First 38 keelbolts

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f.vitali

.
Oct 15, 2009
4
Beneteau First 38 Rome
Did anyone know how keelbolts are installed in the iron keel of a First 38? Did anyone replace the keelbolts? I noted that the nuts and the washers inside the boat are heavily rusted and I am afraid for the conditions of the keelbolts.
Thanks for suggestions
fabio
 
J

JohnShannon

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Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
I have a First 375 on that boat the bolts are regular steel. I have just had these bolts replaced with stainless bolts.

As I understand the bolt should be periodically retorqued and if it is bad the head snaps off (as in my case) If you stay on it and swap the bolts before it is too rusty I think not so expensive. If you let it go till the bolts are just a pile of rust, costs more.
 
F

f.vitali

.
Oct 15, 2009
4
Beneteau First 38 Rome
JohnShannon said:
I have a First 375 on that boat the bolts are regular steel. I have just had these bolts replaced with stainless bolts.

As I understand the bolt should be periodically retorqued and if it is bad the head snaps off (as in my case) If you stay on it and swap the bolts before it is too rusty I think not so expensive. If you let it go till the bolts are just a pile of rust, costs more.
Click to expand
I don't understand if in the bilge you have bolts with heads or threaded rods with nuts. Is it advisable to use stainless steel because of its lack of flexibility? Did you put any sealant like sikaflex in the hole to avoid water infiltration?
Thanks
fabio
 
J

JohnShannon

.
Jan 4, 2010
1,037
Farr 30 San Francisco
On the 375 it is bolts with washers. The new bolts from Beneteau are stainless, different from the original bolts which were not. On this boat there are a lot of really big bolts compared to the 4300lbs of ballast so even though stainless is not as strong you have margin.

Stainless is less prone to corrosion of course, which is why we are having this discussion.

As far as doing all I am doing is signing checks, as I understand it the bolts are gooped up with an anti-seize compound. The keel stub has 3M sealant on it.

I don't know how well it will work the boat is not yet back in the water!
 
F

f.vitali

.
Oct 15, 2009
4
Beneteau First 38 Rome
JohnShannon said:
On the 375 it is bolts with washers. The new bolts from Beneteau are stainless, different from the original bolts which were not. On this boat there are a lot of really big bolts compared to the 4300lbs of ballast so even though stainless is not as strong you have margin.

Stainless is less prone to corrosion of course, which is why we are having this discussion.

As far as doing all I am doing is signing checks, as I understand it the bolts are gooped up with an anti-seize compound. The keel stub has 3M sealant on it.

I don't know how well it will work the boat is not yet back in the water!
Click to expand
Thanks and if possible let me know how it works in the water
fabio
 
C

Chardonnay

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Feb 15, 2010
2
Beneteau Oceanis 381 Baltimore
We purchased a 1998 381 two years ago. The carbon steel bolt heads were pretty rusted so on advice of the surveyor, we had the carbon steel bolts replaced with stainless studs and nuts. I had some concern about the stainless galling or chemically "welding" itself to the cast iron keel but was told that the stainless would be around longer than I will be so not to worry about it.
 
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