Swing keel hanger bolts replacement

[greg_m]

Hi guys n gals... has anyone replaced the keel hanger bolts on a very pre-85 swing keel model before?

Reason I ask is because I recently removed the old ones on my early 70's model C22 and was surprised to see the bolt holes drilled at an angle through the hull next to the keel slot and then "bent" straight downward to accept the hangers. So from the outside the bolts look vertically oriented but when removing they come out looking like bananas!

Will do pics when i get a chance later...

 

[greg_m]

Due lack of replies I went to look at CD online and saw the keel fastening arrangement used is completely different to what was done on my boat. Instead of the "keel attachement threaded weldment" my boat simply has bolts inserted from the inside down through the hull.

I wanted to change the bolts because they looked dodgy anyways but now I have to consider a complete upgrade to the way my boats keel hanging arrangement was made. I will be sailing on False Bay which essentially is open ocean on it's southern end... and swells can get quite large. So the idea was to beef up the keel hanger bolts anyways for this but now it has become a more structural job than I originally thought.

 

[Milton.Audas]

Howsit Greg ? I don't envy your task mate. Beautiful sailing on that side but a few currents and rollers closer to the Cape would be a bit hairy (like being at the bottom of a Bokkie vs AB scrum !!). Love that area of SA although I usually get distracted in Paarl or Stellenbosch !! Pictures of your extracted bolts and hanger, and the hull from inside and out might help. While essentially the same as a Catalina 22, the Jaguar was built in the UK ? Maybe they did things a bit different over there. Sailing on the Solent isn't quite the same Not sure if the original yard is still in business but there is a Jaguar 22 Association over there so worth contacting them or the builder. Here's the link... https://sailboatdata.com/association/jaguar-owners-association-uk

cheers

 

[ambler]

Greg,
I replaced the keel bolts when I removed and refinished the swing keel on my 1983 Catalina 22. You're correct there are threaded "weldments" embedded in the fiberglass of the hull and the keel bolts thread into them.

Stingy Sailor on this forum gives detailed instructions on removing and refinishing the keel. He warns that the stainless steel threads are delicate and over tightening the bolts (over 20 ft-lbs) can strip the threads. Then the old weldment needs to be removed and a new one glassed into the hull.

This could be what happened to your boat and the weldment drilled out rather than replaced. On my model the area above the bolts is buried in the keel trunk so that the fiberglass of the trunk would have had to have been cut away to drop bolts from above. I have no idea how durable that modification would be.

Good Luck