keel cable damage ?

[Dennis]

Last October I bought my first boat, an '81 22, and can't wait to sail. Anyway, is it normal/safe in a boat this old to have a groove worn into the starboard side at the bottom of the keel truck? It is about 3/8 inch deep and 1/2 long and obviously made by the keel cable rubbing it over the years? Boat is on blocks now in a marina waiting for water level in lake to rise. When I bought it last October it was in the water and dry as a bone down below. Thanks in advance for any comments.

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Fix it First

Sounds like someone placed the cable on the aft side of the bronze roller ball where it comes up thru the hull rather than the forward side. Better examine the whole winch-roller-cable system carefully and correctly replace defective parts (avail. at Catalina Direct). Best to also replace the removable hose and clamps at same time. Also fill in the groove cut by the cable with something like a good epoxy or a glass-resin mix. The cable should not touch the hull or keel trunk when cranking the keel up and down.

 

[Charlie on "kestrel"]

Keel cable

Dick,I believe the cable passes aft of the turning ball. I found out when I bought my '86. The cable hose was dry rotted and when investigating I found the Keel pivot hole to be severly worn. This lead to keel removal and repair (another story). When I put it all back together , the brass pipe that holds the turning ball and hose came out of the hull. I had to epoxy it all back in and the repair has held well. A loose and roky keel can do all kinds of damage. Catalina Direct has great info and parts to repair all this.good luck

 

[Dick of Sylvan]

Whoops!

Checking a diagram of the C22 Keel, I see the cable should be on the aft side of the roller ball, so I guess someone had put yours on the forward side where it could saw into the keel trunk. Anyway, if you fix it do it so the pressure is on the bronze roller ball, not on fiberglass. Dick K.

 

[Dennis]

Thanks Dick of WY

My Catalina Direct 22 handbook arrived in yesterday's mail and I was looking at the drawings too. Not knowing what the previous owner did/didn't do as far as maintenance, I think I'll replace the whole thing - winch, cable, that ball - the whole lot. Thanks again.