I wondered if anyone has had any experience with straightening the horizontal shoal keel planes on a at the aft edge, I ran aground and it bent both trailing edges upward I suspect when I reversed to get off the rocks. I'm assuming and it appears the keel is lead and if heated would soften up enough to straighten but would like any info from anyone who has had experience with this before.
Hit bottom
- Thread starter gordhodgson
- Start date
- Status
I've done this keel wing straightening two, maybe three times. No big deal.
I did not heat the keel. I generally use heat as a last resort in any application.
I put a wood block under the keel where it is still straight to support the area. Eat your Wheaties and then lay into it with a 2# hand sledge hammer. If the effect is very minimal, go to a 5# long handle sledge.
The trick is not to try to get it back in shape in just a few whacks, but to reshape it with a multitude of lighter blows. I have had the tip of my wing bent nearly vertical and now it is as straight as original. The surface will probably have dents, but these can be filled and faired if you wish.
If cracks appear, after straightening, you can drill several holes and drive screws into the wing to reinforce the cracked area. Then fill and fair.
I have a 1997 h40.5, and the entire keel is lead.
One last piece of advice- Stay off the rocks. It's one of my life goals also.....
I did not heat the keel. I generally use heat as a last resort in any application.
I put a wood block under the keel where it is still straight to support the area. Eat your Wheaties and then lay into it with a 2# hand sledge hammer. If the effect is very minimal, go to a 5# long handle sledge.
The trick is not to try to get it back in shape in just a few whacks, but to reshape it with a multitude of lighter blows. I have had the tip of my wing bent nearly vertical and now it is as straight as original. The surface will probably have dents, but these can be filled and faired if you wish.
If cracks appear, after straightening, you can drill several holes and drive screws into the wing to reinforce the cracked area. Then fill and fair.
I have a 1997 h40.5, and the entire keel is lead.
One last piece of advice- Stay off the rocks. It's one of my life goals also.....
Years ago I had a bent wing after my boat grounded from a storm. The yard manager told me to replace the keel because fracturing of the lead internally is not visible and may become an issue after some time. Thankfully the insurance paid for the repairs and I got a custom fin keel as a replacement.
Suggest not to use heat. The lead alloy does not become significantly more workable when hot as does iron or steel. It becomes a paste or a liquid at only 357°C and your wings will just melt away. Also the problem of getting the crease to the right temperature whilst not melting the tips would be more than an open flame is likely to be capable of.
I'm not really visualizing this, but what about blocks over and under, and clamps to regain the horizontal?
- Status