Drilling a new keel lock pin hole.

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pulsewave

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Apr 12, 2016
42
Macgregor Venture 222 Waconia
Hi all,

I have a Macgregor 22 and I can winch the keel down about 33 turns (with the lock bolt in). When I take the lock bolt out and crank it down more, and it goes a little further - and I see the keel edge swinging by (when looking into the trunk lock bolt hole). Then the crank cable just goes loose, as if the keel is somehow wedged in the trunk. The lock bolt hole on the keel never reaches the spot where it would be visible through the trunk lock bolt hole.

I haven’t been able to solve it so I think I’ll drill another lock pin hole in the keel at that lowest point (the farthest the keel will go down).

Are there any issues drilling through the keel? Pretty long bit that’ll be needed? Any other recommendations?

-Jed
 
Freedom77

Freedom77

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Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
Assuming you have a fiberglass over steel keel. Sounds like maybe the keel has swollen due to water getting between the fiberglass. Same thing happen on my 22. Or, the glass in the keel trunk has delammed and swelled up.If this is the case you need to drop the keel and repair. Drilling more holes may be a mistake. Do you have any pics.
 
P

pulsewave

.
Apr 12, 2016
42
Macgregor Venture 222 Waconia
Yep, here are some pics. I don’t think the keel is fiberglass coated. Interesting on the delamination theory. That’s possible. When the boat is on the bunks, the bottom of the boat caves in a little, so there might be some denigration of the fiberglass
The new pin hole would be at an accessible spot (where the keel gets as low as it can). So I’m ok with it being almost all the way down.
If I drill the keel, it should be solid metal correct? I don’t want to expose a airtight layer if there is one.
 

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Freedom77

Freedom77

.
Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
If keel is cast iron it's gonna be hard to drill. Very brittle...
 
timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
I have been "pondering" the problem and here are some thoughts--------
The keel lock bolt does not go in when the keel is fully down, it is all ready past the hole.
The keel looks like cast iron.
Could a bolt or some kind of stick be stuck in the keel hole?
Can you use a bright light in on one side of the keel trunk and look for the light to show the keel hole as someone slowly lowers it?
 
Tsatzsue

Tsatzsue

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May 16, 2011
555
Macgregor V-25 Charlton, MA- Trailer
It should line up period. If it does not then the keel bolt must be bent or the pivot hole elongated. It looks solid in the pic but could be bent. Mine was when I got the boat. I had to put it in the vise and crank on it in order to get the belly out of it. My pin is lightly off because of it. The best move would be to drop the keel and inspect everything. Not easy but should be done. Pull the bolt and check the hole on the keel. Some guys drill out the sloppy hole on the keel and put a bushing in. Drilling the keel in place is not an option if it is cast iron like mine. You would have to elongate the hole not drill a new one and the would be impossible. I have work to do on mine right now. I didn't score the fiberglass good and the re-fitted glass around the pin hole popped off. I have some posts about repairing the hole. The problem is that I need to have the boat in the water with the keel down to set the pin in the proper position to fiberglass it. Nothing is easy.
 
timebandit

timebandit

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Jun 3, 2004
1,863
Macgregor 25 So. Cal.
Bolts are often bent by the practice of--installing the bolt and lowering the keel against it, when hitting something the keel moves up and then slams down against the bolt after clearing the obstruction. The bolt and washers are installed to keep water out of the boat.
 
Freedom77

Freedom77

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Jul 29, 2010
1,392
Macgregor 76 V-25 #928 Lake Mead, Nevada
loosen the cable until it is slack and the keel in resting on the saddle. Put a bottle jack under the front of the keel and jack it up to relieve the tension. You may be able to remove the pivot bolt if it is not severely bent. Then, you can inspect the pivot hole to see if it is "egg shaped" or the bolt is bent. If hole is not wonky, replace bent bolt, recaulk and see what happens.
 
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Likes: Tsatzsue
Tsatzsue

Tsatzsue

.
May 16, 2011
555
Macgregor V-25 Charlton, MA- Trailer
timebandit said:
pivot bolt?
I thought we were talking lock down bolt.
Click to expand
The pivot bolt will affect the location of the lock down hole on the keel if bent. Mine was and it didn't show till I pulled it out.
 
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