broken swing keel

[Tim Daley]

I posted this on the trailersailor website and received several replies so I thought I might get a few more here-my swing keel cable broke Tuesday and I was able to secure the boat on a mooring instead of at the usual dock (where there is only 2' of water). My plan is to have a diver attach the clevis from the new cable to the keel and push the other end thru the hull opening and ball so I can grab it inside and rewind it onto the winch. Anyone with similar experiences??

 

[Aldo]

Just Make Sure....

That sounds like an OK plan, just make sure that when the diver pushes the cable up, he favors the stern of the boat. There is a little ball shaped pulley that the cable goes around to keep the cable from rubbing the thru hole area, (and also probably to keep water from going up the tube when the sailing is good). It is possible to put the cable on the wrong side of the pulley. Have the diver keep the cable toward the stern of the boat to get it around the pulley correctly. Let us know what the cable looked like and where it failed, when the diver gives you the piece that is still attached to the keel. Aldo

 

[Maryann]

Could have been worse

last year I bought a 1977 Catalina 22. When we took her on her maiden voyage, the pin had let go and then the cable broke. We lost the keel at the bottom of Stonington Channel. It took Catalina 2 1/2 months to get us a new swing keel.

 

[Kevin Marvel]

My own cable broke too...

A friend was raising the keel as we headed into a downwind run andall of a sudden we heard a loud boom as the cable parted and it rotated rapidly to the down location. My cable actually didn't part, the metal fitting that was sunk into the keel had broken off. Currently (for last 4 years) it has been jury-rigged with the stainless cable being led through a remaining portion of the fitting and then tied in a bowline with some cable clamps holding the tag ends in place. I am planning to yank the centerboard and get it ground down andsealed this winter and finally fix it right. Let us know how your problem turns out.Kev.