accessing centerboard u-bolts

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mike

need to drop my centerboard ('82 hunter 22) and I know it won't be easy; can anybody tell me what type tool they used to get to the nuts on the u-bolts in the bilge area under the cabin table - there's only a small rectangular access area and the nuts are not directly below this access - they are to the "inside" so my ratchet with extension can't get to them - can I get some sort of elbow for my ratchet? also, will I need an impact screwdriver to free the four screws holding in the two plates on the bottom of the hull? thanks
 
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John

centerboard h22

Mike, I do not have an answer,however a question if I may. I recently purchased an 81' h22, have no experience sailing it or of its centerboard. Is there a weakness here or maintenance relate issues for your removing it? I would like to be able to chat with someone regarding this model to prepare myself for sailing next season / maintence or weak points. If you wouldn't mind my mail address is me2paradise@netzero.net Thanks.
 
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george mc.

reciprocating saw

I've had my 22 hunter for close to 20 years and I know what your putting up with. I just got done doing mine again. I've got pretty big hands but I think even if you had small hands you would still have a problem.I finally got a solution I shaved a slot about 6 inches long and about 2 inches wide out of the lead and about a 1/2 out of the fiberglass lip.I know I'll be droppind the board on occasion and it's hard enough without playing with the bolts anymore than you have to. Make sure you put enough 5200 on the plates before you bolt it in again. Also get some wood putty and put it in the bolt slots and put marine tex or something over the bolts and sand it down.It helps stop even the smallest of leaks. Also I put 2 stainless paine washers on both sides to make it nice and snug. Good luck it's a nice boat, George
 
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Andy K

How I Did It.

Dear Mike, I dropped the swing keel on my '82 22' this past Spring. First of all the 1982 that I have does NOT have "U" bolts. The rectangular plates screwed onto the bottom with 2"X 1/4" stainless flat head bolts and "weird shaped" nuts on the inside hold the keel steel pivot pins directly. To remove these, drops the keel and takes some patience. Frist: Clean the threads (inside) as good as possible, --all caulking and gunk. spray with WD40. Grab the inside nut with just a socket...no ratchet handle. I used a vice-grip then to hold onto the socket at an angle..while backing out the flat head bolt with a good phillips head driver under the boat from the outside. Two guys yelling thru the hull. Quarter turn at a time until they came loose. It took hours. The keel weighed about 70-80 lbs. I had two guys under the boat and one inside to handle it. After replacing the nylon bushing, I cleaned and re -caulked everything and installed with new S/S nuts and bolts. Replaced the liftng lines with new rope and went sailing again. Good Luck, It's a great little boat and worth the trouble. Anky K.
 
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mike

Andy K & george mc - more info please

thanks, guys - things are making sense now (no u-bolts just 4 straight bolts). is there only one "pin" that the board pivots/swings on and do the ends of that (if only one) protrude into the keel somehow? also, george uses the 5200 sealant (almost a permanent bond), andy - what do you use ? I was going to use the same 3M polysulfide that I bought to rebed the stanchions and chainplates (next project); george - you said you use 2 stainless paine washers but I'm not sure if if you use them on the keel bolts or the pivot pin (what type washers are these "paines") - how much lateral movement should the centerboard have?; finally - what's the best type replacement rope to use and how do you connect it to the centerboard (bowline or thimble with clamps?) - thanks again -will advise on progress
 
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george mc

centerboard

mike you want the stainless washers to put on to the pin and you want it snug enough so the board doen't rattle or move from side to side. As far as I'm conderned I think 3m 5200 is the best for underwater applications.
 
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Andy K

From Andy

Mike.. I also used 3M 5200. There was some wearing of the fiberglass keel itself around the bushing I replaced and I used MarineTex for bedding around that. There is only one pin about 1/2" X 6" with s/s washers on each side, it is captured by the shape of the fiberglass hull itself (recess grooves) You will see when you lower it. Make sure you have some help. (2 extra people). Also have some blocking handy to place under the keel and take some of the weight off your arms. The pull rope I used was an exact match to what was there (the original). The rope fastening was the same also, a spliced loop.You will see all this when you remove the folding dinette table. When you get the keel removed inspect and clean the area ot the hull that receives the swing pin and keel real thoroughly. Check all the little crevices and grooves good. I found some real thin fiber glass in this area that was almost delaminated right through the hull.I could see light coming through the hull from under the boat. A real cold sweat went through me!!!! It must have been a manufacturing defect in the worst off all places, would have never spotted where the leak was if it broke through, if I had not removed the keel. Good Luck, Andy I packed it with goobs of 5200 before replacing the assembly. I checked under the sole for a month daily, and found no leaks yet.
 
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mike

h22 centerboard-success!

thanks again guys, without the knowledge of your experience this would have been a lot harder; Andy, I also did spot a small(.25 inch diameter)area where light shone thru on starboard side just behind and to the left of the first keel bolt-there seems to be enough glass there but just in case should I somehow reinforce this area? A new centerboard will arrive shortly from Foss Foam so expect some more questions from me. Thanks again!!
 
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Seth

Ohhh...the pain

I can not add much more than has already been said...took me two days to get the keel down by myself. If anyone wants to know some tricks to rebuilding the pivot feel free to contact me at bachs04@hotmail.com. I spent all last winter learning...Seth
 
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