suggest just taking a scraper and scraping some of the old compound out of the joint then put a bead of 3M4000 or equivalent and fair that as best you can. The 3M compound should stay flexible and prevent leaks, Repeat every few years. I met a guy with a C&C years ago and that's what he did to his keel and it worked well.