Corroded wires, relatively heavy gauge

S

SFS

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Aug 18, 2015
2,082
Currently Boatless Okinawa
So I'm replacing the soles in my 1983 H31, and have gotten my first look at my forward keel bolts. What are the heavier gauge wires running to both these keel bolts, under the nuts and washers? They are clearly not tinned, as they have turned green. Are they for bonding purposes?

Also, I couldn't believe that on the right keel bolt, two wire ends have been "connected" simply by being paralleled and taped together with electrical tape. I'll fix that connection with the correct marine grade butt connector (I've bought good tools from MaineSail), but when I measure the wire with calipers to determine what size connector, I want to do it right. So I measure the diameter of the bare wire, NOT the diameter of the sheathed wire, correct?
0825161203c[1].jpg


0825161203b[1].jpg
 
Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,454
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
If it were me installing those cables, I never would have connected them between the nut and plate. It would be better for the nut to have a solid, flat contact with the plate and connect the cables above with another nut and washer.
The keel is a convenient ground point but the primary purpose of the nuts is to hold the keel on. The PO didn't do you any favors.
 
Meriachee

Meriachee

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Aug 1, 2011
3,972
Catalina 270 255 Wabamun. Welcome to the marina
Yeah, making sure the keel is -firmly- attached to the hull by allowing a bunch of corroded, soft copper to sortof fill a 1/32 in gap. That's going to end well.
 
Gunni

Gunni

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Mar 16, 2010
5,937
Beneteau 411 Oceanis Annapolis
That crap needs to come out. You don't compromise your keel bolts with whatever that wiring is trying to accomplish. Classic ignorant DIY wiring. I would be real surprised if your boat was originally bonded so that was someone playing marine electrician.
 
shemandr

shemandr

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Jan 1, 2006
7,378
Slickcraft 26 Sailfish
Who is that PO guy, anyway? On almost every thread he gets lambasted for his inept installations and repairs. He must be really busy to get around to all these boats to screw things up. If I ever get a call from him, I'll just hang up.
 
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Scott T-Bird

Scott T-Bird

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Oct 26, 2008
6,215
Catalina 320 Barnegat, NJ
Mine has the same bonding from the mast to a keel bolt. I kind of believe it is useless, but never bothered to remove it. I also think the bond between the keel and the stub isn't relying on perfect mating of all 6 bolts. Heck, it probably would hang on tight even if all the nuts were removed, given that it is surely secured with 5200 or similar. I'd also assume that this wasn't a DIY install. I think the factory did it.
 
kloudie1

kloudie1

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Nov 6, 2006
10,002
Hunter 34 Mandeville Louisiana
Most of the 31's and 34's have a threaded hole in the backing plate where a machine screw is used to attach the ground wire which is terminated with a ring connector.
P2040770.JPG
 
Brian S

Brian S

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Nov 9, 2012
2,500
Oday 192 Lake Nockamixon
Yeah, that has to be PO. That is certainly not ABYC, and sure looks janky-ass to me.
 
B

Benny17441

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May 24, 2004
7,141
CC 30 South Florida
shemandr said:
Who is that PO guy, anyway? On almost every thread he gets lambasted for his inept installations and repairs. He must be really busy to get around to all these boats to screw things up. If I ever get a call from him, I'll just hang up.
Click to expand
Yes, I know him he has been around for a long time and always gets a bad wrap. It never ceases to amaze me when someone claims to have purchased a boat at a rock bottom price and then proceeds to bash the PO for being careless about maintenance. Seems they do not stop to think that if the boat was in perfect shape the price would likely have been much higher.
 
capta

capta

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Jun 4, 2009
4,875
Pearson 530 Admiralty Bay, Bequia SVG
I would also be concerned by the right hand backing plate. Not only is it not true (fore and aft) but it seems to have been leaking at some point and the PO? used 5200 or whatever under the washer to stop it. Using a gob flexible sealant under a plate that should have a solid footing and adding deteriorating copper wire seems a poor idea. All this indicates an unknowledgeable PO who took short cuts, so keep checking for more of the same.
Notice the other Hunter pics in this post. No wires or goo, and the plates are lined up neatly.
 
Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,454
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
I think the reason for bringing up the PO is to make sure no one ridicules the new owner for these boners. (can I say boner? )
Simple Definition of boner
  • : a foolish or careless mistake
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,609
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Justin_NSA said:
Yep. This is how my Hunter is set up. I doubt the installation in question is original

Click to expand
See the way the washers are bending? This is scary to me. Just crazy.
a. The FRP is failing under the nuts. You can see the failure at the edge of the washers.
b. A large 5/16" backing plate is what is required. I would capture all 3 bolts and bed the underside of the plate to prvide good load distribution.
 
Justin_NSA

Justin_NSA

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Jul 7, 2004
8,454
Hunter 30T Cheney, KS
thinwater said:
See the way the washers are bending? This is scary to me. Just crazy.
a. The FRP is failing under the nuts. You can see the failure at the edge of the washers.
b. A large 5/16" backing plate is what is required. I would capture all 3 bolts and bed the underside of the plate to prvide good load distribution.
Click to expand
I think that is the camera distortion, but now you have me concerned. I'll check them this weekend. I agree that backing plates would be a good idea.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,609
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
Justin_NSA said:
I think that is the camera distortion, but now you have me concerned. I'll check them this weekend. I agree that backing plates would be a good idea.
Click to expand
I think they are dished and there is some crushing under them. However, I doubt any serious damage is done. I would put in a proper plate; 5 bolt diameter radius and 1/2 bolt diameter thick is the rule of thumb.
Bed it with something stiff (I would use thickened epoxy with wax on the plate) so that the load is spread. A bolting washer is designed ONLY to lubricate the rotation of the nut against thick steel, not for spreading load.

Just kidding, but.... The reality is that many boats get to keep there keels not because they were well designed, but because we don't sail them that hard. Perhaps Hunter was more conservative in the design and the dished washers mean nothing. Hard use is probably the only important difference between this and other Beneteaus 40.7s.
 
thinwater

thinwater

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Mar 26, 2011
3,609
Corsair F-24 MK I Deale, MD
^^ That is a neat find! 2" is big enough for many backing plate needs, at least on solid glass. No reason not to drop one under every keel bolt.
 
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