We would like to re-caulk the keel bolt holes and rebed the keel nuts on our 1991 Hunter Legend 37.5. I measured the nuts - they are 1-1/2" across the flats. The keels bolts protrude about 3" into the bilge. Thus, I think an 1-1/2", deep (3" deep) socket would be the tool to use. The bilge is deep and very narrow, so it does not look like any other tool would work. The problem is we cannot find a socket the meets these criteria. We have called Sears, several auto shops and hardware stores, and looked on the web. We found a $54 deep impact socket that we were willing to buy, but its heavy construction restricted the interior space (for the protruding bolt) too much. Does anyone have any thoughts on what to do or where we might find an appropriate socket? Is there another tool that might work for this job?
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Got Welder Connections?
Had the same problem. Our H-35 has both 1-1/2-inch and 1-7/8-inch nuts on the keel bolts and the keel bolt stems stick up quite a bit. I couldn't find a socket anywhere. Solution: My brother-in-law runs a fab shop with welders. I bought a standard socket and we cut it in half with the socket on one half, drive socket on the other. We, er, they, welded a section of pipe of the appropriate diameter and length to the two socket halves and presto! A DEEP socket. They also made me up a cheater pipe for the breaker bar. I also made up a new grounding plate with more and better grounding connections. Having the proper tools now I can do this kind of work myself instead of paying the yard to do it. Attached picture is of the two deep sockets, 3/4-inch drive, with breaker bar and extention.
Had the same problem. Our H-35 has both 1-1/2-inch and 1-7/8-inch nuts on the keel bolts and the keel bolt stems stick up quite a bit. I couldn't find a socket anywhere. Solution: My brother-in-law runs a fab shop with welders. I bought a standard socket and we cut it in half with the socket on one half, drive socket on the other. We, er, they, welded a section of pipe of the appropriate diameter and length to the two socket halves and presto! A DEEP socket. They also made me up a cheater pipe for the breaker bar. I also made up a new grounding plate with more and better grounding connections. Having the proper tools now I can do this kind of work myself instead of paying the yard to do it. Attached picture is of the two deep sockets, 3/4-inch drive, with breaker bar and extention.
Attachments
Is there a reason you want to rebed?
I have an 18 year old boat that never needed it. You may be surprised how much trouble it can be ... unless of course you have done it before. Vic
I have an 18 year old boat that never needed it. You may be surprised how much trouble it can be ... unless of course you have done it before. Vic
Reason to rebed keel bolts/nuts
When we launched a couple of weeks ago, water immediately found its way into our perfectly dry bilge. What had happened was the fiberglass on the keel was cracked (about 8" long), which allowed water to seep all the way into the bilge. Upon removing the fiberglass around the crack we discovered that a small area of the caulking between the keel and hull had failed. Our theory is that water in the bilge found a path to the area between the hull and keel, flowed through the failed caulking, and seeped between the keel and its fiberglass covering. The freeze-thaw cycle in northern Michigan caused the crack in the fiberglass. We can repair the failed caulk and the cracked fiberglass - actually no big deal. The only path we can find for water to flow from the bilge to the space between the hull and keel is the keel bolt holes. Thus the need to remove the nuts and rebed everything. Admittedly, we do not have access to the entire bilge area, so the water may have had another path. Since we can reach the keel bolts, we thought we would eliminate them as a possible path.
When we launched a couple of weeks ago, water immediately found its way into our perfectly dry bilge. What had happened was the fiberglass on the keel was cracked (about 8" long), which allowed water to seep all the way into the bilge. Upon removing the fiberglass around the crack we discovered that a small area of the caulking between the keel and hull had failed. Our theory is that water in the bilge found a path to the area between the hull and keel, flowed through the failed caulking, and seeped between the keel and its fiberglass covering. The freeze-thaw cycle in northern Michigan caused the crack in the fiberglass. We can repair the failed caulk and the cracked fiberglass - actually no big deal. The only path we can find for water to flow from the bilge to the space between the hull and keel is the keel bolt holes. Thus the need to remove the nuts and rebed everything. Admittedly, we do not have access to the entire bilge area, so the water may have had another path. Since we can reach the keel bolts, we thought we would eliminate them as a possible path.
You got a reason for sure ... and this means
you are going to drop the keel as well? Recently had someone we know go through a storm and tightened his backstay enough to crack some of the fiberglass around the keel bolts and that brought in water. fortunately the manufacturer is fixing it no charge. Of course the question for you still is how did the crack get there in the first place ... but other than a mechanical inspection and fix of the damage ... you never may really find out the cause. Vic
you are going to drop the keel as well? Recently had someone we know go through a storm and tightened his backstay enough to crack some of the fiberglass around the keel bolts and that brought in water. fortunately the manufacturer is fixing it no charge. Of course the question for you still is how did the crack get there in the first place ... but other than a mechanical inspection and fix of the damage ... you never may really find out the cause. Vic
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