1973 Oday-23 Steel Keel Jammed

[BaySailerBill]

Hi All,I am trying to repair a jammed keel in a steel housing. I know - I know, this is a common problem that has been discussed many times on this forum, but this is driving me nuts. It simply will not free-up and come out.I have cleaned out huge chunks of rust, drilled out the pivit pin and cleared the shaft. I broke a wooden broom stick handle and bent a steel shaft trying to push it down from the cabin post. I can tell that the keel board is split inside the housing and probubly swollen in several places. I can get it to move up & down with a jack and a crowbar about 1.5", but that is it.Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Timm R 25 Oday]

Maybe.........

I just got mine unstuck several days ago .Could you drill a hole through it? Then insert a bar into the new hole and hang weights ,or pull it down. Could you use a small car jack to push it away from the keel?

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

You could remove entire steel housing.

I am in the middle of this project on a 71 O'Day 23. Mine is as messed up as yours but not as rusty. I think yours is same exact casting. I was surprised at how good of shape the keel bolts were in. They are hidden inside floor of boat under plastic caps. If you have carpet they are under the glued in carpet. You just remove them and entire keel will come off boat. There is a little pocket in bottom of hull that will help align keel when you reinstall. I have mine completely unbolted and resting on crossbeams of trailer. My next step is to manuver keel on to a pallet in inverted position. Then dig out CB with crowbar and sawszall. Prior to installing new board, I am going to fair the keel smoother than new. I know the boat is not worth the labor but I am just doing it for the experience. Feel free to Email if you want to go this route. Good luck.

 

[Yves]

How to gain access?

I've been reading this thread with interest because I have the same problem. I will attempt to get mine free once all the snow as melted. I would like to know how you've lifted your boat to gain access to the keel housing?TxYves

 

[Joe11688]

Nice job Bill!

Good luck with that.Joe

 

[Sailormannj]

Had the same problem

I have the same keel on a 72 Oday 23. About 20 years ago I had the yard drop the keel, drill out the nylon centerboard pin, and get the CB out. It is rusting inside the well,and I never figured out how to sand and paint it. Imade a skinnier CB but now that does not work well, so I do not install it any more.The boat sails well without the CB.

 

[Doug]

My 2 cents

Okay I might be out of my league, since my Oday 22 is a shoal keel. However, is it possible to take a die grinder or whiz wheel and cut through the outer sides of the slot the keel drops through. Thus making the opening wider for the swollen/rusted keel to pass through? Just a though worth what you paid for it.

 

[LANCE ON CLOUD NINE]

Way to stick with it Bill!

One idea that comes to mind concerning the 2x4s, Maybe when you attach to the CB, you could leave just a little room between top edge of 2x4 and bottom of keel case. This way you could drive a wedge between them- with the hammer swinging horizontal to the ground. fore and aft. Maybe the hammer blows alternating with pulling down with leverage would help out. Also, I would be spraying some sort of lubricant many times on board as I was getting all this prepped. There is no exact process in early O'Day center board warfare. And while you have all ready paid for your boat, when you are done here, you will truly "own your center board" Good luck. Edited to add- At some point soon,you might be able to get a scissor jack from a compact car to fit between your rear keel case and your proposed 2x4s

 

[Chuck R]

Geezz this is a good thread.

Bay Sailor Bill.Yup no doubt in my mind you will prevail !! God Bless you ! Can't waite to know WHEN !

 

[Joe11688]

Stuck centerboard

Wow, what a pain in the butt, Hu Bill? You may be able to get an old saw blade in between the broken off centerboard and the inside edge of the keel slot. Then, you may be able to pry the rest of it out. When you do get it out, maybe you can sand blast the inside of the slot and later coat it with a resin. I have no doubt that you could build another centerboard out of a combination of plywood and fiberglass. It may be worth your while to call Rudy Nickerson and ask him if he has any ideas on preventing this from happening again. I would think that some kind of a resin and then a bottom paint over that, might work. A stainless steel pivot bolt and a bushing for the new board would be needed also. You're going to get it completely out eventually. Then you can go from there. Good luck Bill!Regards,Joe

 

[Sunbird22358]

Cast Iron keels were common

In the early 1970's when these O'DAY 23's were built it was very common for keels to be made of Cast Iron, the Paceship 23 of that time is the same way. My guess is that it was done for cost savings, and so John Deknatel of C. Raymond Hunt Associates specified Iron for the keel when he designed the boats. Maybe O'Day and Paceship approved it or even asked for that? Just to really add some spice to the discussion....the pop-top mechanism was designed by a pop-up camper designer, Andy Kostanecki!Bill, I see that you are from Providence, if you need to talk to Rudy at D&R, or order parts (he has the CB for the 23) you may be better off taking a ride over to Assonet, MA on a Saturday morning and visit Rudy. I have done that many times and if you think he is helpful on the phone, he is even better in person. He is busy, but has helped me with information on several repairs with my DS II. He might......don't count on it...but might even come visit your boat to give some helpful advice for getting what's left of your CB out of the keel. The original CB for the early (cast-iron keel) version of the 23 was hollow and I think could leak and might fill with water, then freeze over the Winter and crack.......it also looked a bit fragile side-to-side judging by the one that Rudy showed me one time. I think he makes them semi-solid to make them stronger and more able to be ground thinner if they bind.