Does anyone have any suggestions for removing the keel bolts. I understand they break/sheer off easily. I bought my Catalina 22 this summer and sailed it all season. I will be taking her out of the water in mid october for the season to inspect the keel (the keel clunking is getting to me and I want to be sure it is nothing serious). I also hope to install the keel spacer kit to prevent the keel from moving back and forth and quie the keel clunk. Anyway, I want to take the bolts off, check it all out, install the kit, and NOT BREAK THE BOLTS. Should I soak/put some liquid wrench or WD-40 on the bolts before I try to remove them? ANY OTHER IDEAS.....? TIPS........? STORIES FROM PAST EXPERIENCES.........?
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B
Brian
Check this out
Go to the forum archives and search: "keel bolt break" There is some good stuff there as your condition is not new. I will be doing the same job soon and will use the "open end wrench with a slight hammer tap on the head" technique. My bolts are not to crusty. Brian p.s. The hammer is used to tap the bolt head
Go to the forum archives and search: "keel bolt break" There is some good stuff there as your condition is not new. I will be doing the same job soon and will use the "open end wrench with a slight hammer tap on the head" technique. My bolts are not to crusty. Brian p.s. The hammer is used to tap the bolt head
C
Cam Kelly
Go slow
A few pieces of advice: go slow and make sure the keel is well supported. I placed a small jack directly under the keel just below the pivot pin. That way I was able to lower it in a controlled manner, replace the pin and then raise the keel back in place. The keel is going to come forward a bit so make sure you are not under it in the event that it goes too far forward. Replace the bolts with new ones and put a little loc-tite on them. Don't overtighten. When taking the old bolts off, I didn't have to use any penetrating oil, they just came off. Hope your goes as smothly as mine did. A little planning in advance certainly paid off for me.
A few pieces of advice: go slow and make sure the keel is well supported. I placed a small jack directly under the keel just below the pivot pin. That way I was able to lower it in a controlled manner, replace the pin and then raise the keel back in place. The keel is going to come forward a bit so make sure you are not under it in the event that it goes too far forward. Replace the bolts with new ones and put a little loc-tite on them. Don't overtighten. When taking the old bolts off, I didn't have to use any penetrating oil, they just came off. Hope your goes as smothly as mine did. A little planning in advance certainly paid off for me.
G
GJ
Cam: I have to pull my keel for a complete rework
since DPO let it go. Would it be worthwhile to purchase the info kit from Catalina Direct on this subject? I thought the $35 (or whatever it is now) would be cheap compared to the possible injury I might sustain doing something dumb. I think you get a video, and, plans for some kind of crib to lower the keel with. Anyone get this kit? Worthwhile?
since DPO let it go. Would it be worthwhile to purchase the info kit from Catalina Direct on this subject? I thought the $35 (or whatever it is now) would be cheap compared to the possible injury I might sustain doing something dumb. I think you get a video, and, plans for some kind of crib to lower the keel with. Anyone get this kit? Worthwhile?
C
Cam Kelly
Here is what I did.
I had to replace the keel bolt, the four SS bolts holding the keel to the hull, the eyebolt that the cable is connected to and the cable itself. Did it all within about 1.5 hours. While the botat was on the trailer I first removed the four bolts (used a spanner with the correct sized socket - you should be able to get it off by applying a little force with your hand and arm. If you can't get it with this I would try a gentle tap with a rubber hammer. I fthis doesn't work you may need the help of a mechanic. If a bolt breaks off you have a somewhat bigger problem but not a huge one. I built a 'U' shaped brace out of 2X6 about a foot high and just wide enough to slip over the keel just under the keel bolt. A small jack under the U brace (car jack would probably be fine) and put a little pressure on the jack against the U brace. This will catch the keel when the bolts come free. With the bolts out lower the jack to expose the pivot pin and replace if necessary. Also use new bolts when putting the keel back. A little loctite is also recommended on the threads of the bolts. This went along without incident. Then using two samll jacks I jacked up the back of the boat (put a piece of 2X8 between the jack and the boat to protect the hull. Jack a little on one side then the other just to keep the boat balanced. (be damn careful here - if you can jack without being under the boat this would be best). Once the rear end of the boat is up about 8-10 inches in the the air I climbed into the boat (once I got my confidence up) and lowered the keel to rest on the trailer support. Then removed the winch to get the old cable off - remember how the old cable winds on the winch - you will need to put the new one back the same way. I replace the old eye bolt and attached the new cable to the keel, pushed the wire up through the volcano and then reattached it to the winch and reinstalled the winch. The book from Catalina Direct had all the info I needed although it wasn't spelled out exactly but after studying the relevant sections and visualizing how things worked it was a piece of cake. I ddi it myself but would have been helpful to have another person at the time. Just be careful, go slow and plan it out before you start. If you are at all handy with a socket, hammer, saw, screwdriver you should get along fine. I also found it helpful to take a few pictures with a dig. camera of the old setup as I was taking it apart. This helped as I was going back to reconnect the news stuff. The pivot pin and eyebolt I got from Catalina direct. The SS bolts I got from the local marine store and the cable I got made from the local wire rope shop. Fortunately I live on the east coast of Nova Scotia and a lot of marine rigging shops have setup here to support the offshore gas projects. I really think I saved a bundle going locally. That's my story let me know if you require any detail on any step within this process.
