C-25 Swing Keel- Broken input shaft on crank

[DavidBuoy]

Hi guys,

Im fresh new to the world of Catalina ownership and excited. Purchased a great 1985 C-25, swing keel, standard rig. Boat has been well maintained and over the winter I plan on updating and getting everything in great order.

My first order of business is to fix the keel winch. The cable, winch and ancillaries have all been replaced within the past year and a half but the previous owner, while turning the keel winch, snapped the head on the input shaft.

Im trying to find out:

1) if this piece snapped off the socket, or actually off the shaft.
2) if it is off the shaft, is it possible to replace just the shaft? or is a new winch required?
3) If it requires a new winch, can that be installed while the boat is wet and keel is down?

Im going down to the boat this evening to see if I can get a better idea but I appreciate any help as i am stuck in work for now.

Thank you!

 

[Stu Jackson]

You should really get to know these skippers, in addition to the ones here.

http://www.catalina-capri-25s.org/forum/forum.asp?FORUM_ID=3

Good luck. They're specialists in your boat.

 

[jrowan]

I used to own a C 25, & honestly I left the keel up most of the time because I was sailing in shallow areas of the Chesapeake around the Rappohannok River near Deltaville, Va. But if the input head of the winch has broken off, then its probably time for a new winch. They are not all that expensive, & as I recall the whole unit is made out of galvanized steel, which is not very durable in the salty air of the marine environment. That's why sailboat manufactures are supposed to use durable metals such as stainless steel, bronze, etc. for winches. Catalina Direct sells this winch kit. If its corroded enough to break where the winch handle inserts into the winch, then you have to worry about the condition of the pawl that holds pressure against the teeth of the winch gear. If that slips off or breaks, the keel will come crashing down & the keel will bang violently into the fiberglass keel trunk & cause it to crack & leak. So that winch is actually a pretty important part of the swing keel system. The keel trunk is all fiberglass, & is surprisingly rather thinly built part of the hull design. Catalina built these boats to a cheaper price point to keep the costs down, & this is where it shows with age.

I speak from experience as I had to spend some bucks rebuilding a cracked fiberglass keel trunk, when I bought my old C 25 from a P.O. who grounded the keel hard & damaged the trunk. The cracks tend to form between the keel trunk base where it meets the hull UNDER the cabin sole. So its hard to even see it, until seepage leaks develop. Hopefully you will never have to witness your cabin full of three feet of water from this kind of leak.

So my advice is to replace it now before this happens. I believe that the winch can be replaced whilst in the water, because its the volcano tube that keeps water out of the boat. The winch is above the water line. But be careful to of course fully lower the keel to take the pressure off the winch before attempting to replace it. It may require drilling out retaining bolts as they get pretty rusty after almost 30 years of corrosion. PB Blaster may help to release the retaining bolts. Good luck.