How to replace wire pennant in Pearson 33 swing keel?

[Steve Hedges]

I just bought a Pearson 33 with a swing keel. The keel is stuck in the up position - I am hoping that is just marine growth. My biggest question is how to replace the wire. It was just loose in the metal tube. Not attached to the keel. I followed the tube to the hatch located on the salon floor by the table. There is a mound there that the tube goes into. Can I unscrew where it goes into that mound without water shooting into my boat? How is the wire held on? The old wire was quite stiff and fouled around the drum. I understand I should replace this regularly (yearly?). Help!

 

[NYSail]

I have a P36-2 with centerboard so our setup is probably different, however I will say if you remove the plate on the bottom, water will flood your boat. When you have your boat hauled out have them keep it in the sling. There is probably marine growth that is causing it to stick. Use whatever you can to slide up the trunk to break the centerboard free. When it comes down you will see where the pendant attaches to the centerboard. I am assuming you pulled the wire out...... if so you will have to snake it back up through the pendant run. Most people when replacing the pendant will use the old as a messenger. You may have to dissasemble the tubes to snake it through as it seems it might be a pretty tough job (at least on mine).

Good Luck

 

[Steve Hedges]

Thank you for your response. I did get the boat hauled, and am in the process of fixing the keel. I did have to disassemble the pennant run. Was not easy to re-run the cable, but got it done. The keel was just jammed with marine growth. Replaced the stiff wire rope with 7/19 stainless wire. New thimble, swiage (sp) and cotter pin. Today I will figure out how to wind the cable around the pulley thingy in the lazarette. I left the old cable around it as a guide.
Any idea if it is best to do this with the keel down (in the sling) or can I do it with the keel in the up position?
I took tons of photos. Eventually I will have time to upload them.
Steve Hedges

 

[Wanderer138]

I think with the centerboard down should be easier, because you can set the exact length of wire rope on the drum. You need about ten wraps of wire rope on the drum with the board fully down and slight tension on the wire rope to keep it from slipping on the drum. If the wire rope is too long it might tangle and if it's too short the board won't go all the way down. It might not be a bad idea to lubricate the wire rope before you install it. It will reduce the friction in the system and also offer some protection against corrosion. Good luck.

 

[Steve Hedges]

Yup. Spent 6 hours today getting the cable around the drum - had to get the rope pennant part off to reach the bitter end of the wire....should have waited until I was in the sling. Think I have too much wire. But at least now I know how to do it, so I won't look like a complete idiot tomorrow in the sling.
....and a hurricane is headed this way. Oh joy.

 

[pvtpotter]

I would love to see some of the pics of the centerboard / keel set up. I am looking at a P33-2 in Worton MD. I am not sure, but there appears to be separation between the aft end of the keel and the hull. It scares me and I have been scouring the internet for some pics / more info.
Please, Please, post the pics you have from your pendant job.

:neutral:

This is the best I can do. I wonder if the keel bolts to the centerboard version extend all the way to the aft end as it does with the wing keel.


http://www.cambridge.k12.mn.us/~larsond/keel.htm

Thanks in advance...

 

[Steve Hedges]

My camera got wet and ruined in the hurricane, before I was able to upload any photos. Sorry.
My keel looks nothing like yours. Mine is a simple board (I am guessing around 300 pounds) that swings up into the keel. Mine is only held on by one bolt, and it comes down by a wire pennant controlled in the cockpit, but the pivot point is in the very bottom of the boat. There is no well in the cabin for it - instead, it nestles inside of the keel.
My Pearson 33 is different from your 33-2.
Good luck.

 

[mr_f]

I am looking at a P33-2 in Worton MD.

I looked at that boat. Looked like after a good scrubbing, it would be a very nice boat. (Although I can't say I looked carefully at the keel issue you saw.)

I can say that the fin keel P33-2 we ended up purchasing also looked a little questionable at the keel to hull intersection. The surveyor initially expressed a little concern, but after more careful investigation decided all was well.

We are very happy with the P33-2. Good luck!

 

[goodintheory]

Steve, I have my P33-2 hauled out and on the hard and want to replace the centerboard pennant since I don't know the last time it was done. How open would you be to a quick message or call about the equipment and process you followed to replace your pennant? Thanks, Chris

 

[Steve Hedges]

Chris - a P33-2 centerboard is probably different than my P33 with a swing keel. My swing keel only has one bolt holding it onto the keel, and that is what it pivots on.
If this sounds like your boat, I would be happy to talk to you. How do we get my phone number to you without just broadcasting it to the entire web?

 

[goodintheory]

Steve - If you have a fixed keel draft of 3'7" and a deeper draft of 5'11" when the centerboard is down then we have the same configuration. (The CB rotates down from inside the keel.) Shoot me a message to my company general in-box and it will be forwarded to me: info@voluminant.com. In the meantime, I look forward to speaking with you and thanks in advance!

 

[Steve Hedges]

Here are some photos of the swing keel repair.

 

[Steve Hedges]

One more photo of the broken wire pennant

 

[Steve Hedges]

OK =sorry folks, I am bad at this posting stuff. To explain the photos:
The first one is the keel jammed in the upright position. I have a safety line around the keel, over the cabin top to stop it from suddenly slamming into the dirt.
The second photo is after the keel was unjammed-simply marine growth had it jammed.
The third photo is the two pennant spools in my lazarette. The rope pennant controls the wire pennant. I had to remove the rope spool to reach the bitter end of the wire pennant.
The third photo is of the area where the wire pennant makes a 90 degree turn down into the keel. This was the most difficult part of the repair. The metal tube that contains the wire pennant was very difficult to get off, and running the new wire up through that 90 degree bend took considerable patience.
The third photo (separate post) is of the broken wire and the thingie that holds it on to the keel. I put in a new thimble and swaged the wire on there, and then poked it up through the rest of the pennant run.

 

[Steve Hedges]

Turns out we don't have a swing keel. We have a centerboard keel that has a well for the centerboard in the keel. as opposed as a well in the cabin.
On many smaller boats, the keel can be swung up into the hull from a pivot point at the top. This allow the boat to be positioned lower on a trailer or to maneuver in shallow water.
A swing keel is a weighted, narrow, fin-type keel that provides both ballast and lateral stability. A centerboard is similar but often is not weighted and thus provides only lateral stability.



With this definition, because our moveable keel is not weighted, is sounds like we have a centerboard. Just because it pivots and swings up into the keel, it is not a swing keel.