I had to replace the keel bolt, the four SS bolts holding the keel to the hull, the eyebolt that the cable is connected to and the cable itself. Did it all within about 1.5 hours. While the botat was on the trailer I first removed the four bolts (used a spanner with the correct sized socket - you should be able to get it off by applying a little force with your hand and arm. If you can't get it with this I would try a gentle tap with a rubber hammer. I fthis doesn't work you may need the help of a mechanic. If a bolt breaks off you have a somewhat bigger problem but not a huge one. I built a 'U' shaped brace out of 2X6 about a foot high and just wide enough to slip over the keel just under the keel bolt. A small jack under the U brace (car jack would probably be fine) and put a little pressure on the jack against the U brace. This will catch the keel when the bolts come free. With the bolts out lower the jack to expose the pivot pin and replace if necessary. Also use new bolts when putting the keel back. A little loctite is also recommended on the threads of the bolts. This went along without incident. Then using two samll jacks I jacked up the back of the boat (put a piece of 2X8 between the jack and the boat to protect the hull. Jack a little on one side then the other just to keep the boat balanced. (be damn careful here - if you can jack without being under the boat this would be best). Once the rear end of the boat is up about 8-10 inches in the the air I climbed into the boat (once I got my confidence up) and lowered the keel to rest on the trailer support. Then removed the winch to get the old cable off - remember how the old cable winds on the winch - you will need to put the new one back the same way. I replace the old eye bolt and attached the new cable to the keel, pushed the wire up through the volcano and then reattached it to the winch and reinstalled the winch. The book from Catalina Direct had all the info I needed although it wasn't spelled out exactly but after studying the relevant sections and visualizing how things worked it was a piece of cake. I ddi it myself but would have been helpful to have another person at the time. Just be careful, go slow and plan it out before you start. If you are at all handy with a socket, hammer, saw, screwdriver you should get along fine. I also found it helpful to take a few pictures with a dig. camera of the old setup as I was taking it apart. This helped as I was going back to reconnect the news stuff. The pivot pin and eyebolt I got from Catalina direct. The SS bolts I got from the local marine store and the cable I got made from the local wire rope shop. Fortunately I live on the east coast of Nova Scotia and a lot of marine rigging shops have setup here to support the offshore gas projects. I really think I saved a bundle going locally. That's my story let me know if you require any detail on any step within this process.
J
John renfro
bolt
hello mike, when I removed mine, the last bolt snapped off. The fix was to drill the bolt out out to install a heli-coil insert. Not a big problem but all the flaming hot metal chips hurt when they land on your face. Somewhere in the archives is a link to an owner that broke his rethreading tap of in the hole and had to surf the internet to find a broken tap extractor. Some have no problem, others have Murphy dogging their every step always expect the worst,you can't do any thing to stop it, but you can allow more time to fix it Good luck john
hello mike, when I removed mine, the last bolt snapped off. The fix was to drill the bolt out out to install a heli-coil insert. Not a big problem but all the flaming hot metal chips hurt when they land on your face. Somewhere in the archives is a link to an owner that broke his rethreading tap of in the hole and had to surf the internet to find a broken tap extractor. Some have no problem, others have Murphy dogging their every step always expect the worst,you can't do any thing to stop it, but you can allow more time to fix it Good luck john
A
Aldo
Cam: Are you sure you want to use Loctite?
Cam: In your reply your suggested "... and put a little loc-tite on them" Are you sure you want to use Loctite, and not anti-sieze? Aldo
Cam: In your reply your suggested "... and put a little loc-tite on them" Are you sure you want to use Loctite, and not anti-sieze? Aldo
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Brian
Loctite etc.
One kind of Loctite is for bolts that need to be removed for service and the other is permanant. An "anti sieze" lubricant such as Permatex 133A should work well as it is formulated to resist the corrosion that effectivly welds the bolts together while under water. Hope this helps. Brian
One kind of Loctite is for bolts that need to be removed for service and the other is permanant. An "anti sieze" lubricant such as Permatex 133A should work well as it is formulated to resist the corrosion that effectivly welds the bolts together while under water. Hope this helps. Brian
C
Cam Kelly
Sorry about that
My apologies. You are correct. Use the anti sieze type for these bolts. You may want to get them off again in a few years.
My apologies. You are correct. Use the anti sieze type for these bolts. You may want to get them off again in a few years.
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