I have a minor(5 to 6 inch) horizontal crack at the keel / hull joint near the forward edge. (fin keel) A owner of a like 31' boat said its caused by flexing of the keel, and is mostly cosmetic in nature. Suggests grinding it out and laying in some epoxy, then the usual anti fouling paint. Am I on the right track?
hull / keel joint crack
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Hull/keel crack
John: You're on the right track. You need to grind it out, make sure that it is dry and lay in some 5200, then repaint. This should solve the problem.
John: You're on the right track. You need to grind it out, make sure that it is dry and lay in some 5200, then repaint. This should solve the problem.
i am really confused
I think i would want the weight on the keel when i tighten the bolts. Its a bitch pulling up the 6000 pound keel with a socket wrench.
I think i would want the weight on the keel when i tighten the bolts. Its a bitch pulling up the 6000 pound keel with a socket wrench.
no weight on the bolts
If the boat is out of the water there is no weight pulling down on the bolts (if it is blocked properly). The keel should be supporting the boat for the most part, there for no weight pulling down on the bolts. Where as in the water the boat supports the keel and there is pressure on the bolts because the keels is "hanging" in the water by the bolts. Hope that was a clear explination.
If the boat is out of the water there is no weight pulling down on the bolts (if it is blocked properly). The keel should be supporting the boat for the most part, there for no weight pulling down on the bolts. Where as in the water the boat supports the keel and there is pressure on the bolts because the keels is "hanging" in the water by the bolts. Hope that was a clear explination.
thanks for the good advice - wonderful forum!
Good advice from all of you. And yes, its sitting on the "hard" right now. Thanks. John
Good advice from all of you. And yes, its sitting on the "hard" right now. Thanks. John
5200 may be too good of a fix
I just had a 85' H40 Surveyed and it also had the crack along the keel line. My surveyor also said it was normal, as long as you couldn't shove a putty knife in the crack, and was caused by flexing as mentioned. He also said you could scrape it out and fill with 5200, but he cautioned that the 5200 will flex and if the keel starts to loosen you may not see it as soon with the 5200 covering the gap. His argument was that not having the 5200 meant you would always see the crack, but you would always be reminded to check the crack as well. Just a thought
I just had a 85' H40 Surveyed and it also had the crack along the keel line. My surveyor also said it was normal, as long as you couldn't shove a putty knife in the crack, and was caused by flexing as mentioned. He also said you could scrape it out and fill with 5200, but he cautioned that the 5200 will flex and if the keel starts to loosen you may not see it as soon with the 5200 covering the gap. His argument was that not having the 5200 meant you would always see the crack, but you would always be reminded to check the crack as well. Just a thought
See the Boat Works article
The crack you can see is usually damage to the bottom paint caused by flexing, but you don't really know what the condition of the joint is until you scrape that bottom paint off and see just how deep it goes. If water is weeping from the bilge out, you have a problem that needs to be treated differently than just slathering some 5200 over it. Try to get hold of the most recent back issue of Boat Works magazine, where they give detailed instructions on how to seal the joint as part of fairing the keel.
The crack you can see is usually damage to the bottom paint caused by flexing, but you don't really know what the condition of the joint is until you scrape that bottom paint off and see just how deep it goes. If water is weeping from the bilge out, you have a problem that needs to be treated differently than just slathering some 5200 over it. Try to get hold of the most recent back issue of Boat Works magazine, where they give detailed instructions on how to seal the joint as part of fairing the keel.
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