Keel trouble 84 macgregor 25

[Starwind]

Greetings. I have just purchased my first boat, a macgregor 25 out of alametos bay in long beach. Everything's fine on the boat except the control for the keel and I cant tell if it's up or down or what it's current condition is.(boat seems to move a lot with any movement like there's no weight below it) I rent a slip and don't have a trailer to take her out of the water. Is there a place/person I can get someone to dive under the boat and check things out? Any help suggestions or ideas are greatly appreciated as well as advice to where I can repair the keel control or get the parts needed to do it myself. I do to think I'm comfortable taking her out until I've sorted this
Thanks
-Starwind

 

[justsomeguy]

Seems as if there's a rash of new MacGregor owners out there. Welcome.

Ask other sailors near your slip about any local dive services available, or do it yourself. Ask the diver if there's a cable attached to the trailing edge of the keel. If the diver says "What keel?", then you're the new owner of an M25 parts boat.

Is the keel winch turning the cable onto and off the drum when rotated? It's a brake winch. Are you familiar with these? The keel should retract when you crank the winch handle clockwise, after removing the keel lock bolt.

To allow inspection of the keel pivot bolt, begging or borrowing a Mac 25 trailer would be nice, or have the boat hauled and set onto stands.

http://www.bwyachts.com has just about everything you'll need, except for a new keel.

 

[Diver960]

Hello Starwind, and welcome! 'Guy has good counsel...looking forward to hearing what you learn!

 

[centerline]

check the keel bolt... and lock down bolt... if they arent holding weight then you can save the cost of a diver going down and looking.

the keel cable could be broken, but this would be pretty obvious if you look at the winch and crank it a few turns.

 

[caguy]

If the keel lockdown bolt is in then the keel is down. remove the keel lockdown bolt, and have someone turn the crank (you should hear a rachet sould if all is well) while you look through the lockdown bolt hole in the trunk you will see the keel move up continue cranking until it stops. To lower the keel simply crank the brake winch in the opposite direction and the keel will lower. The brake winch will only unwind if there is tension on the cable. As soon as the keel stops moving the line will slack. you have to lower the keel all the way down and then back it up about 8 turns for the whole to line up. Then you can answer keel lockdown bolt.

 

[Starwind]

Thank you all for the quick replies. I think finding someone to dive under and check it out may be my only option. I purchased the boat for a steal. Only thing wrong with it is whatever controls the keel is broken off. I see a large center bolt and some kind if gear or crank where I'm sure some sort of lever once was? I was told the keel was stuck down so didn't really think much of it at the time. But to get to my new slip ill need to retract it due to shallow water.
Links to possible parts I may need would be appreciated greatly. I'll try to upload a pic but I am using a phone

 

[Kestle]

I am at Cabrillo YC in San Pedro and we have a lift if you want to check it out. Contact/PM me off list. I'll help you out.

Jeff

 

[Diver960]

What an awesome group this is!

 

[Starwind]

Truly! I appreciate everyone. Wrote you an email Jeff let me know! I'm staying on the boat in alemitos bay

 

[justsomeguy]

Here's a photo of the winch without the bulkhead, tube or cable, if it'll help.

 

[Starwind]

I'm missing that whole unit

 

[justsomeguy]

I'm missing that whole unit

Curiouser and curiouser...

Have you looked at the manual?

 

[Starwind]

Doesn't seem to mention it in there

 

[centerline]

I purchased the boat for a steal.

if the keel is actually stuck down, or not even there at all, I can guarantee you will get out of this dilemma much cheaper by giving the boat back to who you bought it from, or to someone else who doesnt know what it costs to make the repairs, especially if you dont have a trailer for it....

this bit of wisdom may not seem helpful to your problem at all, but in a couple of months you will see the truth in it.:cry:

 

[Starwind]

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be able to get my money back. What do you estimate the cost of a new keel and control box for it to be?

 

[justsomeguy]

You can't get a new keel, unfortunately. Used, possibly. The winch is available through Blue Water Yacht's site mentioned earlier.

Their website's kind of wonky on mobile devices, however. Good luck.

 

[Diver960]

Sorry, Star! Doesn't sound good at this point. I wouldn't have a clue how much a new keel and system would cost, but imagine some on here will be able to give you a good idea.

 

[justsomeguy]

95 bucks (oof!) for a brake winch at BWYachts. You could probably do better at Grainger's or some such place.

 

[Starwind]

I appreciate all of your help everyone. Thank you. I hope this isn't the newby question of the sailing universe. But Jeff had mentioned access to a lift earlier a few miles north of me. What r my chances of getting up there if I don't have a keel? Sailing Or if I just run it up with the outboard? The last thing I want to do is tip her over

 

[caguy]

The keel is made by Dutton Lainson here is a link.

http://www.dutton-lainson.com/proddetail.php?prod=14912