1973 Venture 22 swing keel overhaul/repair

Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
yes i have seen these drawings at least for mine I have a 78 and its a solid hunk no fiberglass I will look again what year and type keel do you have
Mine is a 1974 V21 and the keel is not solid steel. There is a core piece of 4" by 5/8" steel with filler along both edges and what appears to be a cast lead bulb at the end. The entire keel is fared with filler to be smooth and was wrapped entirely in fiber glass mat.

I took measurements off the removed keel and the lock hole is abiut 1.75" from the top flat edge and 1.5" from the trailing edge. The Pivot hole is about 14" from the top edge and the same 1.5" from the edge. I have other dimensions to help reconstruct it, too, but maybe those and the 1" thickness (to fit into the trunk) are the key ones.

I just thought it would be nice to know what the keel stuctural design specs were...

Thanks!
 
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Dec 11, 2015
52
Venture 21 Florida
Looking good VentureED! I love the louvres! If no one gets that drawing to you let me know. I think I can still find it... Post more pics... Can't wait to hear how the shakedown cruise went....
 
Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
Curious Sailor, if you can look for your drawing, too, that would be great. I've not seen anything from the assorted potential sources as of today...unless I missed something or need to look elsewhere in this forum system...

BTW, looking back over the thread, lets give credit to Jebjobs for the nice work on the hatch louvers. I wish my boat mods were that far along! LOL!

Thanks all!
 
Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
JohnCTV21,

Nice install on the keel winch. Did you bend that or saw the curve from a thick board?

Do you have the make & model for the winch (which looks pretty new)?

Lastly, is the cockpit drain/keel cable tube the stock configuration or a mod you made? (It looks like a bolted flange underneath the cockpit deck. My 74 V21 appears to have a glassed-in flanges on both ends with a plastic tune clamped to the flanges.)

Nice breeze early here in the South Puget Sound...wish I was sailing!
 
May 25, 2015
176
Macgregor, Hunter Venture 21, H25 Candlewood
The support board is cold molded birch ply

The winch I can't help you with, it's brand new but off a discount site.
The handle I shortened by 1.5"

The drain is the factory brass liner, I just cleaned it up and bedded it in 5200. The bolts hold a thick gasket between the lower liner and cockpit floor.
 
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Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
Thanks JohnCTV21.

As others have mentioned, it is hard to know what is 'stock' and what has been modified...mine has no brass liner, as you'll see in these exterior and interior photos.

As I looked closer I do see the support is a piece of plywood. The flush mount is nice as it ought to keep crud from collecting on the seat and keeps the support from sliding forward to block the seat drain gutter.

I think my winch came of a trailor bow support. It requires the flip of a lock piece that sticks into the gear ring to keep the drum in a given position. I expect a spring has rusted away or got cruddy so I need both hands to operate the winch.

Light winds turned to heavy rain showers...which is why we stay so green in the NW!

Here are some pictures from my growing collection of restoration pictures in shared Google Photos 'Album'. I believe those logged in with their Google accounts can comment, too.

Long shot of keel winch and drain/keel cable tube.
20160802_125720.jpg
From the cabin looking aft.
20160802_125841.jpg
From below the hull.
20160802_130522.jpg
Closer look down the tube and at the chips/cracks in the gelcoat of the cockpit floor.
20160802_125950.jpg
Summer rain keeping us green!
20160802_130614.jpg

Cheers! (And now the sun is back out!)
Ed
 
May 25, 2015
176
Macgregor, Hunter Venture 21, H25 Candlewood
The support is multiple layers of thin ply laminated together with West System, molded over a form so the bottom is the same hight as if it were a flat board laid over the bench seats.
The winch is a breaking winch, so it won't just free spin.
 
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Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
Curious Sailor,

I have seen both. The manual is not all that helpful from a design/build perspective, but I did learn that the boom is designed rotate and allow rolling the sail up in a sort of furling operation. If nothing else, it could help in reefing.

I also found a review of the Venture 21 in Small Craft Advisor's March/April 2000 issue (No 2, Pp 32-38 by Joshua Colvin) which you can buy as a hardcopy online at http://smallcraftadvisor.com/reprint-of-venture-21-boat-review-from-issue-2-mar-apr-2000.html for $6.95. Or you can do a pdf download for $5.95 here: http://smallcraftadvisor.com/issue-2-mar-apr-2000-features-venture-21-review-pdf-download.html.

Enjoy!
Ed
 
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Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
Curious Sailor,

I have seen both. The manual is not all that helpful from a design/build perspective, but I did learn that the boom is designed rotate and allow rolling the sail up in a sort of furling operation. If nothing else, it could help in reefing.

I also found a review of the Venture 21 in Small Craft Advisor's March/April 2000 issue (No 2, Pp 32-38 by Joshua Colvin) which you can buy and as hard copy online at http://smallcraftadvisor.com/reprint-of-venture-21-boat-review-from-issue-2-mar-apr-2000.html for $6.95. Or get a pdf at http://smallcraftadvisor.com/issue-2-mar-apr-2000-features-venture-21-review-pdf-download.html for $5.95.

Enjoy!
Ed
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
Good luck with the rolling boom on the Ventures, I have found it to be less than useless...
 
Jun 25, 2016
66
Venture 21 Minter Bay
Topcat0399,

Wouldn't you need a topping lift to keep the end of the boom in the air to even use a boom like this? My boom could be shackled to the back stay, but I only used that when the main was being brought down at the end of the trip...

Any specific issues that led to your poor evaluation?

If I ever get to the point of raising the mast again, I'll share my experience with this feature.
 
Aug 22, 2011
1,113
MacGregor Venture V224 Cheeseland
We have a topping life and never use the "pigtail" that can connect the boom to the backstay with the main up. That's just asking for trouble in my opinion. What if you got a big sudden gust - you have no quick way to relieve the main.

The mechanics of using the roller boom to reef or remove sail reef while underway are atrocious. Imagine trying to reef while steering the boat operating the halyards and rolling the sail around the boom, not to mention supporting the boom while doing so. Better have a crew and if single handing forgetaboutit. Start the motor! If there is wind and waves, the reason to reef in the first place, and you have a deadly clown act in the works.
 
May 6, 2016
4
Macgregor Venture 25 New London, CT
I just did mine. Ground it to bare medal. Then coated it with three coats of PRO 15. This is great stuff. Then I placed a coat gel coat. Before I reinstall it, I will paint it with antifouling bottom paint.
 

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