Keel concerns

[Denise, Oday 30]

My boat is on the dry and I've been looking at the bottom around the keel. I can see an outline about 6-8" around the keel on the bottom and some filler seems to be coming loose on the starboard side. Would that be flange type of connection for the keel to hull? I'd like to prevent any keel problems like we read about on the fourum a couple of months ago. Surely the "intergrated" keel isn't just glued to the bottom ... is it? I'm Not sure what the final outcome was on the last thread about this topic. Could holes be drilled down from the bilge into the keel and bolt rod epoxied in and then drawn up with nuts and large washers? eh... just thinking ;D thanks all Denise

 

[TT23844]

Keel construction

Don't know how your O30 keel is built: on my O27 the lead keel is completely enclosed inside the fiberglass and is sealed in place with more glass in the bilge. Your post suggests that the ballast is separate, in which case there are several large bolts running from the metal up thru the bottom of the boat into the bilge area. You may be able to see the nuts etc securing the upper end of the bolts in the bilge, but they're probably covered in glass too.Check the archived posts in this forum & the general forums: there's undoubtedly something , somewhere. If there is no evidence to indicate there is any separation or loosening of the keel I believe the drill is too remove the material that fills the joint between the metal and the glass, clean & abrade it and fill with an epoxy putty. After the epoxy has cured, sand it fair and apply your normal bottom coating. That's just my opinion & I would check to see what the 'experts' have to say.