keel repair

[Mike4116]

Sadly, (and through my own fault) I ran my 28 O'day aground last spring and damaged the keel. The boat is sitting in the cradle and the keel is sitting on the cradle's center structure and I am unable to get to the damaged part. I know how to do fiberglass. My question is this: How can I raise the boat a few inches (4 or 5 inches) to get to the keel bottom to fix the damage. The marina owner has a travel lift but in the spring when I can do this fix the travel lift is busy and he cannot tie it up while my boat hangs in the slings. Does anyone have a suggestion as to how to lift the boat (safely) to allow me to fix the damage?

 

[njlarry]

Hard to say without a picture of the damage.

 

[Brian S]

Does the yard have adjustable stands? Getting the boat off the cradle and onto stands is probably your best bet. If not, maybe lifting the bow and using stands to get access to the front of the cradle, but leaving the stern on the cradle? I'm sure if the yard has a lift, and has stands, the yard monkeys (It's ok, I work in a bike shop and refer to myself as a "shop monkey") have plenty of experience properly blocking a boat on stands. I think I'd still want blocking under the aft half of the keel to support some boat weight, yet leaving the forward half open for repairs.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Our 28, and I believe most others are lead keeled, without any encasing. What is the extent of the damage that requires fiberglass work?

 

[TENACITY CS36T]

Pretty sure O28's are fully encapsulated lead keels, and that boat is not meant to be supported by cradle pads or auxiliary pads alone, keel takes most of the weight. It will need to supported in the slings to get under if that's what your trying to do.

 

[jibes138]

Are you sure no damage to the keel joint or the glass structure of the boat? One option is pull off the keel and rest the boat where the keel mounts. Send the keel to Mars Metals and have them fix it. If it is lead it is highly toxic and they have the expertise to repair it. This will also let you check your keel bolts and re-bed your keel that is probably due given the age of the boat.

 

[Mike4116]

Hmmm. This is food for thought. I know it is a lead keel and is encapulated; but the encapsulation is fiberglass (I think). It appears that there is damage to whatever is over the lead at the extreme leading edge. I think, at this point, Brian's idea of lifting the front of the keel with jack stands may be my safest and best option as only the very front of the keel is damaged. Thanks to all; I appreciate the input offered.

 

[Davidasailor26]

Ours (1985 model) was coated in epoxy or something like it, but definitely not fiberglass. Over time the coating began to flake off to the point where I ended up sanding and scraping it down to bare metal, then recoating with interlux 2000. Definitely no fiberglass involved in ours, so you may want to poke closer to check. Assuming there's just the coating ours had, there's really no required maintenance from a structure standpoint. If you want a smooth surface you can fair the surface a bit then prime with interlux so that anti fouling will stick.

 

[Mike4116]

Thanks David: I guess I didn't know (but suspected) that the lead keel was merely coated but not encased. My concern was that if it was a fiberglass shell that water would get under it and eventually damage the glass layer over the lead. If no such fiberglass encasement exists then all I really need to do is smooth over and re-coat the damaged area. Again, many thanks to all who have provided information about this damage.

 

[SailingCal21]

Buy yourself a cheap Harbor Freight grinder and grind, grind, grind. Be sure to epoxy as you go so are epoxying to bright metal that has had no chance to oxidize. Once cured, use an abrasive bottom paint prep to get the blush off and give the bottom paint something to bite on so it won't fall off.