Wing keel woes.

[C22-Daydreamer]

Okay, fellow sailors and wing keel experts. Finally took a look at my wing keel. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get out on the water before the end of the season. The wing keel mount is going to need to be repaired or replaced. Am I screwed? I know I need to replace the bolts and will probably have to replace the pin and brackets. Question. How do I get the bolts loosened? Is there a special socket to put on the head of the bolts? I see that I will be tapping the threads out on the port side of the keel. Here are some pics.

 

[pclarksurf]

I would not put this back in the water -- you appear to be missing a complete bolt in that hanger assembly. At the very least you need to assess that connection and ensure you have 4 good keel bolts.

Standard sockets- nothing special about the keel bolts themselves.

 

[markwbird]

I believe that is a swing keel not a wing keel. A wing keel is something else entirely. Whatever you call it, it looks like it needs some attention before you sail.

 

[pclarksurf]

Looking at the photos on my cell-- difficult to pull full screen,but fairly certain your swing keel is heavily listing to the damaged hanger side and is potentially ( should it be lowered and raised as is) doing harm to the keel pocket.

Definitely take a close look at the winch, the eyebolt and the cable assembly. 500 pounds of ill supported iron is not something you want to take a chance on.

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

I believe that is a swing keel not a wing keel. A wing keel is something else entirely. Whatever you call it, it looks like it needs some attention before you sail.

I new that. I'm a newbie what can I say.

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

I would not put this back in the water -- you appear to be missing a complete bolt in that hanger assembly. At the very least you need to assess that connection and ensure you have 4 good keel bolts.

Standard sockets- nothing special about the keel bolts themselves.

Yes, the bolt was twisted off apparently. I checked the hole with the missing bolt. Threads are still in the hole so the bolt was likely sheared off.

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Correction: Swing Keel Woes.

 

[Drinkmilk]

I new that. I'm a newbie what can I say.

Ha! Me, too.

2 Questions/observations:

1- what's causing that black mark on the (as you look at it) left of the keel pivot point? Looks like a spray pattern.

2- is your boat resting on the keel causing it to lean? Are your bunks are too low?

 

[CloudDiver]

Yes, the bolt was twisted off apparently. I checked the hole with the missing bolt. Threads are still in the hole so the bolt was likely sheared off.

Do you mean the broken stud is still in the hole?

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Does anyone know what size the bolts are?

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Do you mean the broken stud is still in the hole?

Yes

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Ha! Me, too.

2 Questions/observations:

1- what's causing that black mark on the (as you look at it) left of the keel pivot point? Looks like a spray pattern.

2- is your boat resting on the keel causing it to lean? Are your bunks are too low?

The black looks like overspray

Yes and possibly I don't know exactly what too low would be.

 

[CloudDiver]

Does anyone know what size the bolts are?

The bolts are stainless 5/16 x 1.25" long. You need to carefully try to retract that broken stud before you can do anything else.

If you aren't able to get the stud out you'll have to cut out and replace the weldment (what Catalina calls the part the bolt threads into). This requires a somewhat serious cutting and fiberglass repair job.

 

[pclarksurf]

Does anyone know what size the bolts are?

http://forums.sailboatowners.com/in...-is-bigger-than-the-rest.178824/#post-1292118

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

The bolts are stainless 5/16 x 1.25" long. You need to carefully try to retract that broken stud before you can do anything else.

If you aren't able to get the stud out you'll have to cut out and replace the weldment (what Catalina calls the part the bolt threads into). This requires a somewhat serious cutting and fiberglass repair job.

Thank you, I am petty good at drill and tap hopefully I'll be able to get that unscrewed. The alternative does not appeal to me. I really can't complain considering the cost of this old girl. Just a setback I wasn't expecting. I've read CD's keel restore post so I know to be careful torquring down the new bolts. Going to build a jig to hold the keel. Was hoping to get it out over the 4th but now not likely.

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Thanks everyone for your input. Will give an update when I get the keel extracted this is going to be fun! (Insert sarcasm emoticon here.)

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

BTW, it appears that the keel pocket is solid and there doesn't appear to be any damage to the walls but until I get the keel extracted I won't know for sure. Plus inside the cabin I don't see anything that looks like any damage along what I can see of the keel pocket.

 

[pclarksurf]

Hopefully once that bolt galled and sheared they didn't continue to work the keel.

 

[T_Cat]

Look for a left hand drill bit. Probably around 3/16". Use a center punch and mark a spot in the center of the broken bolt. Running your drill slowly in reverse, try and drill down the center of the broken bolt. If you're lucky it will spin out. If not you'll need to pick up a bolt remover.

 

[C22-Daydreamer]

Look for a left hand drill bit. Probably around 3/16". Use a center punch and mark a spot in the center of the broken bolt. Running your drill slowly in reverse, try and drill down the center of the broken bolt. If you're lucky it will spin out. If not you'll need to pick up a bolt remover.

I have one and a tap and die set. My dad was a mechanic and taught me everything I know. My main concern is that there is hopefully no damage to the keel pocket and the pivot pin hole on the keel and it doesn't need to be rebuilt. If that becomes the case I'm going to follow suit as others have done. I'll go ahead and remove the keel to fix it. I'll just go the whole nine yards and redo the keel completely. From what I've read I'll only want to do that once. Will for me mean I won't be hitting the water until next year. Hopefully I can just replace the bolts, maybe the pin and be able to sail her before the season is up.