Is something missing here? Keel Winch hole....

[adambrownatb]

1980 Macgregor 25

Got this boat from a friend with the keel already out and am in the process of putting it back in and installing a new winch cable. I know theres one bolt missing next to the hole but im not sure what the bolts even goes into? Theres nothing visible inside or on the bottom?Does anyone know? Also is there supposed to be a turning block/ball in the hole cause theres not anything. is this normal for this boat? My plan was just to get a matching bolt and call it a day...any help and pictures would be great thanks!

 

[VenturED]

I'd check with Blue Water Yachts in Seattle. My Venture 21 just has a stainless bolt that is perpendicular to the centerline of the hull. It shows some wear from the cable running on or vibrating against it. I've heard of some folks using a bushing or ferrule to let the cable roll on the bolt...let your inner engineer run wild!

 

[justsomeguy]

I know theres one bolt missing next to the hole but im not sure what the bolts even goes into?

The bolts go into what's called a "wear tube". The wear tube keeps the keel cable from sawing away at the fiberglass when raising or lowering the keel.
The cable leads from the keel up through the wear tube and a very important hose that's clamped onto the wear tube. The hose is terminated above the waterline just under the winch.

 

[THECUSCUS]

Not the best picture of the part you're missing, but gives you the idea. It's basically a ss tube welded to a rectangular plate. There is a ss rod (non-threaded part of a bolt) welded perpendiculat to the tube. the tube is notched so the rod takes up about a quarter of the i.d. of the tube. This is to let the keel cable rub on something other than your fiberglass keel trunk. The second picture is how I made an additional "rub" guard in my keel trunk.

keel cable tube

• THECUSCUS
• Jun 6, 2011

keelcable

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 25, 2013

 

[adambrownatb]

Thanks for the replies/pictures, so heres some pictures of the actual inside around the the wear tube(minus the extra rubber tubing that goes on top leading to the winch). There doesn't appear to be any previous holes that held a turning ball or a rub guard bolt. And I definitely dont have space to install one in the keel trunk because its so shallow. Im not sure how much this boat was actually sailed but there does not appear to be a lot of previous damage caused by the keel wire except at the very top of the tube. Should/Can I install a rub guard bolt inside the wear tube close to the bottom? Do I even need to install anything?

Also I dont see a rectangular plate beneath the tube, but I think it might have been glassed over at the bottom? at least thats the only explanation that makes sense to me because those two bolts are going somewhere...

 

[THECUSCUS]

Haven't seen one like your's before. MacGregor changed many small things over the years. What year is your boat. Mine is a 1979, which makes it a Venture 25.

 

[adambrownatb]

It’s a 1980 Mac 25

 

[THECUSCUS]

So I guess your keel winch isn't set-up like this then.

winch/step starboard view

• THECUSCUS
• Dec 5, 2012

jimspics 013

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011

jimspics 007

• THECUSCUS
• Mar 28, 2011
• 1

 

[Tsatzsue]

I have 1977 Venture 25. Mine is like Cuscus. However I do not remember the bolt in the trunk.