Bulge in keel

Oct 30, 2019
16
Okay I have a bulge in my kee,l port side sounds hollow when you knock on it. Starboard side (around the yard plug) is slightlt bugled but solid in sound when stuck hard. It's about 12 inches in height and 27 inches in length on the port side and not near as bad on starboard... how way laid am I? Advice, tips?
 
Sep 13, 2002
203
If it's a MKI, drain and plug at the end of the season; you aren't going to sink :)This has been discussed at length several times in the past .. search the forum or try Google. Alisdair
 
Feb 13, 2010
528
Here is a maybe. It may be someone set the boat up on the hard with
water in the keel and it froze, swelled. If the inside of the keel
is also bulged outward that may be what has happened. Doug

On 06/23/2016 04:21 PM,
chemittech@... [AlbinVega] wrote:
 
Feb 12, 2008
337
I have a fin keel Santana 20 that got water in between the lead core and fiberglass skin.The water froze and bulged the keel. I marked all the voids, drilled a high and low hole in each void, then used a syringe to inject epoxy into the lower hole until it came out the upper hole.I then pulled the syringe and pulled the hole with a short dowel to keep the epoxy from draining out. That winter, there was no freezing problems, so I faired it out in the spring.If you bulge in in the solid part of the keel, this method may work for you.The other source of a bulge could be some of the iron punchings in the ballast have rusted and expanded. The lead and resin in the ballast should be fine. Good luck! Tim
 
Sep 13, 2002
203
It's just a void in the keel; it's under the bilge but not connected to it. It doesn't matter if the drain plug fails.
 
Nov 4, 2016
62
When you post "It doesn't matter if the drain plug fails" I'm not sure what you mean. If the drain plug fails and the inflow of water is not stopped, the boat sinks. That's a pretty big matter. But if you are saying a failure of the drain plug has no impact on the void inside the keel, then I get that. Sorry for the confusion.
 
Oct 30, 2019
16
So I'm safe sanding it (the void) completely out and laying in new glass? Lots of sanding but it would be a definite fix... nothing but time, might as well do it "correctly"
 
Oct 30, 2019
16
I have sanded the entire area clean to the glass. No cracks, flakes, or anything of that nature just a "light noise" when tapped instead of "solid". drain plug won't budge in the least.. so no play. The seam also looks fine no stress cracks or fracturing in the fiber or glue.

Can I just sand into the void, visually inspect, and lay new glass in? It would be solid and would structurely be as new again instead of filler, or am I way the hell off base and just looking for a ton of work? I mean I've completely sanded the entire hull and keel someone asked me why the hell I was sanding it that much, I said so I knew exactly what she looks like underneath, if that gives you any indication as to me and this little boat. I don't mind the work I just don't want to ruin her by doing something foolish.
 
Sep 13, 2002
203
I had the same that was spotted in a survey. We drilled a hole to let the water drain then glassed it over. We didn't fill the void.That was more than twenty years ago. Vega 752, similar vintage to yours.Alisdair
 
Oct 30, 2019
16
OK awesome! I have hul 141 but I don't know much about her. The previous owner passed away with no family to speak of. I did receive an interesting water with it, plus I find note cards with things I should fix.
 
Apr 12, 2016
102
You're not way off base. :) The good thing is, there really isn't a wrong way to do it. If it happened to me, I'd probably fill it using the syringe method mentioned above, or something like West Systems Six10 (thickened epoxy in a caulking tube), depending on the size of the void. Then, just for looks, I'd probably sand off the bulge, to make it disappear. The only downside to this method would be if there were any water left trapped somewhere in the void and it froze. I live in Florida so that's not an issue. But I'd still find a way to stick a shop vac to the lower hole, and suck air through the void for several hours before pumping the epoxy into it.Grinding it completely open and laying it up with glass would eliminate the trapped-water possibility. It wouldn't be a "ton" of work, either, pretty easy in fact. If that's what will make you feel best, then that's the best way to do do it!
 
Feb 13, 2010
528
Don't know if this has been said. It seems that there is water
between the laminates and you set her on the hard for the winter the
void will get bigger, If Yi drill a hole the glass inside will still
be wet and resin pumped in will not stick to the glass. Put the boat
in the water and more water will go in. Haul her out and the frozen
water will expand the filled cavity. I would drill two holes and
mount a tiny computer fan in one and pump air through the void for a
week. Then fill the void I would think that would stop the cycle.
Doug


On 06/25/2016 09:07 AM,
gene_neill@... [AlbinVega] wrote: