Catalina 22 Swing Keel restoration

[Harley]

So I bought a Catalina 22 and want to restore functionality of the swing keel but as you can see from the attached image one of the previous owners plugged? the keel cable tube.

Can anyone take a look at the photo and weigh in on how I might accomplish clearing the keel cable tube?

Thanks

 

[ilance]

Yikes! Not seen that.....related: what does NACA fairing gain? Ant KPH stats?

Id gouge that out and reset the swing keel function......

 

[rpludwig]

Yikes for sure! Look at Cloud Diver's thread, pg. 16, dig it all out, see what's left, you may have to go his route....you also have some plumbing work to do on those scupper drains (hoses & proper valve).
https://forums.sailboatowners.com/i...-of-1981-c-22-swing-keel-10580.166613/page-16
Suggest you take some time and read his entire thread...you'll learn a lot in short order!
What's the keel look like?
Ron

 

[Gene Neill]

What's the keel look like?
Ron

+1! Since the keel hasn't been able to swing for a very long time, that means it's been immersed in (salt) water for a very long time. And the PO obviously wasn't much of a "preventative maintenance" guy, to say the least.

If you haven't already, I'd get in the water and get a very good look at (and good pictures of) the keel, before I lifted a finger on anything else. Make sure it's restorable, first and foremost.

Also, and you probably already know this, so forgive me: if you cut that tube open with the boat in the water, the boat will immediately sink. Worth mentioning.

 

[Jacktar]

If the keel is still there did he bolt it up through the tube (AKA volcano for obvious reasons) in the up or down setting. Love to see photos of underside of this before I suggest getting out the sawzall!

 

[rpludwig]

PO must have wanted a fixed keel boat

 

[Harley]

The keel is in the down position and it is in the water. The PO said that he had the keel up before by way of ratcheting straps. I have not dove on the keel yet to check out what's going on below.

 

[pclarksurf]

Wow ... that's a new one--

Depending on the material of the plug, maybe you can drill out the center and salvage the original tube-- otherwise your tossing the tube and glassing in new. and since your at it -- your scupper drain gate valve ( original equipment) is completely wasted. If you end up replacing the volcano tube you naught as well do both at the same time.

And echoing others-- take a serious look at your keel before you do anything. You may or may not have bigger issues.

 

[pclarksurf]

Looking again at your photo -- the gate valve looks salvageable -- toss the valve and replace with marine grade ball valve, but doesn't look like you need to mess with the through hull unless you find severe deterioration --- picture of my '73 with no modifications

 

[LakeShark]

Not sure if this will help with shipping costs to Hawaii but there is a decent looking keel for sale in the classifieds here for a catalina 22 I just saw (and no I am not affiliated just trying to help). My guess is that the PO likely modified much of the underwater attachments as well and with the keel being left down for much of the boats life the hanger brackets and pin will be worn.

https://sbo.sailboatowners.com/gear/gear.php?task=showad&id=6300

 

[dzl]

Unless I miss my guess, that's a piece of all thread ran through the volcano with a fender washer and nut on each side with liberal amount of goo spread around to seal it. Why not just take the nut off and drop the plug out? Guess you could cut it all to pieces and glass a new one in like everyone seems to think you'll have to but it's not what I'd do.

 

[Gene Neill]

Unless I miss my guess, that's a piece of all thread ran through the volcano with a fender washer and nut on each side with liberal amount of goo spread around to seal it. Why not just take the nut off and drop the plug out?

By Jove, I think you might be right! Good eye!

 

[rpludwig]

Unless I miss my guess, that's a piece of all thread ran through the volcano with a fender washer and nut on each side with liberal amount of goo spread around to seal it. Why not just take the nut off and drop the plug out? Guess you could cut it all to pieces and glass a new one in like everyone seems to think you'll have to but it's not what I'd do.

yea, but do it on the hard (as Gene suggested)!! evil lurks in the volcano!

 

[CloudDiver]

This is probably the worst case I have ever seen in terms of P.O. Mods on a C-22. I wouldn't trust anything on that hull considering what was done here. If he did that to volcano, what else could he have done? If the keel is in the down position without lift ability in salt water I imagine it could be as bad as mine was. I'd be hauling that thing out and getting it on stands, drop the keel, and I'd cut all that out and get a new volcano tube plus a new thru-hull for the drain.

 

[Gene Neill]

This is probably the worst case I have ever seen in terms of P.O. Mods on a C-22.

Did you ever see this?? https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/through-bolted-keel-hangers.157219/

Honestly, after what @dzl brought up, it might not be nearly as barbaric as I thought at first. The condition of the keel is anybody's guess of course, but the way the PO sealed the volcano tube might be reversible in a matter of minutes with a 4" grinder.

Shove some rags up through the bottom, and it could even be done with the boat in the water. Maybe.

 

[dzl]

Did you ever see this?? https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/through-bolted-keel-hangers.157219/

Honestly, after what @dzl brought up, it might not be nearly as barbaric as I thought at first. The condition of the keel is anybody's guess of course, but the way the PO sealed the volcano tube might be reversible in a matter of minutes with a 4" grinder.

Shove some rags up through the bottom, and it could even be done with the boat in the water. Maybe.

Wow Gene, I'd never seen that thread. Things like that reinforce my opinion that largely, people are idiots. I just told my brother the other day that silicone may have its place, but that was nowhere near a boat. I've been dealing with that on my boat. Awful stuff to try and get off later. I once bought a truck from a guy that was reputed to be a decent mechanic. I'm not much more than a shade tree myself, but I listened to my grandpa well as he taught me how to rebuild diesel engines and when I pulled the oil pan off my new truck and found about a caulk tubes worth of clear silicone attempting to seal it, my confidence in the so called mechanic completely left.

End thread hijack here. Back to your regularly scheduled programming.

 

[CloudDiver]

Did you ever see this?? https://forums.sailboatowners.com/index.php?threads/through-bolted-keel-hangers.157219/

Honestly, after what @dzl brought up, it might not be nearly as barbaric as I thought at first. The condition of the keel is anybody's guess of course, but the way the PO sealed the volcano tube might be reversible in a matter of minutes with a 4" grinder.

Shove some rags up through the bottom, and it could even be done with the boat in the water. Maybe.

Dang Gene... I hadn't seen that thread either. Yeah, pretty bad but actually the thought process was 'nearly' sound. Replacing keel hanger bolts when the weldment threads are stripped... yes, you COULD drill through them and use a through bolt. Had he used the correct stainless hardware and sealant this wouldn't have been the worst ever idea. Glad you got it sorted... If I was buying that boat and I had noticed this from the start the offer price would have dropped to "You need to pay ME to take this mess off your hands". In retrospect, that's what I should have offered for hull 10580 that I paid $800 for with all its blisters and nearly gone keel...