Keel haul complete!!

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Oct 10, 2013
5
Macgregor 26X Bath,IL
I recently posted some questions about a keel bracket. I tried to find that thread again to update it but no luck so here is the skinny.

I did get ahold of BWY and they worked with me well!
I got the keel bracket and had it installed the next day.
I now see why the bracket that was on there came off!
the pin that holds the bracket to the keel is just that , a pin. when the bolt that holds the bracket to the boat broke , the pin got below the keel trunk(which holds the pin in the bracket in place), it fell out then the bracket fell off.


Replaceing the bracket solo , on the water, at anchor, was a little tricky, but but not even close to impossible .
In water with a tidal range from 3-5 foot, I was able to manhandle the keel out of the trunk and get it on board to mount the bracket.
the biggest trick of the whole deal was to empty the ballast and offset cargo so that the boat was lifted up far enough to have air in the trunk area.(this kept the water from coming through the bolt hole.
I added some rubber washers to the hinge pin on the bracket to keep it in place in case this bolt breaks, I also put some rubber washers above and below the hull where the bolt goes through along with a heaping dose of 5200.
I di get the 5200 wet while reinstalling the keel, I was counting on the heavy amount of caulk to displace any water when the bolt was tightened. (no leak yet).
I was worried about hitting the bolt hold blind while down there but the X has a channel that the bracket slides into which held it where it needed to be and the bolt went in on the first try!!
it was a tight fit so i didnt worry about the keel falling out , plus the other end was resting on the bottom . this let me get back aboard and get the nut in place and add more 5200 on top with out any drama.
since there was an air pocket in the truck I let her sit for a couple days to cure as far as possible before moving , and I even left the ballast out on the first day (for safety is case she leaked).
now sitting fully ballasted waiting out a small craft warning...
here are some photos. one attachment has several pix, the pdf has the measurements for the bracket itself for DYSers.

by the way , scraping the barnacles off your work area and keel and keel truck is a good way to save skin and keep blood out of the water....just sayin.
 

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