KEEL BOLTS ARE FALLING OFF! PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO REBOLT THE KEEL OR SOME FIX. TRYING TO SAVE HER 1971 27' CAT. NEW OWNER
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Keel bolts
Greg, A little more specific info would help us to help you. Keel bolts don't generally fall off. Do you mean the keel is starting to separate from the boat, the keel is rusting, the bolts are rusty or what exactly. Photos would help. I don't know if they were using stainless bolts in '71. If not could be a real problem. More info is important. Good luck.
Greg, A little more specific info would help us to help you. Keel bolts don't generally fall off. Do you mean the keel is starting to separate from the boat, the keel is rusting, the bolts are rusty or what exactly. Photos would help. I don't know if they were using stainless bolts in '71. If not could be a real problem. More info is important. Good luck.
Catalina Fix - SS Lag Bolts
You probably have the mild steel keel bolts - not sure the wizzard that came up with that but a few of the early models did not have SS. Catalina has a published fix for it and will sell you the SS lag bolts to do the work. Basically you drill through the bilge into lead keel and either screw or set in epoxy the new keel bolts. I have seen the published instructions somewhere either here or on C27 website. I had similar problem with my C27 although I had SS and they were still in good enough shape not to have to replace.
You probably have the mild steel keel bolts - not sure the wizzard that came up with that but a few of the early models did not have SS. Catalina has a published fix for it and will sell you the SS lag bolts to do the work. Basically you drill through the bilge into lead keel and either screw or set in epoxy the new keel bolts. I have seen the published instructions somewhere either here or on C27 website. I had similar problem with my C27 although I had SS and they were still in good enough shape not to have to replace.
Greg....please call catalina customer service
or go to the international catalina 27 organization website. There you will find a list of known issues regarding our beloved boat, and their solutions. Other issues, beside the spreader sockets and keel bolts include the undersized, lower shroud chainplates, cheap gate valves and poorly installed through-hull fitings. These are vital issues for you to attend to if you want a safe boat.
or go to the international catalina 27 organization website. There you will find a list of known issues regarding our beloved boat, and their solutions. Other issues, beside the spreader sockets and keel bolts include the undersized, lower shroud chainplates, cheap gate valves and poorly installed through-hull fitings. These are vital issues for you to attend to if you want a safe boat.
"Steel" bolts
The 27 had mild steel keel bolts with gelcoat over them until 1978. Then Catalina changed to stainless. The original gelcoat easily came off, leaving the bolts & nuts open to bilge water and corrosion. In many cases, the bolts will be OK once the nuts are removed and the threads are cleaned up. One fix if the bolts are OK is to replace the mild steel nuts with stainless, paint the assembly and let 'er go. Most C27s I've seen need only that. The more radical fix is to do the drill into the keel and epoxy in SS bolts. However, the lead in the keel is pretty soft, and has firebrick encapsulated down low inside the lead, so getting something good to have the new bolts' threads to bite into is an issue. This info is all from prior conversations with those who''ve done it, as well as other published info. My '74 has mild steel bolts & nuts with surface rust, but are still structurally good. So I keep an eye on them and paint them every couple years with one of those paints that turns rust into primer, then with bilge paint.
The 27 had mild steel keel bolts with gelcoat over them until 1978. Then Catalina changed to stainless. The original gelcoat easily came off, leaving the bolts & nuts open to bilge water and corrosion. In many cases, the bolts will be OK once the nuts are removed and the threads are cleaned up. One fix if the bolts are OK is to replace the mild steel nuts with stainless, paint the assembly and let 'er go. Most C27s I've seen need only that. The more radical fix is to do the drill into the keel and epoxy in SS bolts. However, the lead in the keel is pretty soft, and has firebrick encapsulated down low inside the lead, so getting something good to have the new bolts' threads to bite into is an issue. This info is all from prior conversations with those who''ve done it, as well as other published info. My '74 has mild steel bolts & nuts with surface rust, but are still structurally good. So I keep an eye on them and paint them every couple years with one of those paints that turns rust into primer, then with bilge paint.
Catalina smile
Forgot to mention the "Catalina Smile". Old 27s and 30s frequently have a small separation of the forward end of the keel from the keel stub. Sometimes lets water get access to the mild steel keelbolts, and so needs to be fixed. It's not "the keel falling off", and is easily fixed at haulout. Grind out and fill the separation with epoxy, fair and paint. This is much more common than the "keel falling off", but can panic you if you see it w/o understanding it. I've heard a lot of owner's worries, but never of a documented case of a keel separation beyond the "Catalina Smile".
Forgot to mention the "Catalina Smile". Old 27s and 30s frequently have a small separation of the forward end of the keel from the keel stub. Sometimes lets water get access to the mild steel keelbolts, and so needs to be fixed. It's not "the keel falling off", and is easily fixed at haulout. Grind out and fill the separation with epoxy, fair and paint. This is much more common than the "keel falling off", but can panic you if you see it w/o understanding it. I've heard a lot of owner's worries, but never of a documented case of a keel separation beyond the "Catalina Smile".
Replacement Instructions
I had the same concern several weeks ago and emailed Catalina. They sent me an email with the instructions. I do not know how to attach that email to this tread, so if you email me at jeff@oklokcriss.com I will forward Catalina's response. Jeff
I had the same concern several weeks ago and emailed Catalina. They sent me an email with the instructions. I do not know how to attach that email to this tread, so if you email me at jeff@oklokcriss.com I will forward Catalina's response. Jeff
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