Keel Bolts

[Carl Dreves]

I just purchased a 1975 Catalina 27' the keel bolts and nuts are rusted in the blige area do you have any suggestions to fix or replace, how long are the ect. can they be removed one by one in the water?

 

[Trevor]

Rusty keel bolts

Hi Carl -It's not unusual to see rust on keel bolts, especially in older boats and those with standing water in the bilge. Are there any signs that the keel bolts need tightening or are loose? Try cleaning them up and look for any signs of movement when the boat is hauled out. If not, then you probably have nothing to worry about. If you see cracking along the keel to hull joint, you'll then need to consider tightening or replacing the keel bolts. There are numerous ways to get a rusty nut off, but they usually require lubricant and a lot of force. Make sure you have a problem before you try to fix it!Best,Trevor

 

[Ben Myers]

do the factory refit 4 10 inch lag bolts to go along with the rusted ones in the bilge. about a $100 from catalina drill 3/8 " hole and work the lag bolts in. when drilling holes allow time for the bit to cool down so it gets a bite in the lead. the bolts have to be worked in then backed out in a 1/2 " out a 1/4" back down 3/4" back out 1/2" and so on til they are in. teadious work took me all day about 2 hours a bolt.