The wing keel on my boat was damaged/bent during Hurricane Ian in FL. In addition to the starboard side wing being bent up, the lead to fiberglass joint has been disturbed all the way around. I got an estimate from a reputable boat yard to make the repair, but it is in excess of what the boat is worth. I am battling with insurance company. My question is does the keel need to be removed? The boat is not leaking.
Damaged Keel on Hunter 410
- Thread starter wnischt
- Start date
The keel joint crack may not be a particularly difficult job as it may only be the fairing compound that is cracked. It will be necessary to remove the bottom paint and fairing to see if there is any damage to the fiberglass or how badly the joint has been impacted. Is the keel loose? Are the keel bolts at the proper torque? If the keel is loose or the bolts are not torqued properly it would be a good idea to drop the keel.
I have no idea how the wing could be repaired. Is it lead or iron?
I have no idea how the wing could be repaired. Is it lead or iron?
The keel is lead. I got a quote to repair it, but I have to ship it to Canada (MarsKeel). They indicated that if they could not bend it back, they would cut it off on both sides. Apparently it does not make a huge difference in boat performance. It has been done before.
jssailem
SBO Weather and Forecasting Forum Jim & John
- Oct 22, 2014
- 23,177
Read the thread by @JamesG161 on his keel repair after Zeta hit Mississippi OCT 2020.
Repairing boat after Hurricane Zeta
If memory serves a phone cable end will plug right into a Cat-5 coupler Yes, but we decided not to add a coupler. We wanted the new ICG to be installed per Xantrex. ____ What PIC Told me to do... File another Incident and Claim against the Yard We did file a new claim and the new Adjuster...
forums.sailboatowners.com
Something similar occurred when we grounded on a rock many years ago when we owned a winged keel boat. The wing was similarly bent.
Lead is malleable as you know. The yard guys bent it back into shape with no problem and a bit of convincing from a sledge and some heat . I’ve also seen it done on other boats.
That someone told you it can’t be done is not true
Lead is malleable as you know. The yard guys bent it back into shape with no problem and a bit of convincing from a sledge and some heat . I’ve also seen it done on other boats.
That someone told you it can’t be done is not true
I helped a friend last year with a keel space. In his case the keel bolts could be easily loosened so the joint could be cleaned and refilled with G-Flex. Then we tightened the bolts and squeezed out the excess epoxy. It may be possible to open the joint sufficiently to get clean surfaces. Also, you can buy empty "caulking" cartridges that could be filled with epoxy like G-Flex and thus forced into the joint better than "buttering" from the exterior.
See the full repair, cracks and all, on the Link, by John's post#6
Jim...
PS: Another boat had similar problems and had his repair yard, called mine for the tools and methods.
Final pict.